Chemistry students attend NOBCChE conference, UDC receives new charter for student chapter

Chemistry students Nazharie Brandon (center, left) and Jade Witter (center, right) at the NOBCChE conference on September 29.

On September 29, UDC received the charter for the new National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) Student Chapter at the annual conference in Orlando, Florida. Two UDC chemistry majors, Jade Witter and Nazharie Brandon (former and current Student Chapter President, respectively) attended and participated in the banquet ceremonies with NOBCChE National President Rena Robinson, the Southeast Regional Chair Sharon Neal, and one of the organization’s founders, William Jackson.

Dr. Alexandra Taraboletti, Assistant Professor of chemistry, is the faculty advisor for the BioChem club, which now houses the NOBCChE student chapter.

The BioChem club is interdisciplinary organization that works to build communities amongst students (for social events, networking and peer tutoring), engage in community outreach, and introduce members to diverse speakers sharing their stories and paths in the world of STEM.

Thanks to the hard work from the BioChem club’s student body leaders, our members will now have access to the many benefits that come with the NOBBChE charter. This includes:

· NOBCChE membership

· Access to scholarships and awards

· Funding for research projects and travel to conferences

· Career development workshops

· Targeted recruiting by partner companies

Founded in 1974, NOBCChE has established both professional and student chapters across the country in five regions. NOBCChE’s membership exceeds five thousand professional and student members. Its mission is to create an eminent cadre of people of color in science and technology to change the world.

The annual conference attracts over 100 exhibitors from industry, government and academia and over 1,000 students and professionals delivering papers on the latest advancements in chemistry, chemical engineering and the related sciences. NOBCChE received the 2022 Public Service Award from the National Science Board.