Severe research funding cuts have left scientists in the United States and their trainees in the lurch. The American Chemical Society (ACS) refuses to stand back.
The organization recently launched the ACS Graduate Student Success Grant initiative, offering their support to 100 students pursuing a master’s or PhD in chemistry who are within a year of degree completion but are at risk of not finishing due to sudden termination of their advisors’ funding. The application will run from September 15 to October 1 this year, and successful candidates will be notified by October 15. The program will grant $25,000 to each student, and ACS plans to disburse the awards in 2025.
“That’s 2.5 million dollars to support students at the time when they need it the most,” said Wayne Jones, chair of the ACS board of directors, during his opening address at the Fall 2025 ACS meeting. “[This program] helps ensure the continuity of training and protects the future of our US-based scientific workforce.”
Elizabeth Komives, a chemist at the University of California, San Diego, said, “I wasn't aware that ACS is doing this, but it is sorely needed. I am currently scrambling to find funding for several graduate students in our program.”
Even chemists who haven’t been directly impacted by the federal funding cuts commended the initiative. “I have not had a grant terminated but I worry about it a lot—that is so awesome for ACS to step up like this,” said Vicki Grassian, a physical chemist at the University of California, San Diego.
Jonathan Barnes, a chemist at Washington University in St. Louis, added, “[This initiative] is an excellent demonstration of how to lead by example.”
