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Community building is the cornerstone of an inclusive and supportive environment. Such networks are invaluable—they lay the foundation for lifelong mentoring relationships and professional connections. As we cultivate greater diversity within our department and university, it is imperative to create ways to provide even footing for all individuals at all levels. In 2021, we established the Women of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center (CEEC) in 2021, supervised by Lauren and Assistant Professor Juliana Carneiro, and led by postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, undergraduate students, and research associates. Since its inception, the group has been a beacon of progress: launching a tutoring initiative for high school students at Columbia Secondary, curating programs that highlight energy research within the CEEC for high schools, hosting events and panels spotlighting accomplished women in energy and tech sectors, developing ways to improve graduate education for first-gen and low-income students, and organizing semesterly gatherings such as lunches and happy hours (right).
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New York City is home to a vibrant NMR community, where groups work on biology, human health, energy systems, soft materials, and spin dynamics. To bring together the students, postdocs, faculty, and staff applying NMR to a range of research problems in the greater NYC area, Asya, Lakshmi, and Eric created SpiNYC. Together with students from NYU and CCNY, they organize a monthly seminar series that features world class speakers carrying out NMR-based research. Each SpiNYC seminar is followed by a happy hour for networking and socializing. In the spring, SpiNYC will showcase student and postdoc research endeavors as well as their accomplishments.
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Our graduate students are leaders on campus and actively advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Women in Science at Columbia (WISC): Julia serves as the Undergraduate Mentoring Co-Chair for WISC, which is a graduate student-led organization that aims to build community among underrepresented communities in STEM fields at Columbia. WISC holds events for undergraduates to interact with graduate students and learn first-hand about how to apply to and succeed in graduate school. Julia helped to spearhead a new Undergraduate Mentoring Program that launched in fall 2020, where over 100 undergraduates were connected with graduate student mentors in their fields of interest, 12 of which conducted supervised research projects. Women who are interested in the mentorship program are encouraged to sign up and get involved!
Coalition on Race and Ethnicity in Engineering (CORE^2) at Columbia: Emily is currently the President of CORE^2 at Columbia, which is a student organization that provides a network of academic, social, and professional support for underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students at SEAS. Undergraduates and allies are also welcome to join!
Scientific Research with International Students at ELLIS (SciRISE): SciRISE is an ongoing partnership between Columbia Chemical Engineering and the English Language Learners and International Support (ELLIS) Preparatory Academy that gives high school students practice asking scientific questions and conducting research projects. Both Richard and Drew serve as advisors for SciRISE throughout the year, with Drew organizing the summer research program through his leadership role in the ChemE Graduate Organization, ChEGO. The high school students analyzed how much pollution is produced by the meat packing industry and performed an economic analysis of renewable energy sources. At the end of the 7 week program, ELLIS students presented their conclusions to an audience of Columbia graduate students and ELLIS teachers.
Coalition on Race and Ethnicity in Engineering (CORE^2) at Columbia: Emily is currently the President of CORE^2 at Columbia, which is a student organization that provides a network of academic, social, and professional support for underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students at SEAS. Undergraduates and allies are also welcome to join!
Scientific Research with International Students at ELLIS (SciRISE): SciRISE is an ongoing partnership between Columbia Chemical Engineering and the English Language Learners and International Support (ELLIS) Preparatory Academy that gives high school students practice asking scientific questions and conducting research projects. Both Richard and Drew serve as advisors for SciRISE throughout the year, with Drew organizing the summer research program through his leadership role in the ChemE Graduate Organization, ChEGO. The high school students analyzed how much pollution is produced by the meat packing industry and performed an economic analysis of renewable energy sources. At the end of the 7 week program, ELLIS students presented their conclusions to an audience of Columbia graduate students and ELLIS teachers.