What is Promoting Equity and Diversity in ChemisTry (PREDICT)?
In 2022, the ACS Indiana Local Section hosted PRomoting Equity and Diversity In ChemisTry (PREDICT), a series of events preparing students to make intentional connections prior to ACS Spring 2023 in Indianapolis. Survey feedback indicated that members were most interested in networking opportunities. To meet this need, three local industries: Corteva Agriscience, The Heritage Group, and Eli Lilly and Company partnered with the Indiana section to showcase the ongoing technical work of our local industries, provide students a platform to make meaningful connections with potential future employers, and provide a safe space for students to practice their networking skills.
The PREDICT Industry Symposium began with a collaborative discussion by two research fellows and their roles in the drug discovery and development process. A lively career panel discussion followed with seven experts from the three partner companies. After providing a 20-minute networking video on how to network, students and industry representatives engaged in building relationships while enjoying the technical posters presented. Event organizers for the PREDICT Industry Symposium were Christine Skaggs, Sandra De La Torre, Karina Vazquez, Ankur Jalan, Heba Salim, Judy Kuan Yu Liu, and Laura Muehlbauer.
A Successful Partnership with Local Industries
One success of this event was the narrative set about STEM industry careers in Indiana. Due to the current political climate, Indiana has sometimes been viewed poorly in the public eye, potentially detracting top talent from immigrating into the state. Through this event, the STEM community and some prominent companies located within our section were highlighted.
We showcased Indiana’s inviting and diverse STEM workforce while incorporating our theme of the Crossroads of Chemistry. By uniting students with professionals and introducing cross-collaborative opportunities across industries, we expanded our cooperative network.
Future Considerations
Overall, attendees were impressed with the diversity of ACS members and industry options in Indiana. However, several participants wanted more networking time in addition to the technical portions. For future 4-hour events, it may be best to split some of the activities into shorter time blocks while still covering the technical, career panel, and networking components.
Additionally, although students were provided training on how to engage industry members with the proper etiquette, a few went as far as to ask why their applications were rejected or for our attendees to reconsider their applications. For any future networking events, we need to ensure that students understand the objective of the interaction so that they and our industry partners have meaningful connections.
ACS Indiana Local Section
The Indiana Local Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) consists of approximately 1200 chemists. The section covers 44 counties across the central portion of Indiana. Membership includes industrial chemists from several companies, academic chemists from numerous colleges and universities, and many retired chemists. Learn more about ACS Indiana Section here>>>
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the view of their employer or the American Chemical Society.
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