Number: 2005-039-2-300
Title: Strategic Planning for a new East Asian Network
for Organic Chemistry
Task Group
Chairman: Minoru
Isobe
Members: Pauline
Chiu, Sunggak
Kim, Guoqiang Lin,
Somsak Ruchirawat,
Chin-Kang Sha, and
Keisuke Suzuki
Objective:
To establish a new collaborative East Asian Network, closely linked
to IUPAC, in order to build and foster a sustainable program of
high-quality organic chemistry research, education and chemistry-based
applications. especially in less developed Asian countries.
Description:
Background - It has been estimated that 30% of the research
done in the field of organic chemistry in the world is being produced
in Asia. While this statistic is encouraging, a careful inspection
shows that productive research is presently concentrated in a few
countries in the region, and is by no means a common phenomenon
across all countries in Asia.
Previous cooperative networks (such as the Network for the Chemistry
of Biologically Important Natural Products, and the UNESCO Network
for Natural Products) have either ceased to operate entirely or
are languishing through lack of funding. There is now an opportunity
- and indeed a responsibility - for IUPAC to take the initiative
in this matter, and plan the establishment of a new Network. Such
an initiative would complement a major program being undertaken
by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
The JSPS's Asian CORE program is designed to create world-class
research hubs in selected fields within the Asian region, while
fostering the next generation of leading researchers by establishing
sustainable collaborative relations among research/education institutions
in Japan, China (Beijing), Korea, China (Taipei), Thailand.
Under this program, core institutions will collaborate in cutting-edge
fields of research and on research topics deemed to be of high international
importance. The core institutions in the East Asian countries will
conduct exchanges based on a principle of equal partnership in the
form of joint research, scientific meetings, and researcher exchanges.
It is anticipated that the hubs formed by the core institutions
will continue to carry out research activities after the funded
project has ended.
The scope of organic chemistry includes, but is not limited to,
the core areas of organic methodology and total synthesis. Research
in green chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, structural and materials
sciences, environmental chemistry, as well as the applications of
these fields to ultimately benefit the society and economy of the
East Asian region is also encouraged.
Project plan - The purpose of the project task group is
to plan the best strategy to link with the JSPS program and establish
a cooperative network that will provide maximum support for organic
chemists throughout all the East Asian region. The proposed Network
would be expected to promote collaborative research work based on
interactive relationships, academic exchanges and activities. The
Network would be responsible for the organisation of workshops on
aspects of organic chemistry, chemical techniques, and current research
trends, with the aim being to enhance the level of organic chemistry
and research in less developed Asian Countries. This will foster
the development of science and science-based enterprises in presently
less-developed countries, catalyzing their progress into the scene
of chemistry research in the 21st century. Finally, the Network
would also help support a peer review system for a future Asian
journal of organic chemistry.
Three meetings of the task group are planned for March 2006,
September 2006, September 2007.