What’s Happening for Students at the ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting?

Last updatd 3/9/2020

Cancellation of ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo 

Safety is a core value of the American Chemical Society, and as such the health and well-being of our members, community and staff are paramount. As a result, we are cancelling (terminating) the ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo scheduled for March 22-26, 2020, in Philadelphia.

A wide variety of exciting symposia, workshops, and special events are in store for student attendees at the upcoming national meeting in Philadelphia, PA, March 22-26. inChemistry has rounded up a collection of activities you won’t want to miss.

Student Program

A two-day program specially designed for undergraduates will be held March 22-23 in the Pennsylvania Convention Center (unless noted otherwise). The Core Student Program will feature oral and poster presentations and a range of sessions on developing professional skills, navigating the job market, and learning what it takes to succeed in graduate school. Special events include the Eminent Scientist Lecture featuring Rigoberto Hernandez and the ACS Student Chapter Awards ceremony honoring the 2018-2019 chapter award winners. Immediately following the ceremony, there will be a Student Social hosted by the Penn State Berks ACS Student Chapter.

Be sure to attend "Making the most of your first national meeting" (Sunday, March 22, 8:00-8:40 a.m., Terrace Ballroom IV).  It’s a great way to kick off the meeting with peers while learning everything you need to know about navigating ACS’s largest technical meeting.

Core Student Program Highlights

Oral and Poster Sessions


Undergraduate research papers
Sunday and Monday, March 22 and 23
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom II & III - Theater 5

Undergraduate research poster session
Monday, March 23│ 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Exhibit Hall A

Symposia


Frontiers in environmental chemistry
Sunday, March 22 │ 8:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

Eminent Scientist Lecture: “Nanoparticle models, macroscale impacts”
Monday, March 23 │ 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

Grad School


Grad School: The Ins and Outs of Getting In
Sun., March 22│10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

The Grad School Experience: What To Expect
Sunday, March 22│12:15–1:30 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

Grad School Fair
Sunday, March 22│12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom I

Mental Health in Graduate School
Mon., March 23 │9:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Franklin 1

Professional Development


Networking 101
Sunday, March 22 | 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

Young chemists, big impact: Diverse young chemists in academia
Sunday, March 22, 2:15 – 4:40 p.m. 
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Franklin 1

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in chemistry
Monday, March 23 | 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

ACS Student Chapter Events


ChemDemo Exchange
Sun., March 22 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Exhibit Hall D

Taking your student chapter to the next level
Sunday, March 22 | 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Room 121C

Student Chapter Awards Ceremony
Sunday, March 22 | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Philadelphia 201, Liberty Ballroom

Green chemistry student chapters: Stories of success
Monday, March 23 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom II & III - Theater 4

Outreach workshop: Communicating through hands-on activities
Monday, March 23 | 10:30 – 11:345 a.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

Sci-Mix: Successful Student Chapters
Monday, March 23 | 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall A

Social Events


Student Center
Sunday, March 22 | 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, March 23 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Terrace Ballroom IV

Student Social
Sunday, March 22 | 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Philadelphia 201, Liberty Ballroom

ACS Career Events

Career Navigator LIVE!
Sunday-Tuesday, March 22-24 | Halls B/C, Pennsylvania Convention Center
Attend Career Navigator LIVE! in the Expo Hall to search for jobs, schedule interviews, get a professional headshot, network with potential employers, and meet with ACS Career Consultants to get personalized job search advice.

Career Pathways Workshops
ACS Career Pathways™ Workshops provide career guidance for early career and professional chemists, including making an individual development plan to chart your career path, honing interviewing and networking skills, and applying for jobs in the federal government and higher education.