RSC and ACS sign historic agreement

Today the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Chemical Society signed an historic memorandum of understanding. It is a commitment to collaborate in meeting the coming global challenges head on, and together assure the public of the chemical science community's importance.

The signing ceremony held today jointly in Cambridge and Washington DC represents a formal agreement of an already fruitful relationship between the two professional societies.

The virtual signing ceremony, with live two-way video feed and recorded for posterity, was a demonstration of the goals of the two organisations, Judy Benham, Chair of the ACS Board of Directors, was pleased to confirm.

"This is a clear example of our commitment to sustainability, to being green, and it highlights the fact that positive change is achievable through the willingness and determination to follow our shared principles," she said.

Dr Richard Pike, the RSC Chief Executive, highlighted three key reasons this memorandum was so important and timely.

"Firstly, the challenges are so significant they will only be solved through the international collaboration reflected in this memorandum of understanding, addressing both science and the management of science and its applications.

"My second point is that we must have tangible outcomes to show that science is demonstrably supporting the international community.

"And thirdly, we need to make sure we deliver information that communicated science more effectively to the wider public," he concluded.