Because chemistry professor Morton Hoffman has been elected chairman of the Division of Chemical Education in the American Chemical Society, he will serve as chairman-elect throughout 2004 and become chairman on Jan. 1, 2005.

‘I will be at the top of the executive pyramid in a leadership position and be able to promote ideas along with working with other committees and other divisions,’ Hoffman said. ‘I will have the opportunity to further influence in a positive way the policies and activities of the division.’

Founded in 1876, the American Chemical Society has more than 163,000 members, and the Division of Chemical Education is one of the largest and most active of its 33 technical divisions including the Division of Chemical Education.

The Division of Chemical Education consists of 6,000 people who teach chemistry in high schools and universities, as well as people in the industry, government officials and others interested in chemistry education.

Hoffman has been an active member of the division for 48 years, working on various committees for education and policy-making boards. He also said he has been very active at the local, regional and national levels, helping plan events and serving as chairman of the division’s Northeastern section.

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Jeffrey Henderson said he sees Hoffman’s election as a benefit for the society and Boston University.

‘Professor Hoffman has been for many years one of our finest teachers not only in delivering first-rate chemistry instruction but also in stimulating teaching excellence across the university and beyond,’ Henderson said in an email. ‘He has already won many teaching awards, and his new position with the ACS will give the whole nation an opportunity to learn from him. It is a great distinction for him and for the college.’