Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records

The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is an American learned society for chemical industry professionals. The Société was founded by American chemists Jerome Alexander and Leo H. Baekeland in January 1918. At the time of its founding, it was the American branch of the Société de Chimie Industrielle, a French learned society for chemical industry professionals established in 1917. Like its parent organization, the original mission of the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) was "to aid and encourage the utilization of scientific and engineering developments by the industry, and the promotion of chemistry in public opinion." It later became an independent organization and was granted tax status as a registered non-profit organization in 1952.

Currently headquartered in New York City, the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s membership consists mainly of professionals working in the chemical and related industries. Its membership also includes employees of universities, government agencies, financial institutions, and media organizations. Since its inception, the Société has been active in a number of non-profit activities. It holds monthly meetings featuring guest speakers from all segments of the chemical industry, which are open to both members and non-members. The Société also supports several scholarship programs, including the American Chemical Society's ACS Scholars Program (established 1998). Since 1999, it has granted the annual Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Fellowship, which is awarded to researchers conducting research at the Science History Institute (formerly known as the Chemical Heritage Foundation) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is probably best known for awarding the Palladium Medal. Established in 1958 and first awarded in 1961, this medal is given biennially to an individual "deemed to have made outstanding contributions to the world's chemical industry and, thereby, to the enhancement of the international aims and objectives of the Société de Chimie Industrielle." The Palladium Medal has been awarded to a number of prominent individuals in the chemical industry, including Henry Corless (1987), Earnest W. Deavenport, Jr. (1999), and Vincent A. Calarco (2003). In addition to awarding the Palladium Medal, the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is an active participant in the presentation of three other prestigious chemistry medals. Since 1997, the Société has been a sponsor of the Othmer Gold Medal, which is awarded by the Science History Institute. It also participates in the selection and nomination of recipients of the Perkin Medal (established 1906) and the Chemical Industry Medal (established 1933), which are both awarded by the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section).

Sources

Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.