Improving All Lives Through Science: The Case for Fundamental Research, Public Policy, and Advocacy

Curiosity-driven, fundamental research fuels breakthrough technologies and lifesaving therapeutics—with chemistry at the center of it all. Yet, as scientists, we face a critical challenge: public trust in science is at a historic low, and the policy decisions shaping research funding and implementation are evolving rapidly. How do we as researchers bridge the gap between bench science and societal impact?

Join us for an engaging discussion on the interplay among fundamental research, public policy, and national advocacy. Drawing on the history and modern initiatives of the American Chemical Society (ACS), this talk highlights how scientific societies advocate for the research enterprise and how individual researchers can directly influence policy. You will gain insight into the changing landscape of science funding and regulation, as well as concrete tools, fellowships, and advocacy networks designed to help scientists translate their passion for chemical research into real-world policy outcomes.

About the Speaker

Wayne E. Jones Jr. has served as a chemistry faculty member and researcher for 35 years, recently retiring from the University of New Hampshire (UNH). He earned his BS in chemistry from St. Michael’s College in 1987 and his PhD in inorganic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1991. Following postdoctoral work at the University of Texas at Austin, he joined the chemistry faculty at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton, serving in numerous leadership roles for 24 years, including founding director of the Center for Learning and Teaching (1996-2008) and interim dean of Harpur College of Arts and Sciences (2012-2013). He moved to UNH in 2017 to serve as the Dean of Engineering and Physical Sciences, becoming Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2018. 

An award winning researcher in inorganic and materials chemistry, he has been recognized as a fellow of the American Chemical Society (2010) and a member of the National Academy of Inventors (2020). He has published over 180 research articles, review chapters and patents in the areas of photoinduced electron and energy transfer in macromolecular systems, including molecular wires, electrically and thermally conducting nanomaterials, photovoltaics in organic/inorganic hybrid materials, photocatalysts for degradation of toxic agents, and fluorescent conjugated polymer sensors with more than 7500 citations. In 2017, he received the SUNY Chancellors Award for Excellence in Research. In 2015, he co-founded Chromananotech LLC, a start up company producing optical nanomaterials patented from his research.

Recipient of several teaching awards, including the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001, Wayne’s teaching interests focused on long-term curriculum development in chemistry, including more expanded use of technology. He has worked with interdisciplinary teams of scientists and non-scientists on curricular reforms with grant support from the National Science Foundation, Department of Education, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In 2008, he established the Go Green Institute, a program designed to inspire middle-school students to pursue careers in science and engineering.

An active volunteer leader in the American Chemical Society for over 30 years, Wayne has served at the local, regional, and national level in ACS leadership roles. He is currently in his third year as Chair of the ACS Board of Directors, and has served as a Director at Large on the Board since 2018. An active leader on several national task forces and committees, he has previously served as chair of the Local Section Activities Committee (LSAC), the Membership Affairs Committee (MAC), and the Committee on Committee’s (CONC), as well as Treasurer of the Northeast Region Board. He has organized numerous symposia, chaired two Northeast Regional Meetings, and served as program chair for national meetings of the Division of Chemical Education three times. In 2015, he received the E. Anne Nalley Award for Service to the ACS in the Northeast Region.

Committed to strategic planning throughout his career, Wayne has led strategic planning efforts at the department, college, and university levels in higher education.  He has been involved in strategic planning for over two dozen ACS units, including local sections, divisions, national committees, the leadership advisory board, and the Northeast Region board.