Mary Kirchhoff

I have had the privilege of working in multiple sectors – academia, government, and non-profit – throughout my career, along with mentoring numerous individuals, especially graduate students.  I earned my doctorate in organic chemistry as the mother of four children and began my independent career at a small, women’s college in Washington, DC.  A sabbatical leave brought me to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an AAAS Fellow.  During my time at EPA, I began working with ACS to develop green chemistry education materials, a collaboration that led me to join ACS as the Assistant Director of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute.  I spent the majority of my ACS career leading the Education and Scientific Advancement Divisions before retiring in 2022.

My favorite activity while working at ACS was the annual Summer School on Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy.  More than 1,000 students have completed the Summer School, and many of these students sought career advice from me and the other instructors throughout the program, as well as afterwards.  I stay in touch with many of these former students on LinkedIn and Facebook, and it is rewarding to see them succeed in their careers, many of which are focused on achieving a more sustainable future through chemistry.