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For me, grad school is where things got real. Undergrad laid the foundation for understanding core chemistry concepts while grad school forced me to expand and mature my understanding of these concepts and their applications in real time. Beyond academics, navigating time, money, resources, relationships, and expectations is what really made going to grad school a whole new ballgame.
Here are eight essential things I wish I knew going in.
Jakyra Simpson, also known as ‘Ky the Chemist,’ teaches students about chemistry through sneaker culture.
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When I was an undergraduate, I struggled in my chemistry classes because the pedagogical approach failed to engage me. Course materials were not inclusive and, as a Black woman of Filipino descent, I felt that they did not represent me or my culture. I rarely saw images of Black chemists in my textbooks, and classes did not incorporate the stories of scientists like Elmo Brady, the first Black American to earn a doctorate in chemistry. In addition, because few of my peers or professors were Black, I often felt as if I did not belong in these classrooms—making it that much harder for me to succeed.
Don’t let that humbleness fool you. Simpson knows her stuff, especially on a scientific level. In fact, she’s on a mission to glorify sneakers in a way that few sneakerheads dare to with STEAM SneakerheadzTM, her Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) education business that teaches chemistry and art through hip-hop culture.
Jakyra Simpson (M.S. ’23), ACS Bridge Fellow and alumna of the Yu Group, was featured in the American Chemical Society Graduate & Postdoctoral Chemist Magazine. The article is entitled, “Unboxing the ‘Sole’ of Chemistry: Jakyra Simpson Teaches Chemistry through Hip-Hop and Sneaker Culture”. Congratulations, Jakyra!
Science Communications Posts
When you look at the statistics of the amount of underrepresented, underserved, and marginalized students pursuing Chemistry degrees. As it’s been said, “The Math ain’t Mathin’,” and there is, therefore, a need to incorporate new teaching styles (pedagogies) that are inclusive and culturally relevant…
Achieving full inclusion for people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics – STEAM – has become a global matter. People with disabilities in STEAM are underrepresented in postsecondary academic environments and the job market. The police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25th, 2020, was in many ways a catalyst for the global recognition of the need for greater inclusivity. Since then, universities, departments, and individual faculty members have become increasingly committed to improving diversity, inclusivity, and equity (DEI) in academia…
Proceed with caution as there are some movie spoilers here for those who haven’t already seen the Wakanda Forever: Black Panther movie. If you have seen the movie or even read the Marvel comics, then you should be familiar with the powerful element, Vibranium. Vibranium is an element that possesses astonishing chemical and physical properties. So, let’s take a moment to discuss what the big deal is about elements. In the world, everything is made of matter. Matter can be broken down into tiny puzzle pieces called atoms, which make up building blocks called elements. Elements are any pure substance that cannot be decomposed into smaller components by a regular chemical process. Elements are the fundamental materials of which all matter is composed…
When it comes to Art and Chemistry, we typically see these two subjects as lying on opposite ends of a spectrum. Chemistry is typically associated with someone in a lab coat, mixing up some chemicals in the hopes of not blowing anything up. In contrast, art is often viewed as a form of expression crafted in some type of studio, using creative juices to design a masterpiece. But there is, in fact, a notable overlap between these two subjects. Specific chemical reactions have been involved historically in the creation of paints, dyes, clays, and metals used for artwork. More recently, it has also played a role in forgery detection and authentication….
Check out Jakyra Simpson’s aka Ky the Chemist American Chemical Society “Proud to Be a Chemist” campaign, she shares where her interest in chemistry started and why she’s proud to be a chemist.
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