Global Landscape: Chemistry-Related Transnational Mobility and Global Talent Innovation

The U.S. has been a global leader in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering due to its commitment to and strength in research and innovation. Today, global economics are driving changes in chemical enterprises. We see expanded outsourcing of chemical manufacturing overseas, increased competition from abroad, and declines in research and infrastructure funding domestically. These combined forces challenge our ability to generate new opportunities to sustain our global competitive advantage. In many other countries, scholars have long viewed international experience as essential to professional success. This not the case in the U.S. ACS member chemists and chemical engineers are increasingly engaging in transnational collaboration in their professional activities, and we need to promote this trend to strengthen and sustain U.S. competitiveness. An internationally engaged U.S. scientific community is critical to building the collaborative teams and networks that are needed to tackle the scientific and societal challenges of our time.