From the President: A New World View

The juxtaposition of the ECS meeting held in San Francisco the first week in September and the events of the following week—with the terrorists attacks on September 11 and the turmoil since—is striking. It is difficult for me to reconcile my thoughts concerning these sets of events. This second joint meeting between ECS and the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), attended by over 2,000 people, was the successful realization of several years of planning. It was also a unique and momentous experience for me to share leadership with another woman society president, Dr. Erica Kálmán, of ISE. The meeting exemplified not only international cooperation, but also equality of opportunity, regardless of culture, race, religion, and gender. The following week, terrorist violence shattered our sense of cooperation, security, and peace in the world.