CAS Future Leaders™
Introducing the 2025 CAS Future Leaders. This group of exceptional Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars from around the world will take the next steps in their leadership journeys this August in Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.
2025 CAS Future Leaders
This year's participants were selected from among hundreds of highly qualified applicants, representing a wide array of scientific disciplines and organizations from around the world. Congratulations to our 2025 class:
Farbod Amirghasemi
University of Southern California
Carla Arnau del Valle
Universitat Politècnica de València
Ridwan T. Ayinla
Mississippi State University
Kazuho Ban
Osaka University
Shivali Banerjee
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Alexandra Barth
North Carolina State University
Hudson de Aguiar Bicalho
Concordia University
Dorothea Böken
University of Cambridge
Karen de la Vega Hernandez
Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
Fábio Godoy Delolo
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Jingshan S. Du
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Dmitry Eremin
California Institute of Technology
Alexis Gabbey
University of Toronto
Wenhao Gao
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Reginaldo J. Gomes
University of Chicago
Jesse Gordon
Harvard University
Sophie Gutenthaler-Tietze
Heinrich Heine University
Nia Harmon
Yale University
Sejun Kim
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Tamra (Blue) Mbeuh Lahom Lot
Pennsylvania State University
Yuanwei Li
Stanford University
Zhi Lin
University of California, San Francisco
Raul A. Marquez-Montes
University of Texas at Austin
Eva J. Meeus
ETH Zürich
Daniel Reddy
Queen’s University at Kingston
Meg Shieh
Brown University
Great C. Umenweke
University of Kentucky
M. Iqbal Bakti Utama
Northwestern University
Vyshnavi Vennelakanti
Princeton University
M. Shaharyar Wani
Princeton University
Allison Wong
University of Minnesota
Zuping Xiong
Zhejiang University
Francisco Yarur Villanueva
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Max Yavitt
University of Otago
Yan Zhang
California Institute of Technology
What is CAS Future Leaders?
The CAS Future Leaders program supports the growth of science leadership among early-career scientists. Since 2010, the program has awarded Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars opportunities to learn leadership skills, engage in scientific discourse, and connect with peer scientists and innovators from around the world.

Learn
Get exclusive leadership training from industry experts and learn how CAS connects the world’s scientific knowledge.
Engage
Share your latest discoveries to advance scientific knowledge at the American Chemical Society fall meeting.
Connect
Network to make meaningful connections with peer scientists and innovators from around the world.
Frequently asked questions
Am I eligible to apply?
You must be a current Ph.D. student (or plan to be enrolled in a Ph.D. program in 2025) or postdoctoral scholar in chemistry or related science, with a working knowledge of multiple research information tools.
How do you define “postdoctoral scholar”?
We consider a postdoctoral scholar as an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue their chosen career path. We acknowledge that while the duration of postdoctoral training varies, typically, this period is between two to five years. Training occurs in and prepares postdoctoral scholars for careers in academia, industry, nonprofits, government institutions, or to engage in entrepreneurship around the world (adapted from NSF/NIH).
What are the program dates?
December 2, 2024 - Call for applications opens
January 26, 2025 - Call for applications closes
March 2025 - Selection announcement
August 11-16, 2025 - CAS Future Leaders in Columbus, OH
August 17-21, 2025 - ACS Fall 2025 in Washington, DC
What are the primary application requirements?
You must provide the following documents:
- Essay
- Curriculum vitae or résumé
- Letter of recommendation
To submit your application, you also must agree to the CAS Future Leaders Terms & Conditions.
What should my essay include?
Your 500- to 1,000-word essay should describe:
- Your current research projects and future goals
- The value of CAS SciFinder or other scientific information solutions to your research
Essays will be evaluated based on originality and clarity of the writing and must be written in English. Tables/figures and references do not count against the word limit. You may include up to 2 tables/figures.
What should the letter of recommendation include?
Your letter of recommendation should be written by an advisor, mentor, or supervisor and should describe:
- How they know you
- Your research achievements
- Your potential for science leadership
- Your unique qualifications for the program
Who should I select for my letter of recommendation?
You should select the advisor, mentor, or supervisor who best knows your research achievements and potential for science leadership. It does not need to be your current advisor, mentor, or supervisor.
How will I be contacted if I am selected?
The 35 applicants who are determined to have the greatest potential for science leadership will be contacted by email in March 2025.
How are CAS Future Leaders selected?
Potential for science leadership will be assessed based on the overall quality of your application materials. Reviewers include the CAS Future Leaders team, CAS leadership across the organization, and a team of scientists responsible for the intellectual indexing of journal articles and patents for the CAS Content CollectionTM.
What travel-related expenses are covered by CAS?
CAS will arrange and pay for:
- Air travel to Columbus, ACS Fall 2025, and home
- Hotel stays in Columbus and Washington, DC
- Registration for ACS Fall 2025
- Meals and shuttle transportation in Columbus
In addition, $1,000 USD will be provided to offset any other travel-related expenses.
Who should I contact with questions about the program?
Email the CAS Future Leaders team at futureleaders@cas.org.
2025 Program benefits
- $1,000 USD
- 3-year ACS membership
- Profile featured in C&EN (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024 articles)
- Complimentary registration for the ACS meeting
- Opportunity to present your research at the ACS meeting
- Complimentary registration for an ACS Professional and Leadership Development course at the ACS meeting
- Lifetime membership in the CAS Future Leaders Community
CAS Future Leaders Top 100
The CAS Future Leaders Top 100 program recognizes additional outstanding applicants. This new initiative honors their accomplishments and provides exclusive benefits to support their science leadership growth.
- Exclusive virtual leadership training and networking opportunities
- Lifetime membership in the CAS Future Leaders Community
- 1-year ACS membership
Hear from our CAS Future Leaders
Read inspiring stories from previous participants about how the program opened new doors, enhanced their careers, and gave them an unforgettable experience.
Past CAS Future Leaders
Meet our exceptional alumni who shaped their personal and professional journeys through our program.
Insights from CAS Future Leaders
Explore the unique insights and perspectives of our program alumni in this collection of publications, videos, and journal articles.
Testimonials
Contact us
Questions about the CAS Future Leaders program? See our FAQ and Terms & Conditions or email the CAS Future Leaders team. Not a Ph.D. student or postdoctoral scholar? Download our printable flyer to share with someone you know!
Connect with us on X (Twitter)
Stay connected with our CAS Future Leaders community on X (formerly Twitter), where we share updates, insights, and opportunities to engage with our program and alumni.