Monthly Challenges

Participate in each monthly challenge to learn new skills and expand your knowledge. Explore the current challenge below, share your accomplishments on social media with the monthly hashtag, and check back soon for next month's challenge.

#AprilWins

What is your latest win? Maybe you finally got that experiment to work or presented your research at a conference. Maybe you picked a job offer, grad school, or a research advisor. Maybe you’re just really excited about the latest chemistry news.

Share your excitement with #AprilWins. Tell us what big or small accomplishments you have had lately. Need tips or ideas? See below.

Celebrate all of your achievements

• Finishing a project
• Making time for yourself
• Trying a new dish or activity
• Finally doing that task you’ve been putting off
• Getting a good grade
• Giving a presentation
• Picking a graduate program
• Accepting a job offer

Sharing your accomplishments with scientists

Sharing your research wins usually means writing a paper, presenting a poster, or giving a talk. Get tips from these inChemistry and the Graduate & Postdoctoral Chemist articles:

• How to Write a Professional, Polished Scientifc Abstract: Learn how to write an ace abstract to make a strong first impression.
• Anatomy of an Ace Research Poster: 
• Master the Art of Preparing for an Oral Presentation: Learn the nuts and bolts of careful planning, tight editing, and lots of rehearsal for an effective research talk.
• Tips for Writing a Scientific Manuscript: This article offers tips for writing a scientific article that are relevant to both first-time and seasoned manuscript authors.

Reaching a broader audience

Whether you are celebrating a successful experiment, a new job, or just finishing your problem set, there are lots of ways to share.

• “You’re Studying What?” tips from inChemistry on how to explain your studies to family and friends outside of your field
• “Writing about science for nonscientists” inChemistry advice on reaching non-scientists with exciting advances in your field or other sciences
• Sharing science on social media: a collection of articles from Nature on communicating your work through Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms
• Chemists are finding their place on TikTok: C&EN share how educators, researchers, and students are sharing science through this popular app

Finding science breakthroughs

You don’t need to share just your own wins. Check out these sources for amazing accomplishments from all corners of the chemistry enterprise:

• ACS Pressroom: ACS press releases, videos, and podcast about cutting-edge chemistry research and news
• Chemical & Engineering News: the flagship ACS magazine reports advances throughout the chemical enterprise.
• Nature Chemistry: chemistry-focused news and views from the famed peer-reviewed journal
• Science News: cutting-edge science for a general audience
• Eureka Alert: press releases from all branches of science, from the American Association for the Advancement of Science 

More opportunities to share

You don’t need to limit your sharing to social media. Check out one of these upcoming meetings to share your work:

• ACS Fall 2021: abstract submission closes April 12
• ACS Regional meetings: abstract submission for the Northeast, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, and Southwest regional meetings will be opening soon
  
• AISES Student Chats: the American Indian Science & Engineering Society is hosting monthly chats for student members to connect and share
  
• NOBCChE Conference: submit your abstract now through the end of April for the National Organization for Black Chemists & Chemical Engineers’s annual conference
  
• SACNAS’ National Diversity in STEM Conference: the Society for the Advancement of Chicano/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science is accepting abstracts now through April 16 for its annual conference