Illinois chemistry postdoctoral researcher Jusung An is one of a select group of exceptional Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars from around the world who have been chosen as 2026 CAS Future Leaders.
CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) specializing in scientific knowledge management, recently announced the 2026 CAS Future Leaders cohort, which includes Jusung An, a postdoc in the research group of chemistry Prof. Liviu Mirica. Chosen from a competitive global applicant pool, the new cohort of early‑career scientists conducts research across areas such as cheminformatics, synthetic biology, and materials science.
CAS Future Leaders will attend leadership and career development workshops, learn about mentorship from industry leaders, participate in science discourse, and forge connections with fellow scientists during the in-person program in August 2026.
"We are proud to support early-career scientists who want to strengthen their leadership and communication skills. The strong interest in this year’s program reflects the value scientists see in developing capabilities that amplify their impact in their fields,” said Peter Carlton, CAS Future Leaders program director.
Jusung An earned his Ph.D. in chemistry in 2024 at Korea University and a B.S. in chemistry in 2018 at Hallym University. An is also an NRF Postdoctoral Fellow.