Keynote Events
Kick off your Atlanta or ACS Spring 2026 Digital Meeting experience with a celebration of excellence at the Opening Board Session and Priestley Medalist Address on Sunday. Then, be inspired by trailblazing scientists during the Kavli Foundation Lecture Series on Monday and Tuesday.
Opening Board Session and Priestley Medalist Address
Sunday, March 22
4:00 – 6:00 PM ET, doors open 3:30 PM
Thomas Murphy Ballroom
ACS Board Chair Wayne Jones will share updates from the Board of Directors and open the floor for your questions. Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna, biochemist and Nobel Prize-winning co-inventor of CRISPR technology, will present the Priestley Medal Award Address titled “The Chemistry of Genome Editing: Transforming Human and Planet Health with CRISPR.”
This event is open to all ACS Spring 2026 registered in-person and digital meeting attendees.
Following this event, attendees are invited to join us for a special ACS150 Networking Celebration at the ACS Connect Happy Hour Reception, from 6:00-7:00 PM for an evening of food, fun, and dancing – an ACS Spring Meeting tradition!
Wednesday, March 25
5:00 – 6:00 PM ET, doors open 4:45 PM
Thomas Murphy Ballroom
Join us for a special 150th Anniversary Keynote Address with the 2025 Chemistry Nobel Prize Awardee, Dr. Omar Yaghi. Dr. Yaghi will deliver the keynote address on “Organic Chemistry and AI for Our Planet.” He will also share his experiences that led him to receive the 2025 Chemistry Nobel Prize and discuss the impact the ACS has had on his career.
ACS Spring 2026 attendees can tune in to Dr. Yaghi’s keynote address on Wednesday, March 25 in person in Atlanta or via an exclusive livestream available to Digital Meeting attendees. This event is open to all registered in-person and digital meeting attendees.
Dr. Omar Yaghi
The Kavli Lecture Series
Supported by The Kavli Foundation
The Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry
Professor Rachel Carter: Understanding Interactions between Temperature and Battery Phenomena
Monday, March 23
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET
Thomas Murphy Ballroom
As battery users increasingly demand rapid charging, and use occurs across a wide range of ambient temperatures, rapid degradation and even catastrophic failures have become more prevalent, even when thermal management is applied. This talk will explore the ability to address these concerns across scales and the lessons learned along the way. The presentation will also highlight interdisciplinary collaboration with experts from different fields and the development of a cohort of researchers interested in this topic.
The Fred Kavli Innovations in Chemistry
Professor Moungi Bawendi: Quantum Dots: From Curiosity to Technology
Tuesday, March 24
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET
Thomas Murphy Ballroom
In this talk, Professor Bawendi will share the origin story of quantum dots, explain how they work and why their size matters, describe the breakthrough synthesis that made them widely accessible, and highlight real-world applications ranging from cutting-edge displays to advanced medical imaging.
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