The American Chemical Society (ACS) announced a reorganization to better serve its membership, employees and the broader chemistry enterprise.
Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., to lead new Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Respect
Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., was promoted to Vice President, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Respect (DEIR) and will lead the new ACS Office of DEIR. She will report to ACS CEO Thomas Connelly Jr., Ph.D.
Creation of this new office will support DEIR efforts across ACS - supporting both internal and external activities. The existing Department of Diversity Programs will become part of the new ACS Office of DEIR.
Establishing a hub for DEIR will ensure that the ACS core value of DEIR permeates all ACS actions, both internally and externally. It will also help coordinate efforts toward the new ACS Strategic Plan Goal, "Embrace and Advance Inclusion in Chemistry."
Mukhopadhyay originally joined ACS in 2004 as a Senior Associate Editor with ACS Publications. She joined the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2011 for a little over five years; there, she most recently served as the Managing Editor of ASBMB Today. During her time as a reporter and writer at ASBMB Today, Mukhopadhyay covered issues of diversity and inclusion, such as discrimination faced by female applicants for academic tenure-track positions and visa hurdles that international scientists have to overcome while working in the U.S.
Mukhopadhyay rejoined ACS in 2017 as the Executive Editor of C&EN BrandLab. A key accomplishment as the leader of the custom content studio was a partnership with Pfizer to celebrate the contributions of women chemists and Black chemists to science.
Mukhopadhyay received her B.Sc. (honors) in biochemistry from McGill University and her Ph.D. in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology from the Johns Hopkins University. She is an ACS member and a graduate of the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media.
Susan R. Morrissey, Ph. D., to lead new Communications Division
Susan R. Morrissey, Ph.D., was promoted to lead a new consolidated Communications Division as Vice President for Communications and Publisher of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN). The consolidation will bring together the communication elements of External Affairs & Communications, the weekly news magazine C&EN, ACS Advertising Sales & C&EN Marketing team, ACS Web Strategy & Operations and ACS Webinars.
The new consolidated division recognizes the growing need for ACS to have stronger alignment on the messages it delivers externally and internally. Centralizing communications in a single unit will help ensure alignment across the ACS enterprise and provide common messaging that can be directly distributed to the Society's various constituencies. Morrissey will report to Connelly.
Morrissey, with 21 years at ACS, started her career with C&EN as a Production Editor. Over a period of 14 years at C&EN she progressed through various positions, becoming Assistant Managing Editor, Government & Policy. In 2014 she joined External Affairs & Communications as Assistant Director, Science Communications, and most recently served as Director, Communications.
Morrissey received her A.B. in chemistry from Franklin & Marshall College and her Ph.D. in chemistry from Texas A&M University. She is a member of ACS.
LaTrease E. Garrison assumes dual division leadership
LaTrease E. Garrison, currently Executive Vice President, Education, was promoted to assume the additional role of Executive Vice President, Membership, in the wake of the resignation of Kate Fryer, who is transitioning to the Endocrine Society as CEO.
Between the two divisions, Garrison will lead a team with focuses on science outreach; K-12, undergraduate and graduate education within the chemical sciences; student chapters; and professional training and career development for chemical scientists. With her new portfolio, she will add oversight of ACS membership recruitment and retention, regional and national meetings, and ACS component groups globally. Garrison will continue to serve on the ACS Executive Leadership Team and report to Connelly.
Garrison, with over 25 years at ACS, started her career with C&EN as a Program Assistant in 1992. Over the succeeding years, she assumed management positions with increasing responsibilities, leading up to her present position.
Garrison received her B.S. in chemistry from Howard University and M.B.A. in business administration from Strayer University. She is a member of ACS; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; the American Society for Association Executives and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
