The Council of the American Chemical Society (ACS) recently recognized Dr. Jeffrey Gaffney for outstanding service to the society as a member of the Committee on Chemistry and Public Affairs.

Gaffney, professor and chair of the UALR Department of Chemistry, has a long and notable history with the American Chemical Society. In 2000, he earned the ACS Science Policy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Public Policy.

Following that designation, he was asked by the Chemistry and Public Affairs Committee to be an associate member and has served in that capacity for 13 years.

During that period, Gaffney was active in helping craft a number of ACS policy statements on energy and climate change, along with workforce needs in the sciences.

Gaffney also met with U.S. congressmen and senators on behalf of the ACS in discussions that included addressing funding basic research in the sciences and STEM education support.

He was the Arkansas contact for STEM during a five-year period in which ACS worked to increase membership interactions with policy makers to advocate for science and innovation and sustainability.

Gaffney also met with federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy to promote continued research funding to help the U.S. maintain its position as a global leader in science and environmental research and policy.

As part of his activities with the society, Gaffney was a member of the team that met with the Obama administration during transition meetings when President Obama first entered the White House.

Gaffney also met with President Obama when he was an Illinois senator, and he met with Arkansas delegates in both houses of Congress during this time.

Gaffney’s term with the American Chemical Society ended this year.

“I will miss working with this group, but will continue to be active as an ACS member advocate for science education and support of basic research,” he said.