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Careers

For District III director: Teri Quinn Gray

September 11, 2017 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 95, Issue 36

Gray
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Credit: Courtesy of Teri Quinn Gray
A photo of Teri Quinn Gray.
Credit: Courtesy of Teri Quinn Gray

Delaware Section. DuPont Performance Materials, Wilmington, Del.

Academic record: Jackson State University, B.S. (ACS Certified Chemistry), 1987; University of Maryland, College Park, Ph.D., analytical chemistry, 1994; NRC postdoctoral research associate, National Institute of Standards & Technology, 1995–97.

Honors: Order of the First State, Delaware, 2017; Strong, Smart & Bold Award, Girls Inc. Delaware, 2014; Willoughby Award for STEM Advocacy, Junior Achievement of Delaware, 2014; Woman of Achievement, Women of Color Research Sciences & Technology, Career Communications Group, 2003; Women in Science & Engineering Honoree, National Academies of Science & Engineering, 1994.

Professional positions (for past 10 years): DuPont Performance Materials, global technology integration leader, 2017–; DuPont Performance Materials, regional technology manager, 2015–17; DuPont Crop Protection, new product commercialization manager and Six Sigma Black Belt, 2010–14; DuPont Crop Protection, global analytical manager, 2004–10.

Service in ACS national offices: Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board, chair, 2011–16, consultant, 2017–; Board-CPC Task Force on Governance Design, 2016–; Collaborative on Reimagining a Diverse Membership, 2016; Women Chemists Committee, 2001–13; Joint Subcommittee on Diversity, chair, 2010–11.

Member: Member of ACS since 1989; National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists & Chemical Engineers; ACS divisions: Analytical Chemistry, Professional Relations, Agrochemicals, Business Development & Management.

Related activities: Delaware Campaign for Grade Level Reading, cochair, 2017–; Jobs for Delaware Graduates, Advisory Council, 2014–; Delaware STEM Council, cochair, 2012–; Delaware Foundation for Science & Math Education, 2010–; Delaware State Board of Education, president, and University of Delaware Board of Trustees, 2009–17; ACS Leadership Development Institute, invited speaker for the Young Leaders Track, 2014–16; U.S. Education Delivery Institute, board of directors, 2012–16; University of Maryland department of chemistry and biochemistry, Committee of Distinguished Advisors, 2011–13; Jackson State University, RISE External Advisory Committee, 2004–06; National Institutes of Health, Special Emphasis Review Panel, Chemistry & Biophysics SBIR/STTR, 2002–05; Heinz Center for Science, Economics & Environment, Citizen Science Experiment Working Group, 2004; University of Maryland, Baltimore County, mentor for the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program, 1997–2003.

Gray’s statement

Relationship, relevance, reach. The American Chemical Society means a lot to me and has for a long time, since my early days as a SEED scholar and throughout my professional journey—all interwoven with phenomenal people and resources associated with the society. My relationship with ACS ranges from the very personal to sometimes tangential, perhaps exactly the rapport needed at different stages of my career. The key point being a relationship with ACS and our members can matter from both a personal and professional point of view when it comes to thriving in a highly dynamic global marketplace. I know ACS, not because I was looking for the society but because the society was looking for me (in Jackson, Miss., of all places!). Thank goodness a few ACS members reached out to help me see the relevance of the organization to my own interests and aspirations. I’ve been hooked since high school and grateful for the litheness of ACS-related opportunities over time.

As District III director, I would be compelled to pay it forward so that others might benefit from the ACS experience. Each of us has our own story and unique ACS experiences that are the essence of what makes ACS so powerful today. I’m interested in mobilizing the power of ACS to more people in different places through relationship, relevance, and reach to ensure the strength of our chemical profession and sustainability of ACS long term. Let’s start with why relationship, relevance, and reach are critical to extending the ACS experience as broad and deep as possible.

Why is “relationship” important for our competitiveness as professionals in the chemical enterprise? ACS members (current and future) need a myriad of transformative experiences throughout their careers to remain competitive in today’s global marketplace. Transformative experiences typically hail from transformative relationships and vice versa and are what differentiates those that are good from those that are extraordinary. We have a huge opportunity to revolutionize the ACS experience for our members by nurturing relationships that go beyond comfortable affiliations and engage deeply with more people in many places in diverse ways. Membership in ACS may be positioned as a long-term relationship centered on transformative experiences that enable the individual, and thus the broader chemical profession, to thrive throughout one’s career.

Why is “relevance” inextricably linked to the sustainability of ACS? Relevance gets at how closely connected the organization is to the needs of its members and what is important to the profession at the time. Evolving sociopolitical norms and changing demographics call for us to employ innovative cross-generational strategies that intersect across disciplines and sectors to stay abreast of what will keep ACS members engaged with their time, talent, and dollars. ACS will endure as long as we are connected and responsive to the personal interests and real-world challenges of our members, that is, those emerging cohorts of baby boomers and generations X, Y, and Z who share lab benches and innovation rooms across the world.

Why does “reach” matter when it comes to excellence?“Reach” speaks to how broad and deep diverse perspectives are ingrained in the ACS story. ACS has been a pacesetter in acknowledging diversity in the chemical profession as evidenced by the breadth of our divisions and committees alone. Even so, ACS has the power to take a bolder step and model inclusive excellence in every aspect of the society’s governance, programming, and services. Inclusive excellence is emerging as the new norm for the 21st century in which people embrace multifaceted identities in the global landscape. ACS could redefine excellence based on using the full range of competencies and gifts of all members for the common good of the profession.

Now what about the “how”? That’s for us to figure out together. Check out my website www.teriquinngray.com to learn more and join the conversation. Thanks for your vote!.

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