麻豆原创

Recently, Josh Pak, professor of chemistry at ISU, was named a winner of an E. Ann Nalley Regional Award for Volunteer Service to the American Chemical Society (ACS). Awarded to Pak at the American Chemical Society’s Northwest Regional Meeting in Boise, it recognizes “individuals who have served the American Chemical Society, contributing significantly to the goals and objectives of the Society through their regional activities.”

“It is an incredible honor,” said Pak. “ACS is an incredible volunteer organization that prioritizes the health of scientific communities and science education. I have known a number of dedicated and selfless volunteers at ACS. I learned so much from mentors and colleagues about what it means to serve. It was a very humbling experience, as I know there are so many who deserve recognition.”

Pak has been a member of ACS since 1995, serving in multiple capacities with the group–locally, regionally, and nationally–and helping to foster an active student chapter of the American Chemical Society at Idaho State. For more than 20 years, Pak has worked with ACS on the Project SEED program to provide more than 100 high school students with a summer research experience at ISU. Pak even served as the Chair of the national ACS Committee for Project SEED, which provides summer research experiences to economically disadvantaged youth, as well as leading the National Chemistry Olympiad Committee.

“If you have been around higher ed. long enough, you might hear complaints about new students who are not ready for university education,” said Pak. “I think you can either sit and complain or go out and do something about that. This is one of the reasons why I spend a lot of time with young people who will be in charge of our society soon. I am not just interested in producing more scientists but also interested in a more informed public through formal and informal STEM education.” 

Pak’s research at Idaho State looks at organic, organometallic, materials and polymer chemistry, with over 100 undergraduate and master’s students learning from Pak in his lab over the years. In 2023, Pak and Cori Jenkins, associate professor at ISU, were awarded a grant from the Department of Energy to look for new ways to upcycle plastic waste. 

“It is incredibly gratifying to see results from various service activities bearing fruit over time,” Pak said. “Several ISU Chemistry alumni attended the ceremony who are chemistry professors or chemical professionals who got the service bug from their time at ISU and are now the next generation of volunteers.”

For more information about ISU’s Department of Chemistry, visit .