The future is bright, humane, and uneven for chemistry

The American Chemical Society spring and fall meetings matter because they are the largest gatherings of chemists around the world. ACS Spring 2024 was the first I attended as C&EN's newly appointed editor in chief. Four things struck me about the recent meeting in New Orleans, and I believe they reflect something about the state of the chemistry enterprise. 1. A large percentage of the attendees were students. This is important because it suggests that the conference and its design is particularly well placed to respond to students' needs. For instance, registration is largely subsidized for students. Also, so many young people buzzing around exhibitors' demonstrations or sitting in groups in corridors imply that the practice of chemistry should be future proofed. 2. The field of chemistry feels diverse and dynamic. This is especially the case for fields that traditionalists might say are at the edge of the discipline, like