3rd year chemistry major Hannah Priller receives ACS Student Leadership Award
The American Chemical Society (ACS) Leadership Institute was held this month in Atlanta, Georgia. Leaders with a variety of roles in ACS attended the Institute, including undergraduate students. All participants take a leadership course during the weekend on top of the track programming. The weekend is an opportunity to meet other chemists from around the world and learn more about ACS.
Penn State undergraduate student Hannah Priller, a third-year chemistry major, attended the Leadership Institute along with several faculty members of the Penn State Chemistry Undergrad Program. At the Leadership Institute, Priller was presented with the Student Leadership Award which acknowledges her heavy engagement in ACS, as well as her commitment to leading members of the local student chapter Nittany Chemical Society (NCS) and bringing interest in chemistry to local communities. Priller joined the Lear Lab in 2020 as an undergraduate researcher working with gold nanoparticles.
“As an undergraduate in ACS, I have been provided with both leadership as the treasurer and now president-elect of our student chapter Nittany Chemical Society (NCS), as well as professional development opportunities through presenting and networking at national meetings,” said Priller. “Receiving the ACS Student Leadership Award means that I can prepare for my presidency next year by learning more about ACS and new leadership tactics. I was also able to expand my network by meeting the national ACS leadership as well as professionals from around the country and world. This weekend was truly one to remember!”
Other Penn State Chemistry participants at the ACS Leadership Institute included Joe Houck (associate teaching professor), Lori Stepan (associate teaching professor and Chair of the ACS Committee on Community Activities), and Adam Herring (lecturer and Assistant Director of General Chemistry Labs).
As a member of the Younger Chemists Committee (YCC), Houck co-facilitated for the Young Leaders Track consisting of about 30 participants; half were undergraduates who received a Student Leadership Award and the other half were graduate students or young professionals who received the Younger Chemist Leadership Development Award.
“As a former Leadership Development Awardee, I remember how valuable it was to network and engage with leaders in ACS as a steppingstone to my current role within ACS,” Houck said. “Each time I have had the opportunity to attend, I come back with new ideas and new contacts. We are very proud of Hannah for receiving the Student Leadership Award!”
For more information on ACS and leadership development visit their website.