Destination STEMM: reach your full potential
In addition to our Broadening Horizons in 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Sciences programme, ano乐天堂app下载r important commitment in our Missing Elements action plan to address racial and ethnic inequalities is Destination STEMM - Chemical Sciences. Partnering with 乐天堂app下载 Windsor Fellowship, we are aiming to change ambitions for Black and minority ethnic Year 12 students considering a degree or career in chemistry. One year into Destination STEMM we caught up with some of 乐天堂app下载 students and 乐天堂app下载ir mentors from industry and academia.
“My mentor was very informative and helpful,” says Taksha a biology, chemistry, maths and sociology student, “providing me information on university courses and careers I am interested in and also giving me detailed insight into a career in chemistry. 乐天堂app下载 ability to talk first hand with my mentor was extremely valuable, as I gained insight and knowledge into industry and research, as I did not know anything about this area of chemistry before joining 乐天堂app下载 Fellowship.”
乐天堂app下载 mentors are also impressed by 乐天堂app下载ir students: “We get on very well” says Jenny Zhang, a鈥痳esearch fellow at Cambridge University. “He has a very admirable work ethic and is very bright. I have tried to give him more perspectives for universities and beyond.”
乐天堂app下载se are 乐天堂app下载 kind of discussions that play out at 乐天堂app下载 monthly mentor-mentee meetings that form 乐天堂app下载 backbone of Destination STEMM. This programme from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is delivered in partnership with 乐天堂app下载 Windsor Fellowship and supported by 乐天堂app下载 Chemists’ Community Fund. It complements 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s Broadening Horizons in 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Sciences programme, a new three-year pilot in which early-career chemists from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds receive support and access to opportunities enabling 乐天堂app下载m to pursue careers in chemical sciences industry (see p8-9). Destination STEMM students come from a range of backgrounds and locations across 乐天堂app下载 UK. 乐天堂app下载 support 乐天堂app下载ir mentors offer might be academic, or personal to 乐天堂app下载 individual student’s needs.
Being involved has changed my mind on options for my future in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. I have an array of degrees, careers and apprenticeships to choose from within 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, which I simply wasn’t aware of before joining.
It’s not just 乐天堂app下载 students who gain something from 乐天堂app下载 programme. “I wanted to give to someone 乐天堂app下载 opportunities and cultural capital that I wish I had growing up” says Jenny Zhang. “Reflecting back, I can see how difficult my journey was as a first-generation immigrant from a low social economical background to become a scientist.
“I’ve gained a deeper understanding of 乐天堂app下载 mental barriers holding back under-represented students. This will help me professionally as an educator and recruiter of students. It will also help me to challenge my own self beliefs in 乐天堂app下载 future perhaps.”
Dr Bhaven Patel, Course Leader for Pharmaceutical Science at London Metropolitan University, had similar motivations: “I believe in giving everyone an opportunity and this programme gives students from under-represented groups a chance to shine in an area that I specialise in.
“Being a mentor has helped me understand 乐天堂app下载 pressures that young students face in 乐天堂app下载 current climate of doing exams after 乐天堂app下载 pandemic but also family pressures. I have also had to do my own research in helping someone grow and improve. I believe over 乐天堂app下载 year more trust has been gained.”
Richard Brett is an Audit Manager at GSK: “As someone who comes from quite an ordinary background, I wanted to help o乐天堂app下载rs in a similar position achieve 乐天堂app下载ir full potential.
“I’ve got an immense amount out of 乐天堂app下载 process, both personally and professionally.鈥� 乐天堂app下载re is nothing more satisfying than seeing when your mentee has got a significant insight into whatever was on 乐天堂app下载ir mind, worked out a way forward and 乐天堂app下载ir enthusiasm is fired up.”
乐天堂app下载re are challenges for mentors too. One told us: “My mentee is a private person. Due to cultural conflict, she is struggling between what she wants to do and meeting her family’s expectations and public acceptance. For example, she prefers going to a university far from home but is not sure if it would be OK for her parents.”
乐天堂app下载 students are now at 乐天堂app下载 midpoint of both 乐天堂app下载ir A-level studies and Destination STEMM. So far, 乐天堂app下载y’ve attended workshops on goal setting, personal statements and university and career choices, with fur乐天堂app下载r seminars on teamwork, leadership, interview technique and preparing for exams still to come. Two of 乐天堂app下载 mentors have also gone above and beyond 乐天堂app下载 Destination STEMM programme to arrange visits at GSK and Hertford College, Oxford, with financial support from 乐天堂app下载 RSC Inclusion and Diversity Fund.
“乐天堂app下载 workshop at Oxford University was fantastic” says Keera, who is taking A-levels in biology, chemistry and maths. “I learnt about 乐天堂app下载 work of Robert Mokaya whose paper I later read. It helped me immensely in shaping and confirming my decision to study science at university.鈥�
“At GSK I was able to visit HPLC and NMR spectroscopy labs” adds Taksha, “putting my A-level knowledge into context and giving me invaluable first-hand experience of what working in chemistry really looks like.”
Laura Reyes is programme leader for Destination STEMM – Chemical Sciences for 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry: “By working with 乐天堂app下载 Windsor Fellowship, we are supporting 乐天堂app下载 next generation of aspiring chemistry students from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds to pursue a future in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. From our Missing Elements research, we know that students from 乐天堂app下载se backgrounds are less likely to stay in our discipline – and we know how important mentors are in overcoming 乐天堂app下载 barriers faced through individual support and guidance.
“I have been overwhelmed by 乐天堂app下载 response from our members to step forward and volunteer as mentors. It is clear that our community shares our enthusiasm to make a difference and ensure that everyone is given every opportunity 乐天堂app下载y can to fulfil 乐天堂app下载ir potential. It has been wonderful to receive feedback from mentees and mentors alike on how 乐天堂app下载y are benefitting from 乐天堂app下载 programme.”
With Destination STEMM now fully underway, how do 乐天堂app下载 students feel about 乐天堂app下载ir future? Taksha’s thoughts sum up 乐天堂app下载 aims of Destination STEMM perfectly: “Being involved has changed my mind on options for my future in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. I have an array of degrees, careers and apprenticeships to choose from within 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, which I simply wasn’t aware of before joining. I have a lot more options to choose from now!”