On ACA Leadership
By: Christopher Cahill | Department of Chemistry | The George Washington University
What a thrill to be asked to share a few thoughts on leadership with the ACA community. In some respects, ACA provided me with my first ‘official’ leadership opportunity when I was elected to Council as Vice President in 2014. I had been leading a research group for about 15 years at that point, yet that was a very different experience, for sure. I felt drawn to the opportunity- ACA had been my scientific home for years, and some committee work had whetted my appetite for deeper engagement. I also felt that the ACA was then at a bit of a critical crossroads, and that I could contribute to re-tooling some aspects of operations. I was not explicitly aware of this at the time, but it turns out a strength that I have is to recognize the interconnected nature of challenges and opportunities, and to recognize what is important to a diverse group of stakeholders. As my leadership journey has continued, now to include Chemistry Department Chair for the past six years, I find that recognizing and acknowledging what is important to people, and then advocating for that within institutional constructs is rewarding and provides a wonderful sense of purpose.
As my career and experiences continue to evolve, I find myself feeling even more drawn to leadership and mentorship opportunities. My own interests have diverted away from the lab bench, and I enjoy living vicariously through my students, or through the junior faculty I am supporting. My predecessor in the Chair position at GW would always say ‘Your success is my success.’ And I could not agree more. Lately, I am most excited about helping create the infrastructure for others to do their best work, and I am motivated towards making processes and operations function more smoothly- it’s funny how the definition of a ‘win’ changes over time!
So what is next? I have six months left in my second term as Chair and despite my positive remarks (above), I am looking forward to reclaiming some emotional bandwidth. Leadership challenges, regardless of the organization, require a thick skin and the ability to compartmentalize. I have never been good at the latter and tend to let things bother me around the clock. Moreover, it can be a bit disheartening when others are not as passionate about the organization as you are. Folks with limited perspectives and who are ‘not under the tent’ as it were, can be exhausting. Fortunately, I am blessed with an excellent research group and have the opportunity to return to the classroom more fully. I can’t wait to re-direct that bandwidth to the students! And whereas the next ‘official’ leadership role remains to be determined, let me close with a remark on the different flavors of leadership. Sometimes, it is best to lead by example- showing up prepared for a meeting, knocking a lecture out of the park, owning a committee assignment, and the like. Leaders do not always have the official title, but we can be effective from whatever perch we are on at the time.
Are you ready to take on a leadership role within the ACA? We're seeking enthusiastic members to help guide the future of our organization. For the 2025 election, we’re looking for a Vice Presidential candidate and new members to join our standing committees. If you’re interested, please submit your expression of interest by July 1!
