I deeply grateful for the support of our Executive Committee and firmly believe in our local section’s role as an accessible and welcoming link that ensures our members feel continuously connected to the broader ACS community. I’m excited to share my vision for our section’s future.
Vision:
- Enhancing Member Engagement: We’ll foster a tighter-knit community with vibrant networking events that spark collaboration, knowledge sharing, and lasting connections.
- Promoting STEM Education: We’ll engage with local schools, support science fairs, and nurture the curiosity of the next generation of chemists, continuing our outreach mission.
- Sustainability Initiatives: I’ll provide a platform for our members to share their expertise and address critical environmental issues, acknowledging chemistry’s pivotal role.
- Professional Development: I’ll institute sustainable mentorship programs that will empower members at all career stages to foster their growth through our network.
- Diversity and Inclusion: I am dedicated to ensuring that diversity and inclusion are woven into the very fabric of our activities and leadership, reflecting the rich community tapestry we serve.
With an interdisciplinary academic background in law and psychology, a doctorate in chemistry, international research scholarship, and extensive laboratory management experience, I’ve transitioned into curating information as the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Librarian at Stanford. My strong leadership history, including roles as a manager, an advisor of the chemistry fraternity and an Alternate Councilor in our local section, prepares me to lead our section towards growth and excellence. I look forward to collaborating with our dedicated volunteers, engaging our members, and strengthening the impact of the Silicon Valley ACS Local Section.
Goals: To me, ACS and our local section signify the atlas to an ever-evolving field of chemistry. I envision a future where ACS is not just an organization but serves an integral role in our professional stories— offering insights, workshops, tools, and an ongoing source of inspiration. The local section represents an accessible resource where every member, regardless of their relationship with chemistry, will find a neighborly and welcoming community that provides professional support and camaraderie.
My personal journey—from an enthusiastic seeker of knowledge to a curator and promoter of information—illustrates how the ACS can easily kindle the flames of our careers. I see the ACS as a conduit through which we can quench our intellectual thirst and build lasting friendships. This vision is not just about an organization; it’s about promoting an accessible and everyday resource that enriches the advancement of chemistry as a science and as a profession.
I look forward to collaborating with our dedicated volunteers, engaging our members, and strengthening the impact of the Silicon Valley ACS Local Section. Thank you for your trust and unwavering support.
Biography
Amanda Nelson, like all humans, is an informavore—naturally lured by the acquisition of knowledge. But for her, it’s not just an adaptive mechanism; it’s an exhilarating rush as her brain’s striatum reward system lights up with each new discovery. Amanda’s college years provided an ideal playground for dopamine surges to reinforce relentless pursuits of new knowledge. Her insatiable curiosity grew as she ventured to triple major in pre-law, psychology, and chemistry baccalaureate programs, fueled by dreams of a future in forensic science. However, the stark reality gently whispered that the life of a forensic scientist wouldn’t mirror the glamorous depictions popularized in TV series like CSI, Bones, or Forensic Files. Rather than be disillusioned by this revelation, Amanda immersed herself in an organic chemistry research lab. Every experiment evolved explorations that rewarded these information-seeking behaviors and prompted further inquiries into the literature for deeper explanations. Her research project culminated in an ACS conference presentation, catching the eye of a Virginia Tech professor who steered her towards graduate school. Amid the diverse array of careers and applications showcased at the conference, being recruited to pursue a Ph.D. felt like the most natural progression for her career.
Amanda conducted the final year of her doctoral research in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, which deepened her appreciation for international collaboration and the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Upon her return to the United States, Dr. Nelson became the manager of Stanford’s Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory Program, which provided a platform for her to foster learning in ways which mirrored her own quest for knowledge. She adapted the laboratory experience to the COVID-19 pandemic by packaging and shipping over 600 customized chemistry kits worldwide, ensuring that the flame of curiosity continued to burn brightly for students in the face of adversity.
In her journey of lifelong learning, Dr. Nelson has come full circle to find a role that perfectly aligns her passion for information and the desire to foster scholarly inquiry. As the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Librarian at Stanford, Amanda curates information to support students in their own research endeavors and knowledge quests. It’s a job that immerses her in the world of inquisition, allowing her to share her techniques for navigating vast oceans of information with the next generation of informavores. This journey, from a relentless information addict to a curator and enabler of information, reflects her enduring commitment to education and the sharing of knowledge.