In celebration of the remarkable women who continue to break barriers and drive innovation in the chemical sciences, ACS Publications presents a curated selection of Special Issues, Collections, articles, interviews, and more.
Together with the many women who serve as editors, authors, reviewers, and readers, ACS Publications remains committed to promoting full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. We salute the hard work and tremendous accomplishments of women and girls in the chemistry community—your discoveries and innovations continue to strengthen the American Chemical Society’s mission to "advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community, and champion scientific integrity.”
In celebration of women and girls at the forefront of chemistry who continue to drive discovery and break boundaries, we are proud to share a curated selection of Special Issues, Collections, news articles, interviews, and more. We will update this post periodically with new content throughout the year, so be sure to revisit this page for the latest updates!
Notable national and global celebrations this year include:
- February 11, 2025: International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS)
In 2015, the United Nations established IDWGS as a global effort to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment across the sciences. February 11, 2025 will mark IDWGS’s 10th anniversary. This year’s theme, “Building a Future for Women in Science,” addresses the ongoing gender gap in science and the ongoing need for fostering inclusive environments through policies and actions that promote inclusion, diversity, and equity. - March 8, 2025: International Women’s Day
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, considered to be the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide. This year’s theme, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” encourages action that can unlock equal opportunities for all where no one is left behind. - March 2025: Women’s History Month
Celebrate with us all throughout March as we showcase and honor the vital contributions of women and girls to scientific advancement.
Curated Content From ACS Journals
International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025
In celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025, this Collection contains articles from more than 45 ACS journals, highlighting the latest achievements in research designed, performed, and published by women in chemistry. These papers were selected by the Managing Editors of each participating journal.
Women Scientists at the Forefront of Energy Research (Parts 1-7)
This seven-part Collection series celebrates the contribution of female energy researchers who have published new advances from their laboratories in ACS Energy Letters. From early career researchers to well-established senior scientists, the successful career paths they have taken to become leaders in the community have impacted energy research in a significant way.
Celebrating Women’s Authorship in ACS Infectious Diseases
ACS Infectious Diseases is proud to acknowledge a cohort of women corresponding authors who have consistently published their impactful research in the journal since its launch in 2015.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Collection.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Collection.
Special Issue in Honor of 2023 Fenn Award Winner Prof. Dame Carol Robinson
This Special Issue was created in honor of Professor Dame Carol Robinson, recipient of the 2023 ASMS John B. Fenn Award for a Distinguished Contribution in Mass Spectrometry. Prof. Robinson is recognized for her contributions to the development of mass spectrometry methods for the analysis and characterization of membrane proteins. This Special Issue exemplifies her impacts on native and structural mass spectrometry.
Read a Q&A with Prof. Robinson, published as part of this Special Issue.
Read a Q&A with Prof. Robinson, published as part of this Special Issue.
Women in Toxicology
This Special Issue in Chemical Research in Toxicology is aimed at promoting the participation and accomplishments of women in the field of chemical toxicology. We are proud to feature 16 research Articles on a broad range of timely topics, representing the diverse interests and expertise of women in the field.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Special Issue.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Special Issue.
Diane Bunce Festschrift
This Festschrift contains 37 articles from leading authors in Chemistry Education that touch on themes in the teaching and learning of chemistry that have been advanced by the scholarship of Professor Diane Bunce of Catholic University of America and the United States Naval Academy.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Festschrift.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Festschrift.
Women Scientists in China
In recent decades, the fields of physical chemistry and related disciplines have experienced significant expansion in China. The research landscape has been significantly enriched and diversified by the increasing participation of women. This Collection from The Journal of Physical Chemistry A/B/C features 75 articles by nationally and internationally recognized female Chinese scholars.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Collection.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Collection.
Women’s Health: Call for Action
In this Collection, the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry showcases 17 articles that address the ongoing research dedicated to the unmet medical needs in women’s healthcare. This Collection supports a greater understanding of the diseases and issues that affect mostly women, and acknowledges the barriers faced by those who research in this field.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Collection.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Collection.
Esther Sans Takeuchi Festschrift
Distinguished Professor Esther Sans Takeuchi, the William and Jane Knapp Chair in Energy and the Environment at Stony Brook University and Chief Scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, is an international leader in electrochemical energy storage systems (batteries). The articles in this Festschrift honor Esther Takeuchi’s ongoing research achievements and her leadership in the field of electrochemistry and electrochemical energy storage.
Read Prof. Takeuchi's autobiography, published as part of this Festschrift.
Read Prof. Takeuchi's autobiography, published as part of this Festschrift.
Women in Proteomics and Metabolomics
This Special Issue in the Journal of Proteome Research celebrates the essential contributions that women scientists have made and are making in the fields of Proteomics and Metabolomics. Featuring 47 papers from women scientists around the world, this Special Issue highlights both current and future women leaders in these fields who continue to pave the way for future innovations.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Special Issue.
Read the Editorial, published as part of this Special Issue.
Article Highlights from ACS Journals
Navigating Barriers and Mentoring Support: The Career Goals of Women Doctoral Students in Chemistry
Qiyue Zhang*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00197
Alice Ball: An African-American Woman to Foster Education in Chemistry
Stephanie Silva Weigel Gomes and Wilmo Ernesto Francisco Junior*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00611
Gender Gap in Chemistry, Still?!
Hsiu-Yi Chao, John J. H. Lin, Mark Cesa, and Mei-Hung Chiu*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00650
Breaking the Gender Imbalance: Female Presence in the Computational Chemistry Group at Viva Biotech
Yue Qian*, Le Li, Yanning Liu, Piaopiao Zhao, and Zhuwei Xie
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00456
Graduate Student Women’s Perceptions of Faculty Careers: The Critical Role of Departmental Values and Support in Career Choice
Morgan E. Howe*, Melony M. Kim, and Samuel Pazicni*
DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00175
Faces of Mass Spectrometry/Aleksandra Nita-Lazar
Anne Brenner and J. D. Brookbank
DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00419
Faces of Mass Spectrometry/Ljiljana Paša-Tolić
Anne Brenner and J. D. Brookbank
DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00513
Impact of Selected Schemes of SERB: Empowering Indian Women in R&D Spectrum
Monika Agarwal and Perminder Jit Kaur
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c03826
Advancing Women in Chemistry: A Step Toward Gender Parity
Neetu Tripathi and Manoj Kumar Goshisht*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00535
The Chemistry Women Mentorship Network (ChemWMN): A Tool for Creating Critical Mass in Academic Chemistry (Editorial)
Brandi M. Cossairt*, Jillian L. Dempsey*, and Elizabeth R. Young*
DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.9b00926
Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry (EWOC) at Five Years: Giving Back and Getting Back (Editorial)
Elinor H. Cantor, Margaret M. Faul, Donna M. Huryn, Lara Kallander, Rebecca T. Ruck, and Mary P. Watson
DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01136
Celebrating Women in Science: More from ACS Axial
ACS Publications Diversity and Inclusion Cover Art Gallery
Since 2021, the Diversity & Inclusion Cover Art Series has sought to amplify marginalized voices and recognize historically excluded or underrecognized populations of chemists. This online gallery showcases the beautiful front covers in the series and highlights the extraordinary chemists behind them.
Celebrating Women in Chemistry: An Interview with Dr. Priscila Castelani
Dr. Castelani, winner of the Leadership in Industry category of the 2024 Latin American Women in Chemistry Awards, shares insights into her career journey, current research projects, and inspiring vision for the future of chemistry.
Announcing the Next Editor-in-Chief of Organic Process Research & Development
Dr. Margaret Faul, Vice President of Drug Substance Technologies at Amgen, took leadership of the journal on January 1, 2025.
Articles from C&EN
Dorothy J. Phillips wants to broaden ACS’s reach
Comment: Better science through inclusion
Only 36% of chief editors at top-ranking journals are women
2024 Priestley Medalist Carolyn Bertozzi has built a unique culture
Comment: Generating change through WCC
American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee announces fall 2024 award winners