Membership
Our members are an essential part of our organization’s success. As a Rubber Division, ACS member, you have an opportunity to become involved and help steer the direction of the Division by joining a committee.
View the committees below to learn the purpose of each one. Contact us if you are interested in joining a committee.
Note: Many committees meet virtually and a couple meet at our Spring Technical Meeting and at our Global Polymer Summit. Committee members are expected to attend in order to maintain active participation in the committee.
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Advisory Committee On Testing Procedures
Staff Liaison: Chuck Brady
This committee serves in a technical advisory capacity for any established proficiency testing provider concerning testing procedures used by the rubber industry. The committee, working in conjunction with Technical Meetings Manager, is also a resource for Division members, providing advice on appropriate testing procedures for measuring physical properties of in-process and final production raw materials.
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Best Paper Committee
Staff Liaison: Chuck Brady
In 1957, Rubber Division, ACS created a Best Paper Committee with the expressed objective of improving the quality of technical presentations at our meetings by evaluating and publicly recognizing the outstanding contributions and presentations. The recognition of outstanding authors and presentations is in the form of Rubber Science and Technology Best Paper Awards and Honorable Mention Awards for papers presented at all Rubber Division, ACS Technical Meetings. To recognize the efforts of those individuals who contribute to Rubber Division, ACS by organizing and moderating sessions, the Best Paper provides information on the highest-graded symposium of each meeting; this information is the basis for awarding a Best Symposium Award. An award is also given in the event that an Educational Symposium is part of the program for the Best Educational Symposium Paper.
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Education Committee
Staff Liaison: Heather Maimone
The Education Committee’s mission is to provide and advance educational opportunities for rubber and affiliated industry personnel by offering educational programs. The Committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to education and training. In conjunction with the Training & Membership Director, the Committee Chair and members develop programs to address educational and training issues that impact the rubber and affiliated industries.
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Exhibits Committee
Staff Liaison: Melanie Avdeyev
The Exhibits Committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to the expo held during our Global Polymer Summit. In conjunction with the Conference Director, the Committee Chair and members plan, implement and manage programs to address issues that affect the exhibitions, with a particular emphasis on increasing exhibitor participation and attendance at the exhibitions.
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Finance & Budget Committee
Staff Liaison: Amie Ferencz
Responsible for the financial oversight of the division including budget and audit reviews.
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Governance Committee
Staff Liaison: Lakisha Barclay
The Governance Committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to the election of Executive Committee positions through the general membership election process. The Committee Chair and members are responsible for maintaining a pool of qualified candidates and for developing a nominating slate of positions to be presented to the Board of Directors for approval. The Governance Committee oversees and provides guidance regarding Division activities related to Subdivisions (Rubber Groups). The committee also interfaces directly with Rubber Groups to provide a forum for information exchange to assure that Subdivision Sunset, Merger and Sunrise rules are followed. In conjunction with the Executive Director & CEO, the Committee Chair and members shall review recommendations and suggestions regarding Rubber Group activities and programs and provide guidance.
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Marketing Committee
Staff Liaison: Gretchen Cermak
The Marketing Committee provides direction, support, guidance and ideas regarding marketing, advertising, communications, public relations and related activities pertaining to all functions of the Division and efforts to reach the various segments of our industry.
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Membership Committee
Staff Liaison: Heather Maimone
The Membership Committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to current and future membership categories of the Division. In conjunction with the Training & Membership Director, the Committee Chair and members develop programs that focus on maintaining current members and recruiting new members to the Division. Individual Membership categories include Members, Affiliates, Emeritus Members, Life Members and Student Members. Corporate Membership categories include Tier I (up to 50 Members), Tier II (up to 30 Members), Tier III (up to 20 Members) and Tier IV (up to 10 members). Corporate Memberships also provide other benefits described in the Corporate Membership program.
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Partnership Committee
Staff Liaison: Lakisha Barclay
The Partnership Committee reviews and evaluates potential and proposed partnerships with others outside of the organization to determine if of value to the Division and how best to structure such partnerships for the success of the Division.
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Program Planning Committee
Staff Liaison: Chuck Brady
The Program Planning Committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to the technical program and symposia papers at the semi-annual meetings. The Committee Chair and members seek excellence in the scientific and technological content of the Rubber Division, ACS semi-annual meetings, while recognizing the broad interests represented by a large number of the membership.
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RCT Editorial Board
Staff Liaison: Chuck Brady
The committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to the Rubber Chemistry and Technology journal, working in conjunction with the Technical Meetings Manager. The Chair of the committee and members are responsible for technical aspects of RC&T.
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Scholarship Committee
Staff Liaison: Heather Maimone
The Scholarship Committee oversees and administers the Division’s undergraduate scholarship program. The purpose of the Rubber Division, ACS Undergraduate Scholarships is to recognize and reward outstanding college juniors and seniors majoring in a technical discipline relevant to the rubber industry, with the intent that they will seek and find permanent professional employment with a rubber manufacturer, supplier to the industry or user of the industry’s products. The purpose of the Rubber Technology Training Award is to offer the opportunity to enhance the skills of a person currently employed in the rubber industry.
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Science & Technology Awards Committee
Staff Liaison: Chuck Brady
The Science and Technology Awards Committee oversees and provides direction regarding Division activities related to the nomination and selection of candidates for the following Division awards: Charles Goodyear Medal, Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award, Sparks-Thomas Award, George Stafford Whitby Award for Distinguished Teaching and Research, Fernley H. Banbury Award, Chemistry of Thermal Plastic Elastomers Award and the Sustainability in Elastomers Award. The committee is responsible for selecting the award recipients to be presented to the Board of Directors for approval.
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Service Awards And History Committee
Staff Liaison: Anne-marie Bretzin
The Service Awards and History Committee oversees Division activities related to recognition of service by our members and documentation of historical events of the Rubber Division. Service Awards recognize those members of the Rubber Division, ACS, who have contributed significantly through their service, by promoting the principles embodied in the Division’s Vision and Mission. The Committee also documents events and activities of Rubber Division, ACS. These activities include archiving photographs, key historical events and rubber industry related history. Essential in these archives is recording interviews with Charles Goodyear Medal recipients, officers of the Division and others who have contributed significantly with achievements in Rubber Science.
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Young Professionals Committee
Staff Liaison: Melanie Avdeyev
The Young Professionals Committee works to increase membership and active participation of young professionals (under 40 years old) with Rubber Division, ACS and with our industry. The committee encourages young professional participation across all aspects of Rubber Division, ACS by facilitating networking opportunities and improving these Young Professionals’ professional/technical development through providing networking opportunities and learning activities. Through the Young Professionals Committee, the Division looks to achieve increased participation in technical sessions, authoring papers and poster presentations, planning and organizing committees, creating social/networking events and developing a community for the next generation of our great industry.