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Polymer Topical Group Overview

Thomas J. Pacansky, 2008 ChairPolymer@NJACS.org

www.NJACS.orgNovember 24, 2008

AttractivePrograms & Venues

Sponsors &EndorsingGroups

CommittedVolunteers

Network ofParticipants

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Background and Resources

• (Re)establishing PTG is an NJACS objective – Local polymer demographics is large enough to support a PTG– Area is home to many high quality schools and universities; and

many companies with a strong interest in polymers• Committed Excomm member: Bill Suits is our NJACS

Liaison and a PTG operating group participant• Tangible support from NJACS

– Small budget, contingency funds– Communications and publicity conduits – Indicator and webpage

• Small but enthusiastic operating group and a large advisory board

• White lines– Polymer related– Definition of success – self-supporting

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PTG Organization Chart

Chair

Program Chair Secretary Treasurer

Poster Chair

Advisory Board NJACS Liaison

Exhibits Chair

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Advisory Board

• Represent different segments of the local polymer community

• Participate in programming decisions– Sounding board of program and speaker ideas – Source of program and speaker ideas – Volunteers for specific staffing assignments

• Represent NJACS-PTG at their workplace– Polls organizations for interest in sponsorships and interest in

future programs and timing– Promotes upcoming symposia in affiliated organizations

• Resource for program organizers and other roles in PTG

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Advisory Board Members

• John Adams• Andrew Auerbach, CUNY• Asya Bakhtina (Exhibits)• Anita Brandolini, Ramapo (PTG Chair)• Ronald DeMartino (Secretary)• Tamal Ghosh• Willis Hammond, NJIT (Treasurer)• Nicole Harris, Sun Chemical• Mike Jaffe, NJIT (Program Chair)• Frieder Jaekle, Rutgers• Ankur Kulshrestha, BD Medical• Hongbo Liu, JNJ Ethicon• Edward Malawer, Malawer & Associates Consulting, LLC • Tom Pacansky, Apollo Ventures• Munirathna Padmanaban, AZ Electronic Materials• Bill Suits, ChemPharma (NJACS Liaison)• Bin Wei, Henkel (Poster Chair)

Meets 2-3 times a year to identify

themes and topics of local interest

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PTG Goal

On a continuing basis, plan and execute 2-3+ quality polymer programs per year

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Data Mining for Target Audience Definition and Communications

• NJACS, PMSE and POLY provided data• Demographics split evenly - balanced proportion of B.S &

M.S. Vs Ph.D.• NJACS estimates about 800 ACS members with a polymer

interest and up to 2000 professionals in the local section area.

• Programs draw attendance from surrounding communities – up to 4000-5000 in target audience

• Many universities and companies in areahave an identifiable polymer interest– 8 of 28 Local universities

– 108 of 400+ corporate sites

• Very large and very diverse target audience

Broad-based communication process across local/division members, related societies and university/industrial communities

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Locally Popular Themes

• Advanced Polymer Materials• Biomaterials• Cross-topical theme • Engineering• Food and Care

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Multifaceted Program Content -Mirrors Target Audience Needs

In addition to “themes” there are other important programming dimensions Program diversity is a key to success when the target audience is broadly

dispersed

Science

Professional& Business

Expertise

Fundamental

Review

Highlights

Characterization Application

Regulatory

Patent & Legal

Organizational Development

PropertySynthesis

Science

Business Development

Tutorial

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Target Program Format and Venue

• Site and venue– University preferred, or hotel– Great conference facilities– Low Cost– Easy commute – Half day mini-symposium

• Afternoon – 1-6PM• Tuesday - Thursday

• Mini-symposium format – 4-7 talks– Each speaker is a draw

• Posters: student, topical, connections, vendor• Interactive portion of program

– Long coffee break during speaker program – Mixer and posters at same time/location– hors d’oeuvres (extent depends on sponsorships)

• Good time slots are Apr/May and Oct/Nov

Talks Posters

Poster/Mixer

Compelling theme, several speakers/leaders in field, great venue, low cost, fits busy lifestyle schedules

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Path to a Routine Timeline

Get Started

20 Month Lead

18 Month Lead

20 Month Lead

18 Month Lead

2007 2008 2009 2010

Short 12 Month Lead

First Program – short lead

Consistent yearly cycle

Short 10 Month Lead

Short organization startup and short early program planning cycles enabled early test of viability and approach; and reduced time to a fully integrated and routine yearly cycle

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Symposia

Title Attendees Posters + Speakers

Ratio[(P+S)/A]

Green Polymers: Materials, Processes and Applications

143 34 .24

Biomaterials in Medicine and personal Care

106 25 .24

Functional Packaging Through Chemistry

72 15 .21

• All successful financially, administratively and met attendees’ needs• Attendance larger than symposia at ACS national meetings• Small ratio of presenters to attendees indicates an attractive program

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Survey Results

Survey questions relate to various categories of information useful in planning future symposia– Attendees’ information - demographics– Announcement information– Customer satisfaction

• Meeting logistics• Presentations

– Future symposia themes

Survey Format Source: Les McGuire

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Survey Results

Attendees’ information – demographics– 70–90% ACS– 60-70% Industrial– Of ACS members

• 50-70% NJACS• 20% listed ‘don’t know’ their local section

– ACS division affiliation• 50/50 POLY/PMSE• 10-50% other

• Attendees are mostly ACS members• Email list consists of ACS members (Connected?)

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Target Audience and Communications

NJACS Members and Colleagues in Region

Member

Colleague

• Reaching only 40% of potential audience using email to NJACS and local POLY/PMSE members• Polymer audience is diverse – different mix for different themes• Looking for an email list to reach the regional non-ACS audience

NJACS Area

Surrounding Commute Region

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Survey Results

Announcement Information (fraction ‘yes’)

Green Biomaterials Packaging

Newsletter .37 .41 .60

Email (Section)

Email (Work)

.62

.75

.58

.78

.72

.65

Flyer/Poster .17 .20 .13

PTG Awareness

.38 .57 .67

• Email is best communication vehicle• PTG awareness is improving

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Survey Results

Customer Satisfaction (fraction 4-5’s)

Green Biomaterials Packaging

Room & Catering .80 .92 .83

Overall Quality of Talks

.77 .97 .76

Academic - Industrial Mix

.71 .95 .60

General - Technical Mix

.74 .86 .58

Attend Future Symposia

.92 .94 .89

Response Scale 1-5; 1=low, 5=good. Responses greater than 0.5 are favorable.

• Value proposition is correct• Increase technical/science content of future symposia

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Survey Results -Future Symposia

Highest Ranking Survey Themes (fraction 4-5’s). – Green, Fall 2007

• Packaging polymers in food, pharma and personal care (0.76)• Hot topics (0.73)• Polymers in Medicine (0.72)

– Biomaterials, Spring 2008• Biopolymers for controlled delivery and tissue engineering (0.95)• Green polymers – sustainability and energy focus (0.79)• Polymers for sensors and diagnostics (0.74)

– Packaging, Fall 2008• Polymers for controlled release (0.70)• Green polymers – sustainability and energy focus (0.67)• Synthetic polymer chemistry - polymer with unique properties (0.61)

• Five theme options listed on survey (generated by advisory board)• Most favorable themes are being developed into future symposia• Validates popularity of themes

2008 symposia 2009 symposia 2010 symposia short list

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Summary and Conclusions

• PTG is operational– Administrative committee and advisory board structure– Work processes and roles/responsibilities are set– First election (2009-11 chair, Anita Brandolini) was held at

October 29, 2008 symposium• Pipeline of symposia through 2010• Breakeven – sustainable; value proposition is correct• Survey as tool for customer satisfaction and to validate

popularity of future programs– Email is preferred communication method (vs flyers and

Indicator)– Announcement emails to ACS members and there is a large

proportion of ACS attendees– Room, catering and PM mini-symposium format are fit for

purpose– Increase technical scientific content of future symposia

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Backup Slides

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Related Societies

• AIChE• American Physical Society • American Pharmaceutical Society, APhA• American Association of Pharmaceutical

Scientists (AAPS) • Controlled Release Society• Materials Research Society• NY Society of Cosmetic Chemists• Society for Biomaterials• Society of Plastics Engineers

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Future Programs – Mini-symposia

• Year 2010 Short List of Themes– Sustainability of Polymers – Materials of Construction (flammability, energy efficient, thermal conductivity, etc)– Controlled release with the local affiliate of the Controlled Release Society– Synthetic polymer chemistry – Synthetic techniques yielding polymers for high value

applications and with unique properties• New synthetic techniques for high value polymers• New polymer synthetic methods – high value applications and unique properties

– Low molar weight additives and modifiers for polymers

– Edible polymers for food industry and pharmaceuticals

– Renewable energy and feedstocks – fuel cells, biomass, biodiesel – Hot Topics (nano, homeland security, etc)– Inorganic-organic hybrid polymers and materials– Polymers in the 21st century (Faruq Marikar)– Polymers Day (S. Waller)– Progress in research processes and tools – parallel processing, combinatorial

methods– Hot topics forum – click chemistry, ionic liquids, catalysts, biomemitics, pro-

performance

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Corporate Involvement = Value

• Guide theme evolution and speaker selection• Excellent local thematic programming on topics of corporate

interest. Can not occur without corporate support• Gain regional public visibility, association with ACS and a

good cause – bringing high quality public scientific presentations and discussion to the local area

• Information is communicated locally to more than 6000 chemists and more than 600 professionals with a polymer interest; and regionally to 2000-4000.

• Attendees tend to be the connectors, trend setters, early adopters

• Continuing education and leadership development – local, low cost and minimal time required

• Networking with local and regional colleagues• Practice public presentations

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Education Involvement = Value

• Guide theme evolution and speaker selection• Excellent local thematic programming on topics of scientific

interest. Can not occur without academic participation and endorsement

• Visibility and association with ACS and a good cause – bringing high quality public scientific presentations and discussion to the local area

• Information is communicated locally to more than 6000 chemists and more than 600 professionals with a polymer interest; and regionally to another 2000-4000.

• Attendees tend to be the connectors, trend setters, early adopters

• Supplemental education experience and leadership development – local, low cost and minimal time required

• Networking with local and regional colleagues• Practice public presentations

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Normalized Timelines – Normalized Meeting Deliverables and Agendas

Annual Cycle of Deliverables– Welcome new officers, ck 15S & 20F,

request for proposals– Initial plans for new 15S and new

20F; execute detail plan for 15S– Execute event 15S– Feedback 15S and final plan new 15S

and new 20F– Summer break– Check progress new 15S & new 20F,

execute detail plan 20F– Execute event 20F– Feedback 20F and check progress

new 15S and new 20F– Elections for next year, detail plan for

new15S and new 20F, request for proposals, ops manual update

Typical Agenda– Chair (PTG-wide focus)

• Approve minutes• Staffing and infrastructure• Treasurer report• Relationships & funding• Communications&Arrangements• MemberNet updates

– Secretary and Treasurer (near-term programs)

• 15S & 20F status and plans– Program Chair (program

planning)• Proposal progression

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PTG Meeting Sites

• Universities– CUNY– Drew – Madison– FDU – Madison– NJIT – Newark– Rutgers – New Brunswick– Stevens – Hoboken– Middlesex County College– Raritan Valley Community College

• Hotels/Conference Sites– Hilton – Parsippany (Route 10)– Hyatt Regency – New Brunswick– Marriott – East Hanover (Route 10)

• Company Sites– BMS– Ethicon – Somerville– ExxonMobil – Annandale– Honeywell – Morristown– J&J – New Brunswick

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Critical Planning Dates

Announcement/Site

Indicator Deadline

PTG Symposium

November 07 Jan15, 08 May 08

March 08 July 15, 08 November 08

Identified & scoped

Advertise in 2 issues

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Future Programs – Mini-symposia

• Additional Topical Ideas– Inorganic-organic hybrid polymers and materials– Polymers in the 21st century (Faruq Marikar)– Polymers Day (S. Waller)– Progress in research processes and tools – parallel

processing, combinatorial methods– Hot topics forum – click chemistry, ionic liquids,

catalysts, biomemitics, pro-performance– Renewable energy and feedstocks – fuel cells,

biomass, biodiesel