Upcoming Graduate Research Symposium

We thank the 2024 Graduate Research Symposium Sponsors: 

Adesis, Amgen, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Genentech, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Incyte, Janssen, Lilly, Loxo Oncology, Merck, Mirati, Novartis, Organic Syntheses, Pfizer, PharmaBlock, RSC, Sanofi, Snapdragon, Takeda, Temporal Agriculture, Universal Display Corporation, & Zoetis

The DOC Graduate Research Symposium, which provides an opportunity for 50-75 graduate students in organic chemistry to interact with leaders from academia, industry, various funding agencies, and publishers at a single venue will take place at the San Diego State University in San Diego, CA on July 17-20, 2025. There will be a number of invited speakers from industry and academia, and the invited students will have the opportunity to give an oral communication, or present a poster. Workshops and additional opportunities for round-table discussions will be organized to inform students about opportunities available in the field and to gain important perspectives on their post-graduate school careers.

Attendance criteria

• Individuals must be completing their fourth year of graduate study.
• Individuals must be must be members of the Division of Organic Chemistry–the student’s ACS number will be requested in the application form.
• No more than one person per research group and up to three people per institution may attend.
• Departments may nominate up to three individuals, taking into account diversity within the Department.
• The Co-Chairs of the Symposium will select participants on the basis of a résumé, a synopsis of research accomplishments and a letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor.
• Women and underrepresented minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

Registration and Travel Expenses for the Graduate Research Symposium

The Division of Organic Chemistry will provide gratis registration for the meeting, which includes meals and accommodation. The Division has LIMITED funds available for travel support (up to $400), so applicants are strongly encouraged to seek support from other sources.

Attendance to the entire GRS meeting is required to be considered for travel support.

Selected comments made by attendees at recent GRS.

• “Thank you for organizing this beautiful and very useful symposium. I will always feel privileged to attend and give a talk at this event!” -sent by email
• “I would like to thank you once again for allowing me to be a part of this amazing conference. It was great to discuss fascinating chemistry and network with so many professionals.” -sent by email
• “I really appreciate all the time and effort you spent setting up the GRS conference. It was an indispensable experience for me during my graduate studies.” -sent by email
• “Thank you for all of your work organizing and running the DOC GRS this year. It was an amazing experience!!” -sent by email
• “I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to attend the GRS conference without having to stressover my personal finances. The GRS was an indispensable experience for my young career and has opened up many opportunities and ideas for me thus far.” -sent by email
• “Thanks again for a fantastic symposium. I’m still digesting the symposium and how great it was to share science, get to know students & professionals, learn about companies, and just generally have a good time.” -sent by email
• ”What an awesome group of people, so thankful I got to be a part of this amazing symposium! Thanks to all of the organizers” -on Twitter
• ”Had such a great time at the #2022GRS! Very thankful to have been selected to attend such a great conference, and huge shout out to all the organizers who helped make it possible!” -on Twitter
• ”I had an amazing time at the @ACSorganic GRS in Santa Barbara last weekend, presenting my work and meeting so many other talented graduate students in organic chemistry.” -on Twitter
• ”My very first in person academic meeting. Great opportunity to present my research and talk with awesome peers and professionals. When I was fighting the college entrance exam in a small county, I never imagined I can be here. Thanks to all the organizers!” -on Twitter
• ”Probably the best annual symposium for graduate students. Encourage your students to apply ASAP!” -on Twitter
• “Highly recommend attending this incredible conference if you’re a 4th year, organic graduate student!!” -on Twitter

Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism, and Anti-Harassment

Racism, bias and hate have no place in the DOC, the ACS, in science, or anywhere. The DOC has Adopted an Anti-Harassment Policy We expect all GRS participants to adhere to the ACS code of conduct. Deviations from this policy should be reported.

Application/Nomination Process

The applications are due Tuesday, March 11th, 2025. Nominations must be submitted by the candidate’s recommender who is required to be a member of the Organic Division via the online submission form.

A complete nomination shall consist of:

1. The completed application form (available here as a MS Word file) with details about the applicant’s background and training.
2. One letter of recommendation that comments on the academic record, productivity, and career potential of the applicant.
3. A letter from the Chair of your Department stating that the nominee is one of three (3) candidates from your Department.

All documents must be combined and submitted as a single PDF file in the order specified above (Application Form, Letter of Recommendation, Letter from Chair).

Please name the file using the following format: Candidate’s Last Name_First Name-GRS.pdf (i.e. Smith_David-GRS.pdf)

Questions regarding the program should be directed to Angie Angeles and P. Andy Evans

For technical problems with the online submission, please use the Contact Us Form.