Multidisciplinary Opportunities through Resource Enhancement (MORE) is an initiative of the American Chemical Society (ACS) to assist emerging or nucleating groups of individuals conducting chemistry-related, multidisciplinary science or engineering.  Through MORE, ACS will make resources available – including but not limited to access to ACS technology tools and staff expertise – in order to advance the concept of “chemistry without borders.” That is, the ACS is interested in helping those working on chemistry-related topics in non-traditional chemistry areas.

Many scientists who may not self-identify as chemists nonetheless rely on chemistry-based knowledge or tools to advance their multidisciplinary research.  These scientists may call themselves biologists, physicists, engineers, materials researchers, or others working along one or more of chemistry’s multidisciplinary borders.  Depending on a number of factors, these and other scientists may qualify for support from ACS through this program. 

Some Examples of Multidisciplinary Fields/Topics ACS Will Consider Supporting

The following list of scientific fields provides examples of the kinds of areas ACS has in mind when it uses the phrase “chemistry-related, multidisciplinary science.” We can’t, nor have we tried to, list all the areas that would qualify for support under this program.  If you work in a field that is not listed below, but feel it meets the spirit of the criteria for this Request for Proposal (RFP), you are urged to submit an application to receive support from ACS.

• Antioxidants
• Biogenic Raw Materials
• Biophysics
• Biosensors
• Food Metabolism
• Materials at the Bio/Nano Interface
• Molecular Computing
• Nanoscience or Nanotechnology
• Organic Microelectronics
• Predictive/Personalized Medicine
• Systems Biology

Potential Areas of Support

The ACS is willing to conditionally offer support in the following areas (among others) to groups submitting successful applications:

• Establishing virtual communities
• Fostering scientific collaboration
• Building or enhancing websites
• Creating and disseminating podcasts, webcasts, etc.
• Staff expertise in areas such as organizing meetings, marketing, motivating volunteers, facilitating exchange of information, etc.

Support Criteria

In order to receive consideration for ACS support under MORE, an applicant must provide the following information:

• The group or community will describe its purpose and focus.
• The group or community will demonstrate a relationship between its purpose and the chemistry enterprise, broadly defined.  That is, the individuals seeking support need to be applying knowledge of chemistry or using chemistry-based tools in an attempt to advance legitimate scientific discovery or innovation, even if the discovery or innovation may not reside primarily within chemistry’s traditional boundaries.
• The group or community will describe connections to other scientific disciplines, such as biology, physics, materials research, engineering, etc. That is, apart from its connection to chemistry, what other sciences does the group’s mission impact?
• The group or community will identify at least five leaders who have explicitly accepted primary responsibility for the ultimate success of the community.
• The group or community will provide a roster of its key stakeholders, to demonstrate a minimum scope or scale of participants.
• The group or community will address prospects for growth.
• The group or community will disclose other significant sources of support (financial, human, technological, etc.).
• The group or community will explain the yardstick it will use to measure progress.
• The group or community will -- on an annual basis, and when its access to ACS support concludes -- provide a short report to ACS on the impact, if any, of the support.

Proposal Submission and ACS Contact Person

In order to be considered for ACS support under this program, please complete the MORE application form and submit it no later than March 15, 2007.  All contact with ACS regarding this RFP shall be initially directed to: 

Jill Treby
MORE Project Manager
American Chemical Society
1155 Sixteenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 872-4420
j_treby@acs.org