FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | December 15, 2011

San Diego chemist elected director-at-large of world’s largest scientific society

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2011—Barbara A. Sawrey, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for undergraduate education at the University of California, San Diego, was elected director-at-large of the Board of Directors of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. She will begin a three-year term on Jan. 1, 2012.

“When I graduated with my B.S. in chemistry nearly 40 years ago, I could not have imagined the path my career would take, nor could I have predicted the interdisciplinary and global direction the chemical enterprise would take,” said Sawrey. “I am even prouder now than I was then of being a chemist and a member of ACS.”

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Sawrey’s commitment to education extends beyond her university role; she has served as a mentor for the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad team, traveling twice with the finalists to international competitions. She is also an instructor in the ACS Leadership Development System, helping fellow chemists to enhance their professional skills.

In the face of other challenges today—to employment and science literacy—Sawrey says the ACS needs to continue to advocate for research and development funding at the federal and state levels, provide strong support for innovation and entrepreneurship and pursue strong connections with scientific societies in other countries.

Sawrey received a B.S. in 1973 from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, an M.A. in 1982 from San Diego State University and a Ph.D. in 1983 jointly from the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University.

She resides in La Jolla.

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Barbara A. Sawrey