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Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records
Notifications
Held at: Science History Institute Archives [Contact Us]315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Science History Institute Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is an American learned society for chemical industry professionals. The Société was founded by American chemists Jerome Alexander and Leo H. Baekeland in January 1918. At the time of its founding, it was the American branch of the Société de Chimie Industrielle, a French learned society for chemical industry professionals established in 1917. Like its parent organization, the original mission of the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) was "to aid and encourage the utilization of scientific and engineering developments by the industry, and the promotion of chemistry in public opinion." It later became an independent organization and was granted tax status as a registered non-profit organization in 1952.
Currently headquartered in New York City, the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s membership consists mainly of professionals working in the chemical and related industries. Its membership also includes employees of universities, government agencies, financial institutions, and media organizations. Since its inception, the Société has been active in a number of non-profit activities. It holds monthly meetings featuring guest speakers from all segments of the chemical industry, which are open to both members and non-members. The Société also supports several scholarship programs, including the American Chemical Society's ACS Scholars Program (established 1998). Since 1999, it has granted the annual Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Fellowship, which is awarded to researchers conducting research at the Science History Institute (formerly known as the Chemical Heritage Foundation) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is probably best known for awarding the Palladium Medal. Established in 1958 and first awarded in 1961, this medal is given biennially to an individual "deemed to have made outstanding contributions to the world's chemical industry and, thereby, to the enhancement of the international aims and objectives of the Société de Chimie Industrielle." The Palladium Medal has been awarded to a number of prominent individuals in the chemical industry, including Henry Corless (1987), Earnest W. Deavenport, Jr. (1999), and Vincent A. Calarco (2003). In addition to awarding the Palladium Medal, the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is an active participant in the presentation of three other prestigious chemistry medals. Since 1997, the Société has been a sponsor of the Othmer Gold Medal, which is awarded by the Science History Institute. It also participates in the selection and nomination of recipients of the Perkin Medal (established 1906) and the Chemical Industry Medal (established 1933), which are both awarded by the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section).
Sources
Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records contain the corporate records of the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section). The collection is arranged into the following ten series:
- Correspondence
- Subject Files
- Board of Directors Files
- Meetings Files
- Palladium Medal Files
- Membership Files
- Printed Materials
- Financial Files
- Electronic Storage Materials
- Photographs
The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records were donated to the Science History Institute (formerly the Chemical Heritage Foundation) by the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) in April 2012.
The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records were processed by Kenton G. Jaehnig in August 2018.
Organization
- American Chemical Society
- Chemical Heritage Foundation
- Société de chimie industrielle (France)
- Society of Chemical Industry (American Section)
Subject
- Publisher
- Science History Institute Archives
- Finding Aid Author
- Finding aid created by Andrew Mangravite and encoded into EAD by Kenton G. Jaehnig.
- Finding Aid Date
- 2018
- Access Restrictions
-
Series VIII - Financial Files is closed to researchers until 2068.
- Use Restrictions
-
The Science History Institute holds copyright to the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Records. The researcher assumes full responsibility for all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Collection Inventory
Arranged chronologically by year, this series contains the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s correspondence files. The materials in this series provide a limited amount of documentation of some of the Société's various activities between 1976 and 2004, including, but not limited to, monthly meetings, Board of Directors matters, membership matters, and the Palladium Medal.
Letters and memoranda make up the bulk of the series' contents. A noticeable amount of printed materials, including articles, press releases, programs, and newsletters, are also present in the Correspondence series. Membership lists and reports are also found in these files. Small amounts of other kinds of materials, including, but not limited to, meeting minutes, invitations, resumes, attendance lists, meeting agendas, and guest lists are preserved here as well.
Contains 1 black and white image.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s subject files. These files document subjects that were of interest to the Société and its members.
A large majority of the files in this series concern chemistry organizations with whom the Société had a close working relationship, including the American Chemical Society, the Chemical Heritage Foundation (now called the Science History Institute), the Société de Chimie Industrielle, and the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section). Most of these files document activities in which the Société was directly involved, including, but not limited to, the Société de Chimie Industrielle Fellowship, the Othmer Gold Medal, and the Perkin Medal. A handful of files regarding Société administrative matters are also found in this series. A few files regarding subjects of general interest to the Société and its members are preserved here as well.
The contents of the Subject Files consist of a variety of materials. Correspondence, programs, invitations, and reports are the most common materials found in this series. Noticeable amounts of brochures, notes, magazine and newspaper articles, financial documents, reports, and information flyers are also found in these files. Small amounts of other kinds of materials, including, but not limited to, papers, webpage printouts, contracts, periodicals, and photographs, are preserved in this series as well.
Contains 3 color images.
Contains 5 black and white images.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s Board of Directors files. This series primarily documents the activities of the Société's Board of Directors.
A majority of the files in this series concern Board of Directors meetings, which were usually held on a monthly basis. A significant number of files documenting the activities of several Board of Directors committees, including, but not limited to, the Education Committee and the Nominating Committee are also found in this series. A handful of files pertaining to miscellaneous matters falling under the Board of Directors' purview are also preserved here.
The contents of the Board of Directors Files consist of a variety of materials. Meeting minutes, correspondence, reports, and member lists are the most common materials found in this series. Noticeable amounts of meeting agendas, attendance lists, officer lists, nomination lists, and financial documents are also found in these files. Small amounts of other kinds of materials, including, but not limited to, magazine and newspaper articles, legal documents, program schedules, guest lists, and press releases are found in this series as well.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series consists of the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s meeting files. These files document meetings held by the Société between 1960 and 2006. A large majority of the files in this series concern the Société's luncheon meetings, which were open to members and non-members, and were normally held on a monthly basis. Five files concerning the Société's International Exchange Lectures and a single file concerning the Société's Othmer Luncheons are also preserved here.
The contents of the Meetings Files consist of a variety of materials. Meeting notices, correspondence, guest lists, meeting schedules, and papers presented at the meetings are the most common materials found in this series. Noticeable amounts of financial documents, notes, paper abstracts, and resumes are also found in these files. Small amounts of other kinds of materials, including, but not limited to, magazine articles, brochures, and press releases, are found in this series as well.
Arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically by subject, this series consists of files pertaining to the Palladium Medal, which is awarded biennially by the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section). These files mainly provide detailed documentation of the Société's arrangements for the Palladium Medal Award Dinners. To a much lesser extent, the process by which the Palladium Medal recipients were selected is also documented in this series.
The contents of the Palladium Medals Files consist of a variety of materials. Correspondence, financial documents, dinner programs, dinner seating arrangement lists, and legal documents are the most common materials found in this series. Significant amounts of guest lists, reservation sheets, invitations, press releases, dinner menus, nominations, and ballots are also found in these files. Small amounts of magazine and newspaper articles, papers and speeches written by Palladium Medal nominees and recipients, committee lists, notes, reports, and photographs are preserved in this series as well.
Contains 1 black and white image.
Contains 4 black and white images and 1 black and white negative.
Contains 11 black and white images.
Contains 7 color images.
Contains 1 black and white image.
Contains 1 black and white image.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s membership files. The files in this series provide information about the Société's membership between 1989 and 2004. The series' contents consist mainly of membership applications and membership renewal applications. Noticeable amounts of membership lists and new member approval lists are also found in this series. Single files containing member renewal lists and potential member lists are preserved here as well.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains printed materials collected by the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section). It consists mainly of materials printed by the Société for public relations purposes. A small amount of materials not printed by the Société are also present here.
Annual brochures printed by the Société make up a large majority of the materials in this series. Brochure proofs, press releases, stationary proofs, and stationary printed by the Société are also present in this series. Articles printed in the French periodicals Bulletin de la Societe Chimique de Paris andMaisson et Cie, Éditeurs Libraires de L'Académie de Médicine are also found in the Printed Materials series. A copy of Ernest L. Gilmont's Powerpoint presentationSociété de Chimie Industrielle, American Section, a photocopy of a Northeastern Chemical Association, Incorporated roster book and information guide, a letter to the editor written by Donald F. Othmer, and a brochure from Paul Copp & Company, Incorporated are preserved here as well.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)'s financial files. The files in this series document the Société's financial history between 1988 and 2004.
The contents of the Financial Files consist mainly of treasurer's reports and audit reports. Correspondence, statements, tax documents, budgets, and Board of Directors meeting minutes are also found in this series. A financial ledger is preserved here as well.
Restrictions – This sub-series is closed to researchers until 2068.
Arranged alphabetically by format, this series contains electronic storage materials pertaining to the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section). Its contents consist of six 3.5 inch floppy disks, one DVD, and one Zip disk.
The 3.5 inch floppy disks contain electronic copies of Palladium Medal documents, Palladium Medal program art, Board of Directors meeting minutes, the Société logo, and meeting notices. The DVD contains an Ashland, Incorporated Powerpoint presentation presented by Gary Cappline. The Zip disk contains electronic copies of Palladium Medal documents.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains photographs collected by the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section). Its contents consist of color and black and white images. A majority of the images in this series pertain to the Palladium Medal.
Photographs of the 1997 Palladium Medal Award Dinner are present in this series. Images of Palladium Medalists Vincent A. Calarco, Thomas L. Gossage, and Konrad M. Weis are also preserved here. A single image of Société Board of Directors member Dominick Attanasio is found in this series as well.
Note – Item level cataloging may be available, consult Image Archives.
Contains 1 black and white image.
Contains 1 color image.
Contains 6 black and white images and 4 color images.
Contains 12 color images.
Contains 1 black and white image.