Chemists Working Cooperatively

CHEMISTS WORKING COOPERATIVELY

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to share with my colleagues news of a truly historic conference of Middle Eastern chemists held December 6 through 11, 2003, in Malta. Chemists from Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates gathered in Malta to attend the conference, which was entitled: "Frontiers of Chemical Sciences: Research and Education in the Middle East." The conference was chaired by Dr. Zafra Lerman of Columbia College Chicago. The purpose of the conference was to bring scientists from Middle Eastern countries together under the same roof to work on different issues of common concern.

The Malta Conference was a phenomenal success. The multinational exchange of ideas and information led to the creation of new partnerships in the areas of science and education. The conference was so effective that all the participants involved agreed upon the need for a second conference, tentatively scheduled for 2005.

The Malta Conference permitted participating scientists to address important scientific issues pertinent to the future of the Middle East, but it did more than that. All areas within the Middle East were represented, demonstrating there are some issues that can bring everyone together around a common goal of improving our world and society. This meeting reinforced the fact that the advancement of scientific research and education are vital forces for all nations of the world, and it demonstrated that science and education can help nations that are distrustful of each other to reach across borders and work cooperatively to address common concerns.

The conference chairperson, Dr. Lerman, is the distinguished Professor of Science and Public Policy and head of the Institute for Science Education and Science Communication at Columbia College Chicago. Dr. Lerman received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. She founded and chaired the Department of Science and Mathematics at Columbia College, where she developed an innovative approach to teaching science to non-science majors which received international recognition. Dr. Lerman is active professionally with national and international associations in the fields of science, science education, and scientific freedom and human rights. For 15 years, she has chaired the national American Chemical Society Subcommittee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights. She also serves as Vice-Chair for Chemistry for the Board of the Committee of Concerned Scientists and chairs the International Activities Committee of the American Chemical Society, in addition to numerous other positions.

Dr. Lerman has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring and is a 1998 Kilby Award Laureate for extraordinary contributions to society through science, technology, invention, innovation, and education. In February 2001, she was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Dr. Lerman and the organizers and delegates of the conference for their superb work. This event serves as a shining example of the progress available to nations that make the effort to promote understanding and cooperation.
I ask that Dr. Lerman's summary of the conference be printed in the RECORD.
The summary follows.