Engaging and empowering graduate students and postdocs

Abstract

Anniversaries are times to celebrate and reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going. A decade ago, the report Advancing Graduate Education in the Chemical Sciences was commissioned by 2012 American Chemical Society president Bassam Shakhashiri. It included recommendations for federal agencies, university chemistry departments, and ACS. In commemoration of the report’s 10th anniversary, the Society Committee on Education (SOCED) passed a resolution recognizing the progress that has been made in developing ACS resources and activities that support graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. We all can play roles, individually and collectively, in engaging and empowering graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Inviting them to participate, listening to their questions and input, guiding them to appropriate ACS resources, helping them build their mentorship skills and networks, and involving them in developing plans for activities and resources are all ways to be more inclusive and more responsive to their needs and