Mentoring Puts a Human Face on Chemistry—Yours

My first comment was concerned with increasing ACS and member involvement in local and international science fairs (Jan. 31, page 45). Jason C. Zhang, an ACS members son, competed in biochemistry at home and, as a junior, was a Grand Award finalist at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair, which was held in Phoenix, Ariz., in May. In a letter to C&EN, Zhang wrote that his high school had no science fair projects in chemistry because students could not find mentors to assist them in obtaining materials and equipment (C&EN, Aug. 8, page 8).

Zhangs insightful letter demonstrates that mentoring is another important way for any ACS member to participate in activities in his or her local section. Mentoring can be done by e-mail or phone and at little cost. And mentoring helps students immeasurably in their pursuit of chemistry.

I know mentoring works by word and deed. My wife, Sally, and I met in the chemistry lab at our small Christian college. I was the first in my family to finish high school. We had no family or friends who were practicing chemists. But we had the same Geneva College chemistry professors who knew and practiced mentoring.

Our physical chemistry professor, Charles R. Fuget, drove aspiring chemists to ACS meetings-in-miniature. Our inorganic chemistry professor, Roy M. Adams, didnt need to talk about doing a good, ethical job—he just did it. My organic chemistry professor and undergraduate research adviser, Paul R. Wunz Jr., wrote the letter that I am convinced got me accepted at Stanford. Later, Harry S. Mosher took a chance on this novice chemist from a small school. Yes, I have been on the receiving end of mentoring for years—and so have you.

Ten years ago, when the idea of an ACS scholarship for minorities in the chemical sciences was being developed, everyone agreed that, in addition to the monetary award, mentoring was going to be an integral part of the program. What have the mentors done for these ACS Scholars? Here are three examples:

ACS Scholar (2001–04) Julia A. Jamess mentor, Carol A. Parish of Hobart & William Smith College, helped James start work in research and publishing, gave her confidence, and encouraged her to apply to the Rhodes Scholar program. Julia was selected as a 2004 Rhodes Scholar, and today she is in England working toward her Ph.D.

Francisco Lopez, who was an ACS Scholar (1998–2002), is currently employed by Xerox and pursuing his masters degree. At the recent ACS national meeting in Washington, D.C., Lopez said that when he arrived at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he found an upperclassman ACS Scholar (1995–98) named Thomas H. Epps III. Epps became his mentor and helped him tremendously by providing advice from someone who had already been there. Epps, who is currently a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Standards & Technology, is headed to an academic position at the University of Delaware.

Brittany L. Oliva (ACS/PPG Scholar, 2004–05) was a sophomore studying chemical engineering at Tulane University. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina forced Tulane to close its doors for the fall semester, Olivas mentor, John Scroggins of PPG in Lake Charles, La., went out of his way to find her an internship in his PPG plant.

Mentors quietly and competently step up to the plate to do what their protgs need. We must engage more of our members to be active as mentors if this chemical enterprise is to thrive.

These are only three examples that show how mentors quietly and competently step up to the plate to do what their protgs need. Every year, the ACS Scholars Program awards support to about 365 students.

Volunteer to mentor an ACS Scholar. Or volunteer to mentor a Project SEED participant (go to chemistry.org and click on the tab for educators and students). We must engage more of our members to be active as mentors if this chemical enterprise is to thrive. In our experience, there is enduring value in this important activity. But you cant just talk about mentoring—you must act—and you learn by doing.

On a personal note, Im very proud to say that Geneva College is the only institution of higher learning in the U.S. to contribute to the ACS Scholars Program. This fall, it enrolled its first ACS Scholar.

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.

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ACS Comments, which appear in C&EN from time to time, are written by society officers and committee chairs. They are available on C&EN Online at www.cen-online.org/html/acscomments.html. Comments are archived back to 2000.