Stereochemistry and Global Connectivity

H. N. Cheng (Ph.D., University of Illinois) is currently a research chemist at Southern Regional Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in New Orleans, where he works on projects involving improved utilization of commodity agricultural materials, green chemistry, and polymer reactions. Over the years, his research interests have included green polymer chemistry, biocatalysis and enzymatic reactions, pulp and paper chemistry, functional foods, polymercharacterization, and NMR spectroscopy. He is an ACS Fellow and a POLY Fellow and has authored or co-authored 230 papers, 25 patent publications, co-edited 16 books, and organized or co-organized 30 symposia at national ACS meetings since 2000. Cynthia A. Maryanoff (Ph.D., Princeton) is Foundation Distinguished Professor at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, in Doylestown, PA. She began her career in 1977 at Smith Kline & French Laboratories and joined Johnson & Johnson in 1981. She advanced through various Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical units to the highest scientific position in the company. She retired from J&J in 2013. Her publication record includes more than 100 scientific papers, several books, and 67 U.S. orEuropean patents. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including ACS Fellow, AAAS Fellow, the ACS Garvan-Olin Medal, the Earle B. Barnes Award for Leadership in Chemical Research Management, the Henry F. Whalen, Jr. Award for Business Development, and the Perkin Medal for outstanding work in applied chemistryfrom SCI.Bradley D. Miller (Ph.D., University of Arizona) is the Director of ACS International Activities. He has worked for ACS since 1999, developing programs, products, and services to advance chemical sciences through collaborations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. He works with ACS staff and different governance units to create opportunities for chemistry to address global challenges through in-person and web-based scientific network development, research collaborations,and educational exchange. Miller serves on the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and in 2009 was appointed to co-chair the ACS 2011 International Year of Chemistry Staff Working Group. He is also the long-time ACS staff liaison to the ACS International Activities Committee.Diane Grob Schmidt (Ph.D., University of Cincinnati), the 2015 ACS President, was an R&D Executive at Procter & Gamble, where she served as section head for 17 years. Her P&G career covered 1981-2014. She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati. She holds a number of patents and played key roles in such brands as TideR, Head & ShouldersR, Pert PlusR and SafeguardR. She has received many awards, including ACS Fellow, AAASFellow, National Academy of Inventors Fellow, ACS national Henry Hill Award, and Distinguished Scientist of Cincinnati from the Engineers and Scientists of Cincinnati (first woman so honored). She has been an ACS member for many years and held a wide variety of ACS positions, including three consecutive terms on theBoard of Directors. As 2015 ACS President, her presidential theme was "Inspiring and Innovating for Tomorrow."