Career Workshops
Discover the career path that best matches your talents, goals, and personality.
Explore career paths and conduct a personalized assessment of your skills and abilities with career workshops at ACS Fall 2026.
- Registration: Add career workshops to your cart when you register for the meeting.
- Cost: Free after a $20 refundable deposit for members with a Premium Package.
Didn't sign up for workshops when you registered for the meeting? Just add them through the Registration Resource Center.
Workshop Schedule
Sunday, August 23 | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Entrepreneurship: A Practical Overview for Aspiring Chemical Entrepreneurs
Becoming an entrepreneur can be incredibly rewarding, but it comes with risks as well. How do you know if it’s right for you? This one-day workshop provides an overview of key responsibilities and activities needed for aspiring (and current) entrepreneurs when starting a new business with a specific focus within the chemical industry.
This workshop is not eligible for a refundable deposit.
Sunday, August 23 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CT
Comprehensive Tools to Launch and Grow Your Career
We all know the internet and information technology have changed the way we do business. But how have they changed the way we find business, jobs, or even completely new careers? New technological tools such as blogs, social networking sites, wikis, telephone, and video conferencing provide a wealth of information - both for you and about you. This presentation will focus on tools and techniques of particular use to chemical professionals, and how they can be used for both active and passive career development.
Sunday, August 23 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CT
Green Cards for Scientific Researchers: How to Win Your EB-1/NIW Case
In today’s global environment, it is becoming more and more common to seek employment in other countries. This session is designed for international chemical professionals seeking a career in the US, whether in academia, industry, or government. The session will discuss the legal/immigration issues that foreign-national scientists must be aware of and some of the practical aspects international applicants who wish to work in the US must consider. A panel including an immigration attorney as well as representatives from industry and a university international student office will discuss contemporary issues and answer questions from the audience members.
Sunday, August 23 | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Writing Excellent Grant Proposals
This workshop covers the basic principles of crafting a research proposal and highlights common errors and misconceptions.
Sunday, August 23 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CT
ChemIDPTM, Planning for Your Career
This interactive career planning workshop geared towards graduate students and postdocs will include a discussion of the four critical pieces of career development and how they relate to your individual situation. You'll be introduced to the new ChemIDPTM tool to help you complete an individual development plan (IDP) and set clear goals toward your desired career path.
Sunday, August 23 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Identifying a Career That Matches Your Strengths and Values
In this workshop, participants will compare and contrast the four sectors of chemistry employment to determine which sector best aligns to their strengths and values.
Sunday, August 23 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM CT
Reinventing Yourself: Making Career Pivots, Transitions, and Next Acts Your Best Opportunity
During this session, you will learn about a 5-step process to help you focus on making the most of your career transition. Whether you are finishing school and heading off to your first job, thinking of changing jobs, recovering from a lay-off or re-organization, moving to a new career, or considering post-career options, this workshop will help you learn how to cope and make the change as positive and fulfilling as possible.
Sunday, August 23 | 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM CT
Using AI Tools to Tailor Job Applications
It seems we hear about new applications for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our work and personal lives almost daily. One of the most obvious use cases for AI is in job searching. There are a number of AI applications—both general and specifically tailored for job searching—that can help you write a resume or analyze a job description. In this workshop, participants will learn: sources of AI tools that can be used for job searching; approaches to crafting a prompt to correctly guide the application; and potential benefits and pitfalls of using AI tools.
Sunday, August 23 | 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT
LinkedIn Profiles for Chemists
In this workshop, participants will learn how to create an impactful LinkedIn profile tailored specifically for chemists and how to expand their professional network and attract the attention of potential employers.
Sunday, August 23 | 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT
Networking 101
In this workshop, participants will learn how networking can be used to improve their career, identify common questions, and develop networking strategies.
Monday, August 24 | 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM CT
Identifying a Career That Matches Your Strengths and Values
In this workshop, participants will compare and contrast the four sectors of chemistry employment to determine which sector best aligns to their strengths and values.
Monday, August 24 | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Skydiving into Retirement: Enjoy the Ride and Land Softly
This workshop outlines a strategic planning approach to retirement for those who are thinking about retirement or recently retired. We’ll talk about articulating your new identity and how to evaluate the environment into which you will leap. We’ll use exercises to help find the intersection of your values, your strengths, your interests and your opportunities and construct your new persona for the third phase of your life.
Monday, August 24 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CT
Green Cards for Scientific Researchers: How to Win Your EB-1/NIW Case
In today’s global environment, it is becoming more and more common to seek employment in other countries. This session is designed for international chemical professionals seeking a career in the US, whether in academia, industry, or government. The session will discuss the legal/immigration issues that foreign-national scientists must be aware of and some of the practical aspects international applicants who wish to work in the US must consider. A panel including an immigration attorney as well as representatives from industry and a university international student office will discuss contemporary issues and answer questions from the audience members.
Monday, August 24 | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Writing Excellent Grant Proposals
This workshop covers the basic principles of crafting a research proposal and highlights common errors and misconceptions.
Monday, August 24 | 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Networking 101
In this workshop, participants will learn how networking can be used to improve their career, identify common questions, and develop networking strategies.
Monday, August 24 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CT
Considerations for an Entrepreneurial Career
This workshop will help you determine if self-employment is for you. The workshop will provide you with the tools to create the initial parts of a preliminary business plan—defining the business, defining the market, and defining the organization.
Monday, August 24 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CT
Careers in Industrial Chemistry
In this workshop, participants will learn how the industrial value chain can be used as a tool to refine their job search by uncovering key components of job descriptions and aligning them with their experience, strengths, and values.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Monday, August 24 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CT
Careers in Higher Education
In this workshop, participants will learn the trends in higher education, types of higher education institutions, and available positions.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Monday, August 24 | 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT
Entrepreneurship: A Deeper Dive
This workshop builds on “Considerations for an Entrepreneurial Career”. Participants will learn the tools to develop the final parts of a business plan, such as defining marketing, sales strategy, and financing.
Monday, August 24 | 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT
Résumé Development for Industrial Chemistry Positions
In this workshop, participants will learn how to create a resume portfolio to best position themselves for success in navigating the industrial job market.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Monday, August 24 | 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT
How to Find and Apply for a Higher Education Position
In this workshop, participants will assess potential positions in higher education and create an application portfolio to make them more competitive for higher education jobs.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Tuesday, August 25 | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Beyond the Bench: Business Leadership in the Chemical Sciences
Beyond the Bench: Business Leadership in the Chemical Sciences is a live, in-depth look at best practices in business leadership that assists scientists in transitioning into business leadership roles in the industry. The facilitated workshop builds on the concepts and skills introduced in Beyond the Bench: Preparing for Business Leadership, a self-paced, on-demand introductory course that is a prerequisite for this workshop.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
This workshop is not eligible for a refundable deposit.
Tuesday, August 25 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT
Careers in Industrial Chemistry
In this workshop, participants will learn how the industrial value chain can be used as a tool to refine their job search by uncovering key components of job descriptions and aligning them with their experience, strengths, and values.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Tuesday, August 25 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT
Preparing for a Successful Interview
In this workshop, participants will identify the stages of the interview process and learn how to prepare for all interview formats.
Tuesday, August 25 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Making the Most of Your Interview
In this workshop, participants will learn strategies and techniques for interviewing effectively. Participants will also learn how to respond to behavioral-based and difficult questions.
Tuesday, August 25 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Résumé Development for Industrial Chemistry Positions
In this workshop, participants will learn how to create a resume portfolio to best position themselves for success in navigating the industrial job market.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Tuesday, August 25 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Practical Green Chemistry Tools and Techniques for Research and Development Scientists
Learn about tools and metrics used by pharma, agriscience and animal health scientists to optimize their synthetic chemical processes and how to utilize these tools to make “greener” decisions. This workshop will equip industry-based R&D chemists and engineers as well as graduate students with practical Green Chemistry tools, methods, and metrics. We'll cover green chemistry basics through to the most recent innovative tools and metrics widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Tuesday, August 25 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CT
Preparing for a Successful Interview
In this workshop, participants will identify the stages of the interview process and learn how to prepare for all interview formats.
Tuesday, August 25 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
Greening Undergraduate Laboratories: A Step-by-Step Guide to Success
This workshop will provide instructors of undergraduate laboratory courses and researchers with a roadmap that outlines specific, measurable changes they can make to their curricula and/or research strategies to move toward greener and more sustainable experimental protocols. Through guided interactive analyses, examples, Q&A, and discussions, participants will see how easy it is to get started learning about green chemistry and implementing laboratory-based changes that benefit their research, colleagues, institutions, and students.
Tuesday, August 25 | 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT
Making the Most of Your Interview
In this workshop, participants will learn strategies and techniques for interviewing effectively. Participants will also learn how to respond to behavioral-based and difficult questions.
Wednesday, August 26 | 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM CT
Identifying a Career That Matches Your Strengths and Values
In this workshop, participants will compare and contrast the four sectors of chemistry employment to determine which sector best aligns to their strengths and values.
Wednesday, August 26 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT
Careers in Industrial Chemistry
In this workshop, participants will learn how the industrial value chain can be used as a tool to refine their job search by uncovering key components of job descriptions and aligning them with their experience, strengths, and values.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Wednesday, August 26 | 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT
Preparing for a Successful Interview
In this workshop, participants will identify the stages of the interview process and learn how to prepare for all interview formats.
Wednesday, August 26 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Making the Most of Your Interview
In this workshop, participants will learn strategies and techniques for interviewing effectively. Participants will also learn how to respond to behavioral-based and difficult questions.
Wednesday, August 26 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Résumé Development for Industrial Chemistry Positions
In this workshop, participants will learn how to create a resume portfolio to best position themselves for success in navigating the industrial job market.
Note: This workshop will use digital participant guides.
Wednesday, August 26 | 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CT
Networking 101
In this workshop, participants will learn how networking can be used to improve their career, identify common questions, and develop networking strategies.
Wednesday, August 26 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM CT
Writing Competitive Graduate Research Fellowship Applications
This workshop provides participants with practical guidance on crafting competitive fellowship applications, using the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) as a model.
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