15 Jul 2019
SCI America’s Innovation Day, to be hosted in 2019 in association with the Science History Institute on 9-10 September, puts a spotlight on the chemical industry’s future.
Dr Chad Mirkin. Image: Northwestern University
Now in its 16th year, Innovation Day has grown into a well-established annual event composed of a community of researchers in the chemical industry. Since its inception, Innovation Day was designed to provide young industrial scientists with a vista of the broader challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
Although primarily bench scientists, these researchers need to look beyond their laboratories in order to grow into future leaders of their companies’ research programs. By taking early-career scientists out of the lab and giving them broader access to their colleagues and to the historical and social context of their research, Innovation Day supports a 21st Century chemical enterprise that addresses society’s most pressing needs.
Innovation Day seeks to expose attendees to issues on the cutting edge of the innovation frontier. In this age of complexity and global interconnectedness, it is no longer sufficient for industrial chemists to concern themselves only with technical matters.
Being aware of the broader implications of their work and of the work done in other organisations will become increasingly critical for success. Participants are encouraged to step back from day-to-day operations to see the bigger picture and network with peers.
At the core of Innovation Day are the presentations and conversations that occur during three concurrent breakout sessions. Topics are selected by a steering committee made up of SCI America member companies’ CTOs, research directors, and leaders in the chemical industry.
The 2019 programme will focus on waste, renewal, and next-gen production. Keynote speaker for The Warren G Schlinger Symposium will be Andrea Brown, Director, Impact-Circular Economy, Quadia.
The Perkin Medal Award Dinner
Dr Chad Mirkin will receive the 113th Perkin Medal at the Perkin Medal Award Dinner on September 10 2019, in Philadelphia. The Perkin medal is recognised as the highest honour given for outstanding work in applied chemistry in the US.
Invitation details can be found here and a reply card here.
For further inquiries, please contact Samantha Blatt, SCI America programme manager, at sblatt@sciencehistory.com.