Candidate for Chair-Elect
James Grinias, Rowan University, ACS Member Since 2010
Election Statement: I have been a member of the American Chemical Society since 2010, with memberships in the Subdivision on Chromatography and Separations Chemistry (SCSC) as well as the Huron Valley, North Carolina, and South Jersey local sections. I have served the professional separation science community as the ACS SCSC Executive Committee as the Secretary since 2019, in addition to various conference organizing committee positions and a role as the Program Chair and President-Elect of the Chromatography Forum of Delaware Valley. Over the past several years, my research has focused on the fundamentals of separations in capillary and microfluidic columns as well as applications in the neuroscience, molecular physiology, and pharmaceutical fields, leading to a number of presentations and peer-reviewed journal articles. If elected to the Chair-Elect role of the SCSC, I plan to continue the organization’s momentum in connecting with the broader separation science community and help provide more opportunities for younger members in our field. This will include promoting budget allocations toward student/young professional travel awards and conference prizes, as well as sponsoring conference symposia focused on young scientists. I would also expand upon our current efforts to support diversity initiatives within the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry, specifically by sponsoring separations-related career development opportunities and creating a more formalized job board for our members. Finally, I would build stronger relationships with national and international chromatography discussion groups and help sponsor programming at these meetings that also connect with our members.
Candidate for Secretary
Emanuela Gionfriddo, University of Toledo, ACS Member Since 2017
Election Statement: It is an honor for me to ask for your support as a candidate for the Secretary of the Subdivision on Chromatography and Separations Chemistry of the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry. Since my first research experience in analytical chemistry and separation science during my undergraduate studies, I have always been fascinated by the ability to detangle complex chemical mixtures to shed light on the intriguing composition of the matter. This sparked my interest in separation science applied to chromatography and extraction technologies, and encouraged me to build a research group that focuses on providing convenient analytical solutions for characterization of complex samples using microextraction and not only. Aside from research, I am particularly interested into educational outreach, and I especially wish to serve the Subdivision on Chromatography and Separations Chemistry by establishing and promoting engaging activities for undergraduates and high school students, aimed to highlight the importance that separation science has in our everyday life. Moreover, as a woman in STEM, I am strongly devoted to serving as a role model to encourage women and other underrepresented minorities in science. To achieve this and through my service to the Subdivision of Chromatography and Separation Science, I hope to engage young scientists, especially belonging to underrepresented minorities, into the art of scientific investigation and inspire them to further pursue scientific careers.
Candidate for Treasurer
Jonathan Edelman, Restek Corporation, ACS Member Since 2013
Election Statement: Jonathan Edelman is currently employed as Restek Corporation. He began his career as an analytical chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. Jonathan then moved into a sales and marketing capacity finding his love of science was easily and effectively combined with strategic business expansion goals. His current appointments include: founder and central organizer for the Separation Community Mixer, Treasurer of the American Chemical Society Separations Subdivision, Organizing committee chair person for ISCC/ GCxGC conference, and president emeritus at the Chromatography Forum of Delaware Valley.
Candidates for Executive Committee Member
Katelynn Perrault, University of Honolulu, ACS Member Since 2016
Election Statement: I am an Assistant Professor of Forensic Sciences and Chemistry at Chaminade University of Honolulu and Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of Forensic and Bioanalytical Chemistry. My research specializes in the development of multidimensional separations for the comprehensive characterization of odors of forensic relevance and is supported through several federal grants, foundation grants, and industry support. One of the biggest joys of my career thus far has been mentoring numerous undergraduate researchers as part of my integrated teaching and research program. I am strongly interested in curriculum development for multidimensional separations in undergraduate classes, as well as culturally-sustaining pedagogy for minority students. I have also coordinated and participated in several events aimed at highlighting gender disparity for women and girls in STEM and specifically in analytical chemistry. I have been a member of SCSC since 2019 and after being awarded the Satinder Ahuja Award in 2020, I felt compelled to get involved in the growth of SCSC. I quickly recognized the dedicated efforts of numerous colleagues in the evolution of SCSC. Since then, I have been attempting to contribute to SCSC by serving on award review committees, contributing to the rotating authors of the LCGC blog, promoting SCSC on social media, and attending general meetings of the subdivision. However, I feel that it is time for me to take on further responsibility in the subdivision and to assist my colleagues in the fantastic work that is already happening. I believe that I can bring a perspective on separation science, undergraduate needs, outreach activities, and diversity and inclusion to the SCSC that will assist in generating meaningful and impactful programming in the years to come. I am extremely excited at the prospect of being able to interact with more people within the separation science community through this role and hope that I will be able to serve and represent you well on the executive committee.
Robbyn K. Anand, Iowa State University, ACS Member Since 2004
Election Statement: The activities of SCSC are critical to promote separations science and to build connections among members of the separations community. I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to the development and stewardship of the programs offered by the Society.
André M. Striegel, NIST, ACS Member Since 1992
Election Statement: How best to promote chromatography and separations chemistry? How best to make the field welcoming to minorities and women? How best to promote education in this under-funded area? How best to attract industrial scientists into our Subdivision and to encourage them to assist in its governance, to learn from them and to avoid being perceived as an academic bailiwick? All these questions are intimately interrelated; there is no way to effectively answer the first one without also addressing those which follow it. My professional career has spanned the chemical industry, academia, and government. I have seen firsthand through my own involvement as, first, a bench scientist and, then, a lab supervisor, how separation science, while essential, doesn’t operate in a vacuum in the real world, and I’ve lived the challenges created by moving deadlines, shifting budgets, downsizings, and “messy” samples. I’ve taught and mentored graduate and undergraduate students in academia, while also developing innovative separations courses, and tried to inculcate in all my students that integrity and inclusivity walk hand-in-hand with a scientist’s day-to-day activities – in and out of the lab. At NIST, our mission is to promote “innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.” Here, I’ve developed novel separations and detector couplings across various areas of macromolecular separation science, while also performing extensive industrial outreach and serving as director of the Material Measurement Laboratory’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, as part of which several hundred undergrads come to NIST for paid fellowships each summer, to learn from our scientists and to contribute to our mission. All these activities and experiences, combined with the numerous symposia I’ve organized across various fields, the separations meetings and journals I advise, and the chromatography journal for which I’m editor, have taught me that the only answer to our original question regarding how best to promote chromatography and separations chemistry is an “All of the above” approach. I don’t have all the answers, nor can I do it all (far from it!). I do believe, however, that I can contribute to the amazing team that is the SCSC, to further its mission of amplify awareness of our field while simultaneously increasing its already welcoming status among the greater scientific community.