Building a Community of Scholars in which Diversity and Excellence thrive
E = mc^2
A key result of Einstein’s famous equation is the discovery that there is ‘extra’ energy released upon converting rest mass into other forms of energy. Analogously, we believe that there is a special ‘extra’ energy available when groups of people come together. C^2 stands for chemistry community and aims to leverage the extra power of the whole as equal to more than the sum of its parts.
why C^2
“Walking into lab one evening, it was about 7pm and I was carrying a bunch of books, some dinner, and talking to my dad on the phone…my hands were full! But as a UIUC graduate student I was used to that. However, as I walked up to the building and fumbled for my keys, a stranger approached and asked what I was doing there.”
It’s a simple story and sadly, a common one. Of course, each time it happens, its ‘no big deal’. But the mental health toll and energy that gets siphoned with each of these encounters is real. C^2 was started to support and solidify the identity and belonging of black, native, and latinX american students in the chemical sciences
What We Do
Peer-to-peer mentorship alliances between PhD graduate students and undergraduate chemistry and chemical engineering majors are central to our aim of making explicit the many tricks of navigating academic life. We also hold monthly networking and professional development events (which invariably involve tacos!) that serve to strengthen these relationships and outcomes. Finally, we distribute paid undergraduate reserach fellowships, mentorship awards, and student travel awards to graduate and undergraduate students who wish to participate in national and local scientific conferences.
We are extremely grateful to the 3M corporation, the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, the UIUC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Procter & Gamble, BP , Dow, and the Ford College Network for their generous support.
Click the icons above to learn more about each of these organizations and what they can do for you!
