Division of Organic Chemistry

HISTORY Founding The ACS Organic Chemistry Division (ORGN) was officially established in 1910 (chaired by Edward Curtis Franklin). Historical Events of the Division 1908 December 31, 1908, The division was given a temporary organization by ACS with the election for one year of a chairman, Richard S. Curtiss, and a vice chairman and secretary, Ralph H. McKee 1909 The Division’s Bylaws were approved 1910 The ACS Division of Organic Chemistry was officially chartered 1925 The First National Symposium on Organic Chemistry (NOS) was held in Rochester, N. Y. 1927 The Second National Symposium on Organic Chemistry was held in Columbus, Ohio 1936 The Division sponsors the creation of the Journal of Organic Chemistry 1959 The Rogers Adams Award is established and Sir Derek H. R. Barton is the first recipient 1973 The first Arthur C. Cope Award was made to Roald Hoffmann and Robert B. Woodward 1981 The Graduate Fellowship Program was initiated 1985 ORGN starts to distribute Organic Syntheses (with Vol. 62) free to its members 1986 The Arthur C. Cope Scholar Awards Program was initiated 1989 The Division partnered with Johnson & Johnson to start a travel awards program to support Outstanding Students and Faculty at Undergraduate Institutions to attend the ACS National and NOS meetings 1990 Received the ACS Award for Outstanding Performance by Divisions in recognition of its service to its members and its meritous contributions to the profession and the public understanding of chemistry. 1992 The Technical Achievement Award in Organic Chemistry (TAOC) Program was initiated 1994 With financial help from Bayer, the Gassman Award program was started and the first award was given to Nelson Leonard 1995 The Leete award was endowed and David N. Harpp is the first recipient 1999 Organic Letters debuts at the 36th NOS with Amos B. Smith, III as editor-in-chief 2007The Gassman Award was endowed by Midwest Pharmaceuticals 2008 ORGN Holds Electronic Elections for the first time 2008 ORGN Celebrates its Centennial at the 236th National ACS Meeting with a Symposium Dedicated to the history of organic chemistry 2009 ORGN Awards Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) for the first time 2009 ORGN forms a partnership with the Reaction Mechanisms Conference (RMC) 200943 members of the Division of Organic Chemistry, were selected as Inaugural ACS Fellows 2010 ORGN redesigns its website and adds a members only area 2010 ORGN holds its First Graduate Research Symposium (GRS) at Boston College 2013 ORGN partners with Jeff Seeman for second time to provide a second series of Eminent Organic Chemist Videos 2013 ORGN Creates the Undergraduate Award Program to recognize senior students 2016 ORGN Suspends the long running graduate fellowship program due to lack of financial support 2017 ORGN redesigns its website making it easier access the site on mobile devices and to utilize social media.