LSPR Award Recipients

2023

Best New Public Relations or Communications Program of a Local Section

New York Local Section

The New York Section produced a video highlighting the diversity of chemists and their careers. It was created to humanize chemists and chemistry for the public and to inspire students to pursue STEM careers.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations or Communications Program of a Local Section

California Local Section

The California Section hosted the third annual Bay Area Chemistry Symposium, which connects students and academics with scientists from the pharma and biotech industries to network and exchange ideas.

2022

Best New Public Relations or Communications Program of a Local Section

Lehigh Valley Local Section

During the pandemic, the Lehigh Valley section and a local cable channel created a live show so students could conduct experiments at home while the presenters did them on TV.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations or Communications Program of a Local Section

Eastern U.S. Younger Chemists Committee Partnership 

During the pandemic, this team launched a virtual series, titled “A Day in the Life.'' These monthly webinars offer insight into the typical day of chemists in various professions, and they include time for Q&A.

2021

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Midland Local Section
The Midland section created excitement for the 50th Earth Day by posting a Facebook countdown with 50 posts. They educated and encouraged thousands of members of the public to take personal action in celebration of Earth Day.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Nashville Local Section
As part of the STEAM Festival, the Nashville Section organized "The Look of Things Unseen; A trans-Atlantic Visual Discussion about Submicroscopic Killers," with Martin Kemp (professor of art history at Oxford University).

2020

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Puget Sound Local Section
The Puget Sound Section hosted multiple activities to celebrate the International Year of the Periodic Table. The section wanted to convey the message that chemistry is fun, educational and important in everyday life. Highlights included lectures, public activities for all ages, and even bar drinks celebrating the elements. The governor of the State of Washington signed a proclamation for IYPT and Theodore Gray spoke at several venues about his book on the elements.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Midland Local Section
The Midland Section continued publicity efforts for a host of events and activities that engage the public in chemistry in a fun and exciting way. The section used a digital newsletter, websites, newspaper articles, emails, social media, and radio to promote events including a museum exhibit on chemistry and art, a lecture about “The Neurochemistry of Music,” and a Science Café on “The Science of Syrup,” at which participants were invited to tap a tree, collect sap, and see it turned into syrup.

2019

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Silicon Valley Local Section
Free performances of "No Belles" -- vignettes about female scientists -- took place on college campuses in the Silicon Valley ACS region. More than 1,000 attendees benefited from learning the stories of determined women in science.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Nashville Local Section
For the second year, chemists from the ACS Nashville, East Tennessee, and Northeast Tennessee Local Sections hosted hands-on public outreach events as part of the state-wide Tennessee STEAM Festival. More than 20,000 people participated in the events.

2018

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Louisiana Local Section
The Louisiana Section hosted a Dr. Seuss STEM day at the Louisiana Children’s Museum. Volunteers in Dr. Seuss hats demonstrated experiments to show more than 700 visitors that chemistry is important and that chemists are regular people.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Orange County Local Section
The Orange County Local Section provided the community with tangible examples of careers in -- and benefits of – chemistry. The section has hosted annual award programs for high school and college chemistry students and their families for over 48 years.

2017

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Nashville Local Section
The Nashville Local Section’s outreach included a lecture about cave bacteria as a source of cancer therapeutics, and a science café and public forum (during the Zika virus outbreak) on whether scientists should genetically engineer the mosquito.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Puerto Rico Local Section
The Puerto Rico Local Section’s “Island Road Tour” science cafés include cultural and social aspects of local towns in the program. For example, the agriculture science café featured local entrepreneurs showing how to prepare compost and organic fertilizer.

2016

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Lehigh Valley Local Section
Lehigh Valley's Summer Science Spectacular brought together ACS members, colleagues, and science friends to provide a fun-filled day of outreach for families at a Reading Fighting Phils baseball game. More than 400 kindergarten through 12th-grade students, their families, and baseball fans experienced many fun and engaging applications of chemistry.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Northeastern Local Section
Northeastern’s “STEM Journey II: Ocean Discovery” was organized by NESACS, Cape & Islands Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and Cape Cod Community College. More than 1,100 people attended this K-12 and beyond event on a snowy Saturday on Cape Cod. 150 Scout merit badges in oceanography and chemistry were completed, hands on exhibits were run by 100 volunteers, and 450 people attended the four keynote talks on sharks and discovery of the Titanic.

2015

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

North Jersey Local Section
The North Jersey section and the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, New Jersey, celebrated Thomas Edison, as a chemist. More than 3,500 attended the Edison Day event and the National Historic Chemical Landmark Dedication ceremony and reception.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Indiana Local Section
The Indiana Section assisted with the planning of the Celebrate Science Indiana public event and hosted a booth featuring hands-on, interactive activities for kids of all ages. Over 4,000 participants enjoyed the activities, including ACS President Diane Grob Schmidt and WFYI’s Sid, the Science Kid.

2014

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Kalamazoo Local Section
The section spearheaded a ballroom dance event for the public with the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. The mayor of Kalamazoo served as the Master of Ceremonies, and a total of 217 people participated, including 70 students.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Nashville Local Section
The Nashville Local Section is recognized for holding a week-long celebration of National Chemistry Week that generated more than 100 media hits. From demonstrations and activities at a seniors’ center in Madison, Tennessee, to energy lesson for kids at City Road Methodist Church, chemistry was everywhere.

2013

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Indiana Local Section
The Indiana Local Section created a chemistry-themed playroom at St. Vincent Medical Group facility to promote learning and awareness of science in health care. Supported in part by an Innovative Project Grant, the project was completed by volunteers in two weekends, and the opening coincided with Mole Day and National Chemistry Week.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Georgia Local Section
The Georgia Local Section is recognized for creating and supplying displays and handouts at 19 outreach events for K-12 students, teachers, and the general public.  Through these outreach projects, contact was made with over 65,000 members of their community, sharing with them the excitement of chemistry.

2012

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Chicago Local Section
The Chicago Public Relations Committee is recognized for the production of a series of eight videos with chemist interviews and footage from the Section’s Chemistry Day activities. The videos were promoted by social media and reached approximately 1,000 scientists, educators, students, and members of the general public.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Georgia Local Section
The Georgia Section was selected for its public relations emphasis during outreach events at high school and college science fairs and career expos. Section members reached 1,130 students, parents, and teachers with the messages that everything on earth is a product of chemistry, and chemists and chemistry are essential to society.

2011

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Chicago Local Section
The 2011 award is presented to the Chicago Local Section and its Public Relations Committee for the production of a series of eight videos with chemist interviews, footage from the Section’s Chemistry Day activities, and members answering the questions “What Got You Into Chemistry?” and “What Brought You to the ACS?” The videos were promoted by social media and reached approximately 1,000 scientists, educators, students, and members of the general public.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Georgia Local Section
The 2011 award is presented to the Georgia Local Section for its public relations emphasis during outreach events at high school and college science fairs and career expos. Georgia Section members reached 1,130 students, parents, and teachers with the messages that everything on earth is a product of chemistry and chemists and chemistry are essential to society.

2010

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Greater Houston Local Section
This award is presented to the Greater Houston section for its participation in the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Energy Conservation Club kickoff, creating posters to demonstrate patron’s newfound knowledge in water conservation and alternative energies.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Richland Local Section
The award is presented for their "Girls in Science” program, a hands-on investigation inviting more than 100 girls to use critical-thinking and interdisciplinary techniques to solve the question, "Is this an alien attack?”

2009

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Portland Local Section
The 2010 Award is presented to Portland, Oregon, for its effort to introduce high school chemistry teachers to the Section and the ACS by hand-delivering more than 250 Merck Indices to schools throughout the state

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Delaware Local Section
The 2010 Award is presented to Delaware for its year-round Kids & Chemistry program which reached over 5,000 children and adults in every school district in the state, private and parochial schools, and scout troops.

2008

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Pittsburgh Local Section
The Pittsburgh section was recognized for partnering with local organizations to organize "The Future of Energy Symposium," a discussion with local significance that brought the community together with scientists from across the region.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Chicago Local Section
The Chicago section was recognized for extensive use of their website as a communications tool, launch of the ACS branding initiative, and partnership with local science organizations.

2007

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Kentucky Lake Local Section
The Kentucky Lake Section was recognized for their successful 2007 Science Cafe on Alternative Fuels.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Illinois Heartland Local Section
The Illinois Heartland Section was recognized for their continued success and extensive media coverage of multiple events during National Chemistry Week 2007.

2006

Best New Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Georgia
The activities of the Georgia Section's Hospitality Committee for the 2006 Atlanta National ACS Meeting supported ACS President Ann Nalley's "Ensuring the Future" theme, and the need for innovation in the physical sciences expressed in President Bush's 2006 "State of the Union" speech.

Outstanding Continuing Public Relations Program of a Local Section

Puerto Rico
The section established five major activities allowing direct interaction with more than 4,000 persons through Mega Chemistry Shows and Demonstrations. These initiatives opened new frontiers and possibilities for the section to partner with local government, industry and academia.