Greetings, and welcome to the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety.  I am Robin Izzo, and it is my pleasure and privilege to be Chair of the Division of Chemical Health and Safety for 2024.

We Want YOU to Get Involved

Something I hear too often is that people feel like DCHAS is a clique and it is hard to get involved. Some people need a formal invitation to take on responsibility or share ideas. So this is me, the Chair of DCHAS, formally inviting YOU to join in, share your ideas, be a leader, or just work on a project.

Not sure what to do? Send me an email at rmizzo@princeton.edu or set up a time to meet with me virtually through Microsoft Bookings (click on the title or here). 

DCHAS Listserv

The division’s listserv is a great way to share information, ask questions, and learn something new. Members of DCHAS are automatically enrolled within a few weeks of joining the division, but if you are a member and are not on the list, please email me or our Membership chair, Jack Reidy, at membership@dchas.org.

Open and Accountable

Each month, I will post an update on the DCHAS website and send an email to the listserv outlining what we’re doing, providing progress, and inviting people to join the fun. We will post the monthly meeting schedule on the website and we invite you to participate. We will also post our strategic plan and progress in a way that it is easy to track.

CHAS Chats and CHAS Communities

Each month, we will hold a CHAS Chat on a different subject.

We are excited to have created the first of what I hope to be several CHAS Communities, the Two-Year College community led by Dwayne Henry. Be on the lookout for additional community opportunities soon.

Goals for 2024

Late in the fall of 2023, we completed a strategic planning exercise and identified a number of goals:

• Digital Strategies – identifying and launching new communications tools, including an updated public-facing and members-only website, providing means to share documents and presentations, and enhancing the email list function.
• Cultivate Community – establish and implement a framework and infrastructure to recruit, onboard, mentor, retain members, and foster internal and external collaborations.
• Communicate Best Safety Practices – through technical programming, education, recognition, and outreach, advance and communicate best safety practices and their value.
• Leadership Development – develop leaders in DCHAS, the health and safety profession, and the chemistry enterprise.

I hope to connect with you virtually or in person in the coming weeks and months.

Robin Izzo, 2024 Chair
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety