From a small beginning in 2014, this year marks a special milestone for the Consortium of Cultural Diversity in Chemistry (CCDC) – our 10th Anniversary! For a decade, we’ve championed diversity, equity, and inclusion within the field of chemistry, creating opportunities, fostering collaboration, and building a vibrant, supportive community for underrepresented groups. Our journey began with co-founder and president Dr. DeVonna Gatlin, who was a chemistry graduate student at UC, alongside co-founding faculties Dr. James Mack, Dr. Patrick Limbach, and Dr. Anna Gudmundsdóttir.
On November 15, 2024, we proudly welcomed 80 attendees to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Consortium of Cultural Diversity in Chemistry (CCDC). The event was graced by the presence of former CCDC alumni Dr. DeVonna Gatlin, Dr. Anntonette Perry, Dr. Emily Westbrook, and Dr. Nina Ortiz-Trankina, alongside distinguished guests including Dr. James Mack (Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences), Dr. Ryan White (Divisional Dean of Natural Sciences), Dr. Michael Baldwin (Interim Head, Department of Chemistry), and Dr. Anna Gudmundsdóttir (Professor, Department of Chemistry) and multiple honorable faculties from the Chemistry department.
The program began with an open panel discussion featuring current graduate students and faculty with Dr. Galtin and Dr. Perry. Together, they reflected on CCDC’s mission, the purpose behind its creation, and its goals for the future. Following this, alumni and attendees were given a guided tour of the Oesper Museum, a National Historic Chemical Landmark.
At 6:00 PM, the celebration moved to the AACRC, 60W Charleston, for a banquet dinner, where current CCDC President Fiona Wasson, opened the celebration. The evening highlighted a heartfelt speech by Dr. Gatlin, who shared her journey and experiences as a proud CCDC alumnus. Her leadership has been instrumental in achieving the association’s objectives.
Later, Dr. James Mack emphasized the importance of diversity in STEM, followed by an inspiring talk by Dr. Anna Gudmundsdóttir on the progress of diversity in chemistry—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
A big thank you to everyone who attended and made this milestone event so special and memorable. We are deeply grateful to all the CCDC board and general members specifically our planning committee (Fiona Wasson, Der Vang, Vivek Subedi, Sainath Mohan Kumar, Subhiksha Jothish, Niloufar Yavari, and Fatima Anwar) who contributed their valuable time, dedication, and countless efforts, along with our supporters, and sponsors UC College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Chemistry for making the 10th Anniversary possible.
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