ACS Human Rights Webinars

ACS offers webinars on a wide variety of topics. These webinars are meant to inform the public on how to identify appropriate and practical solutions to human rights problems facing the scientific community. They demonstrate the applications of chemistry used to address global challenges such as access to safe water and sanitation.

Refugees, Displaced Scientists, and Chemistry Communities: Creative Approaches to Support Chemical Practitioners

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What can chemical science practitioners do to assist their colleagues displaced by war, political unrest, or other major events? This presentation will outline the issues facing displaced scholars and offer examples of creative activities to help colleagues in need. Presenters will discuss the MIT RefugeeAction Hub (ReACT), the Phillip Schwartz Initiative, and hosting scholars. This webinar is co-organized between the ACS Science and Human Rights initiative and ACS Webinars.


Protecting Scientists and Scholars: The Work of Scholars at Risk

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Scholars at Risk (SAR) is a network of over 450 universities in 37 countries that promotes academic freedom and supports threatened scholars through advocacy, research and learning, & protection. In recent years, SAR has created approximately 100 placements for threatened scholars a year.


IUPAC Young Observers Program

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This webinar featured IUPAC organizers for further details on the program and the application process for the IUPAC Young Observers program. This program is for early career chemists under the age of 45who plan to attend the 46th IUPAC World Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil from July 8-14, 2017.  This webinar is a joint effort between the ACS International Center and ACS Science & Human Rights program.


Chemists Contributing to Human Rights: Enhancing Research, Teaching and Global Impact

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This presentation is given by Dr. Jeff Toney of Kean University and focuses on integrating human rights perspectives into chemists' work that can enhance research and teaching by adding global impact to benefit humanity. This presentation was originally given at the 252nd ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia, PA in August 2016 as part of the symposium "Chemical Sciences and Human Rights."


SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East)

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SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) was featured in this webinar. Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith, President of the SESAME Council, discussed how the project came together, ACS's involvement, key research at the site in Jordan, and what the future holds for this UNESCO-initiated project.


Physicians for Human Rights

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Q&A

This webinar featured the Nobel Peace Prize winning Physicians for Human Rights (PHR). Widney Brown, Director of Programs, discussed the history of the PHR, how they use science to help document and analyze human rights violations, and opportunities to contribute to their work.


Science Diplomacy in the Middle East: the Malta Conferences and their Lasting Impact

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This webinar was a follow-up to our previous webinar on the Malta Conferences. This session featured Dr. Zafra M. Lerman, President of the Malta Conferences Foundation, discussing how the meetings have helped to establish diplomatic ties in the Middle East and the importance of this meeting within the context of the current issues in the region.


ACS Science and Human Rights: Past, Present, and Future

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On February 26 2015, Dr. Dorothy Phillips from the American Chemical Society Board of Directors presented on the Society's efforts in human rights. Topics covered included the history of the ACS's work in science and human rights, how participants could get involved in these issues, and upcoming plans to continue the ACS tradition in this area.


American Association for the Advancement of Science

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Human Rights Coalition is a network of scientific and engineering membership organizations that recognize a role for scientists and engineers in human rights. The Coalition currently has 24 member and 1 affiliated organizations. On July 29, the ACS Science and Human Rights webinar series will host Jessica Wyndham and Theresa Harris from AAAS to speak on the history of the Coalition, the importance of science in human rights, and the continued work of the Coalition and AAAS in this area.


Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

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Dr. Jonathan Forman, Science Policy Adviser for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), spoke on the history of the organization, its achievement of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize, and the importance of the eradication of chemical weapons.


Science Diplomacy as a Bridge to Peace in the Middle East

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Dr. Zafra M. Lerman, President of the Malta Conferences Foundation, presented on the importance of science diplomacy in working toward stability in the Middle East. This session was moderated by Dr. Norman Neureiter, Acting Director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).


A Look at Seeding Labs

Presentation Slides

Dr. Nina Dudnik, Founder and CEO of Seeding Labs, spoke about Seeding Labs and how the organization supports the ACS mission to explore the role the scientific community plays in empowering talented scientists in developing countries to conduct life-changing research that facilitates access to medicine, safe water, and education.