#BlackinChem part 3: Looking to the future
Chemists Devin Swiner, Ayanna Jones, and Ashley Walker are the minds behind #BlackinChem, the hashtag that exists to raise the profiles of Black chemists and their work, and enables them to connect with one another.
This year they ran #BlackinChem week, which ran from 10–15 August. We caught up with them about the outcomes of the week, their experiences as Black women in chemistry, and their advice for others.
What is it like taking on a leadership role?
Ayanna Jones: I have taken on different leadership roles and it has taught me so much already, about myself and people. It think it’s a really powerful place to be and that everyone should engage in leadership activities in their career.
It's definitely a character builder and being a leader with #BlackinChem has been a unique opportunity to impact so many people.
Devin: My motivation behind wanting to be a leader is really because I've been poured into, so I like pouring out into the next generation. I know the struggles that I've had, and I don't like the thought that other people could still have those same struggles.
So if serving as a leader in the inclusion and diversity space is something you want to do and you’re good at, then by all means go for it. Because as Ayanna said it’s character building and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve made so many connections from occupying these unique spaces, so for me it’s been an integral part of my journey.
But I don’t want people thinking that it has to be part of your story because it doesn’t have to be. And that’s completely okay.
Just because you have one or five Black students or Black colleagues doesn't mean that they want to do this work and they shouldn't have to if that's not something that they're interested in. Because we all have different gifts and playing to your gifts and your talents, I think is more important.
Ashley: I went to a PBI (predominantly Black institution), but I was the first astrochemist in the school's history. And so I did a lot of things in terms of making sure the newer students were okay and knew how to apply for funding and so on. Because a lot of times the professors were too busy to tell them.
My driving force has been watching my friends go through things – and thinking that if that’s happening to them then it’s probably happening to somebody else. I’ve taken on a role in the CSMA – the Committee of Statistical Minorities in Astronomy – and I’m using that to say “this is what you’ve got to know and this is what we’ve got to do about it”.
Leadership has taught me a lot about myself - like how to be more responsible. But it mainly helps me grow as a person and as somebody that's getting ready to transition into grad school.
What's next for #BlackinChem and for you personally?
Devin: We’re continuing the #BlackinChem wine downs and we just had our September one last week. Every second Wednesday we have an international wine down that’s appropriate for most of the time zones, and then we have a US based one on the same day.
We’re also going to continue with our #BlackinChem journey series. We started these as panel discussions during the week, but we’ll be switching to more of a lecture type format.
Next year the second week of August is officially going to be Black Chemists Week. So we're really excited about that.
Personally, I'm finally graduating in May, so I'm looking for jobs and going to be moving on to the next phase of my life.
Ayanna: As Devin mentioned, we will be continuing with the networking programme with the wine downs, and just continuing to highlight resources and opportunities on our page and on our platform for Black chemists. And yes, we plan to do this again next year and really enlarge our audience. That would be amazing.
Letting the world know that Black chemists exist and that we matter is really exciting to me.
Personally, I’m still in grad school, finishing my dissertation research, and I recently became a NASA intern, which is a year long commitment for me.
Ashley: As Devin and Ayanna mentioned, we're going to continue amazing things with #BlackinChem.
I'm currently applying to graduate institutions in astronomy and planetary science and a few chemistry departments. I am also one of the co-organizers and co-founders of #BlackinPhysics, which is 25–31 October this year.
What advice would you give to a younger Black student thinking of pursuing a future in chemistry?
Devin Swiner
You should understand why you’re doing what you’re doing in the first place. Your "why" might change, and that’s okay, but you do need to have a reason – something to anchor yourself to. Because that’s what’s going to keep you going when the science doesn’t work or you’re stuck in a rut.
It’s also knowing when to ask for help, and understanding that that help may not always look like you. I had two mentors and one looked like me and one didn’t, and I got a lot of help that way. I had this idea that I would love to be mentored by a Black woman, but depending on your field you might not get that.
So seek out and have good discernment for who is going to champion when you’re in the room but also when you leave.
Ashley: I think I would say finding a support group or support team. Like Devin says, some people your support group may not look like you. However, in some cases, they still can relate. Finding a support group will mainly get you through undergrad or – from what I've heard – grad school. Find a support group – it’s really, really important.
Ayanna: Enjoy every moment of the journey. And remember if for any reason your journey veers of the path you had pursued, don’t be discouraged and really embrace that as well.
In my own journey, there's been so many times I thought my life was going to go one way, and I'm so blessed that it didn't. So take the lessons, learn and move forward.
About Devin, Ayanna and Ashley
Ayanna Jones
Ayanna is co-founder of #BlackinChem, and a graduate student at Emory University. She studies the spatio-temporal chemistry and microbial interactions in the rhizosphere of plants – the zone around the roots of plants.
She carries out both experimental and computationaI research, and recently became a NASA intern with the NASA JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) in California. She’ll be creating a model that will contribute to carbon cycle research.
Devin Swiner
Devin is the founder of #BlackinChem. She is completing her PhD in mass spectrometry at Ohio State University. She develops new ionization sources for mass spectrometry using common materials.
She is currently using ordinary thread to do work in clinical diagnostics. She has worked on drug screening and is now working on disease biomarkers – using small molecules to identify the presence of conditions like obesity and cystic fibrosis.
Ashley Walker
Ashley has just graduated from Chicago State University and is in the process of applying to graduate school. She is the founder of #BlackinAstro, and cofounder of #BlackinChem and #BlackinPhysics. She studies planetary atmospheres, particularly that of Saturn’s moon Titan. She is studying stratospheric ice clouds of Titan, using IR spectroscopy to understand more about their chemistry.
Get involved
The conversation continues under the hashtag #BlackinChem, which is becoming a thriving community. You can get involved by using the hashtag on Twitter.
#BlackinChem week will be held again next year. And the second week in August will officially be Black Chemists Week.
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