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About the Chemistry DEI Committee

Our DEI committee will look to implement evidence-based practices as they apply across all areas of department life, including hiring practices, student recruitment, and retention, pedagogy, community building, community outreach, etc.

Public Statement

The Department of Chemistry at North Carolina State University values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We welcome, support, and encourage the participation of all individuals regardless of age, gender, gender identity, race, cultural background, religion, physical ability, sexual orientation, professional status, geographic location, and all other characteristics that make people unique. 

The Department of Chemistry members are committed to proactively rejecting, denouncing, and intervening whenever prejudice, stereotyping, or intolerance are encountered.

Mission Goals

  • To expand the present culture of diversity by recruiting faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students that encompass the ethnic, identity, racial, and socioeconomic diversity that is representative of the global research community and workforce.
  • To expect that everyone gives their talents, skills, time and effort to make NC State an environment of inclusive excellence for all
  • To actively promote inclusion, recruitment, and retention in every aspect of our department and activities – including but not limited to student training, leadership, committees, and staff
  • To strive for a culture built on mentorship, encouragement, tolerance, and mutual respect, and sustain a culture of inclusiveness that emphasizes mutual respect, fairness, and accountability.

DEI sub-committees

The Chemistry DEI committee consists of faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, staff, and undergraduate students serving on one of two subcommittees:

  1. Creating DEI throughout the department: hiring faculty/staff; recruitment/retention of students; affinity groups; etc…
  2. Emphasizing DEI across the curriculum: seminar speakers; instruction/course structure; course content; accountability; etc…

DEI Committee Members (2022-2023)

Ben CiprianoUndergraduate Studentbmcipria@ncsu.edu
Jeremy FeduciaFacultyjfeduci@ncsu.edu
Reza GhiladiFacultyraghilad@ncsu.edu
Taufika Islam WilliamsFacultytiwillia@ncsu.edu
Ana IsonFacultyaison@ncsu.edu
Kianna JimenezGraduate Studentkajimene@ncsu.edu
Alex KerrGraduate Studentankerr2@ncsu.edu
Anuja KoiralaUndergraduate Studentakoiral@ncsu.edu
Cassie LillyFacultycpmorris@ncsu.edu
Naish LallooFacultynlalloo@ncsu.edu
Lucian LuciaFacultylalucia@ncsu.edu
Jim MartinFacultymartinjd@ncsu.edu
Marion MartinFacultymmarti24@ncsu.edu
Karie MuchaneUndergraduate Studentkmuchan@ncsu.edu
Joanna MuirGraduate Studentjemuir@ncsu.edu
Kathy NguyenGraduate Studentuvnguyen@ncsu.edu
Catherine OdhiamboGraduate Studentcodhiam@ncsu.edu
Vinutha RavinageswaranGraduate Studentvravina@ncsu.edu
Angela ShipmanGraduate Studentamshipma@ncsu.edu
Dave ShultzFacultyshultz@ncsu.edu
Emma Stella-StroopUndergraduate Studentejstella@ncsu.edu
Thomas TheisFacultyttheis@ncsu.edu
Travis VarnerFacultytpvarner@ncsu.edu
Nada TaylorStaffnetaylo3@ncsu.edu
Gavin WilliamsFacultygjwillia@ncsu.edu

Mentoring Undergraduates Program

The Mentoring Undergraduates Program (MentorUP) in the Chemistry Department provides a mentorship network for incoming undergraduate students to assist them as they transition to life at NC State. MentorUp consists of small groups who meet several times over the course of a semester with graduate and upperclass undergraduate mentors. Mentors will engage with, and share resources and advice to incoming undergraduates in order to increase the retention of students in the field, especially those who belong to historically underrepresented groups in STEM, including women, first generation, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color [BIPOC]. Through mentorship meetings and events, MentorUP hopes to foster long-lasting relationships between undergraduates and graduate students, and to increase the number of students who go on to pursue careers in chemistry.

Undergraduate Students on main campus
Undergraduate students gather by flowers near Tucker beach and in between residence halls on main campus. Photo by Marc Hall