Comment: Generating change through WCC

The mission of the American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee (WCC) is “engagement, advancement, and advocacy for women.” Our vision is “equal representation and influence in the chemistry enterprise.” A robust portfolio of initiatives highlights the progress made in these directions since ACS drew up the charter for the original Women’s Service Committee in 1927.

To reflect the three goals outlined in our strategic plan to “engage and empower, recognize and award, and advocate and promote awareness,” WCC provides networking opportunities, manages award programs, and develops symposia for women in chemistry and related professions. Years of planning and organizing with teams comprising committee members—most recently led by past chair Amy Balija—have developed WCC into a transformative powerhouse that is supported by the dedication of interns, volunteers, sponsors, and staff members.

Kicking off 2024, members of student chapters and local sections attended the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry’s Global Women’s Breakfast on Feb. 27. A new iteration of the far-reaching WCC webinar “The Art of Self-Reinvention: How to Future Proof Yourself,” marked the start of Women’s History Month. At ACS Spring 2024, a record number of attendees signed up for the Women in the Chemical Enterprise Networking Breakfast. This signature WCC event provides a space for making connections while starting the day breaking bread with colleagues and hearing the stories of successful women. Other regularly held events at ACS spring and fall meetings bring members together around the common theme of nourishing the body and the spirit, such as the WCC Luncheon and the Women Chemists of Color “Sweet Treats” networking event, which featured the ACS 2024 Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal winner and the 2020 recipient of ACS Grady-Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public. The WCC open meeting Just Cocktails offers an enjoyable evening of conversation and live music, reinvigorating the midpoint of the conference. ACS leaders graciously attend these events at every meeting, enhancing the networking experience for attendees and modeling inclusive practices. WCC also attends events at regional meetings and engages in local section activities.

WCC prioritizes recognizing all women chemists—including cisgender women and trans women—as well as nonbinary chemists comfortable in women-centered spaces. We manage award programs with a focus on diversity and encourage a wide range of applicants, from undergraduate students to established professionals from around the globe. This spring, nine awardees were selected for the WCC Rising Star Award, which recognizes exceptional early- to midcareer women chemists.

New in 2024: WCC announced its first cohort of WCC Pfizer Emergent Leader Award recipients, recognizing eight individuals who presented their research at ACS Spring 2024. Individuals include women who are in their second year or above in graduate studies or undertaking postdoctoral research in organic chemistry, synthetic methodology, total synthesis, medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, and chemical biology.

WCC and Eli Lilly and Company sponsor a program to provide funding for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral female chemists to travel to the ACS spring and fall meetings to present their research. For ACS Spring 2024, 10 awardees were selected. The Merck Research Award recognizes 8 individuals in their third or fourth year of graduate school who will present their research during ACS Fall 2024. Focused exclusively on undergraduates, the WCC Overcoming Challenges Award recognizes a female undergraduate for her efforts in overcoming hardship to achieve success in chemistry, and the Priscilla Carney Jones Scholarship provides scholarships for female undergraduate majors in chemistry or related disciplines who are beginning their junior or senior years of study.

Working on advocacy and awareness, WCC proactively identifies and works to dismantle barriers to equity and success. For ACS Fall 2024, the “WCC Celebrates Chemistry beyond the Binary” symposium will showcase WCC’s work to build intentional spaces for any chemist who has faced gender discrimination. The connections we are developing with ACS committees, divisions, other relevant groups, and external organizations like Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry (EWOC) strengthen women’s ability to function effectively in the professional arena.

As WCC continues to provide opportunities to achieve equal representation and influence, we must also generate a space for reflection. How does the world of 2024 compare with 1927, when ACS formalized this movement for women in chemistry? What is the role of the chemistry enterprise in this world in crisis that we inhabit today? How can we truly benefit Earth and all its people? What are we leaving future generations? Global problems require solutions that exceed the capacity of any individual group, necessitating the ability to work with rather than compete against one another. Please join the conversation by sending your comments to WCC@acs.org. For more information on WCC events, visit our website at acswcc.org.

Views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of C&EN or ACS.