Committee on Public Relations and Communications David S. Gottfried, Chair Oral Report to Council, Boston, Aug. 19, 2015 Madame President, Fellow Councilors, Colleagues, Here in Boston CPRC co-sponsored a number of events that showcase ways to increase public appreciation for chemistry. We hope many of you were able to attend, but whether you did or not we invite you to join us in the follow up calls-to-action: On Sunday we co-sponsored the PBS preview of of “Mystery Matter: Search for the Elements.” [SLIDE] This engaging 3-part program begins airing nationally today. Check out the PBS website for local broadcast schedules and then encourage friends and family to tune in as well. [CLICK TO ADD THE URL] If you’re on social media, tweet and post about the first episode and help build a larger audience for parts 2 and 3. And by the way the cast includes some ACS members, talking about Priestley, Lavoisier and other early icons of chemistry. On Monday, CPRC, Chemical & Engineering News, and the ACS Office of Public Affairs co-sponsored a symposium on the public perception of chemistry. The Royal Society of Chemistry reported on their survey of public attitudes toward chemists and chemistry. [CLICK TO ADD THE URL] Our colleagues in the UK were surprised to learn that the public thinks chemists make a positive difference, and they feel chemists are honest, approachable, and interesting. But they also think chemistry is complicated, and find chemists to be distant and abstract. Do Americans share these
Committee on Public Relations and Communications David S. Gottfried, Chair Oral Report to Council, Boston, Aug. 19, 2015 Madame President, Fellow Councilors, Colleagues, Here in Boston CPRC co-sponsored a number of events that showcase ways to increase public appreciation for chemistry. We hope many of you were able to attend, but whether you did or not we invite you to join us in the follow up calls-to-action: On Sunday we co-sponsored the PBS preview of “Mystery of Matter: Search for the Elements.” [SLIDE] This engaging 3-part program begins airing nationally today. Check out the PBS website for local broadcast schedules and then encourage friends and family to tune in as well. [CLICK TO ADD THE URL] If you’re on social media, tweet and post about the first episode and help build a larger audience for parts 2 and 3. And by the way the cast includes some ACS members, talking about Priestley, Lavoisier and other early icons of chemistry. On Monday, CPRC, Chemical & Engineering News, and the ACS Office of Public Affairs co-sponsored a symposium on the public perception of chemistry. The Royal Society of Chemistry reported on their survey of public attitudes toward chemists and chemistry. [CLICK TO ADD THE URL] Our colleagues in the UK were surprised to learn that the public thinks chemists make a positive difference, and they feel chemists are honest, approachable, and interesting. But they also think chemistry is complicated, and find chemists to be distant and abstract. Do Americans share these