Gallery Description
Jendai E. Robinson explains her NASA research to attendees of the NOBCChE student poster sessions. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Texas A&M students Keturah Odoi (left) and Brittany Turner meet former Percy Julian awardee Victor Atiemo-Obeng. Sophia Cai/C&EN
NOBCChE President Haynes (far left) and Vice President Hampton-Mayo (far right) present honorary NOBCChE kente cloths to Lash (from left), Dubroy, and Joseph Grant. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Cato T. Laurencin (far left) and NOBCChE Board Chair Bobby L. Wilson pose with ACS Office of Diversity representatives Paula Christopher (second from left) and Joy Titus-Young (center), as well as special assistant to the executive director Marleen Weidner (far right). Sophia Cai/C&EN
NOBCChE Board Chair Bobby L. Wilson (from left), William M. Jackson, and President Judson L. Haynes III presents an honorary kente cloth to Cato T. Laurencin (second from right) for winning this year’s Percy Julian Award. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Posing for a picture after the 2014 Percy Julian Award lecture were Victor Atiemo-Obeng, a former Percy Julian awardee; NOBCChE President Judson L. Haynes III; NOBCChE founding member William M. Jackson; the 2014 Percy Julian awardee, Cato T. Laurencin; NOBCChE Board Chair Bobby L. Wilson; NOBCChE Vice President Talitha Hampton-Mayo; and Simon Shannon of 3M Co. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Bonnie Charpentier of the ACS Board of Directors gives a keynote address to kick off the NOBCChE STEM Weekend, which featured the science fair and science bowl, sponsored by ACS. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Oakwood University graduate student Devin Cohen explains his research to a poster session attendee. “So far NOBCChE has been great, especially the career fair,” he said. “I’m deeply considering just going to graduate school, but maybe pharmacy school and graduate school. Being here has really helped me see my options.” Sophia Cai/C&EN
A young scientist presented his poster at the NOBCChE Science Fair. Sophia Cai/C&EN
In between sessions, students Daniel Adu-Ampratwum of Ohio State University (left), Ansonia Badgett of Louisiana State University, and Antony Okumu also of OSU gather to chat in the hallway. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to be here. I’m from Ghana originally, and I’d heard about NOBCChE and had thought it was for African Americans. But they’ve done a great job of recruiting international students to help build a great network—you never know who can help you,” Adu-Ampratwum said. He joked, “I thought my work was brilliant, but this has been eye-opening.” Sophia Cai/C&EN
The NOBCChE meeting was held at the New Orleans Marriott along Canal Street, a common parade route. Sophia Cai/C&EN
After the Percy Julian lecture by Cato T. Laurencin (wearing kente cloth), students gather to take photos with him and NOBCChE board members. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Imani Wood (center), a senior at Virginia State University, surrounded by two of her mentors, professor Colleen Taylor and Marlon Walker of NIST. Her current career goal is to go to medical school and become an OB/GYN. She recently joined ARMY ROTC and plans to go into medicine in the Army. Sophia Cai/C&EN
09245-scitech1-toxdoc Noreen Khan-Mayberry, a NASA space toxicologist and entrepreneur, delivers the fifth annual Winifred Burks-Houck Professional Leadership lecture. Sophia Cai/C&EN
Victoria Ubanyionwu, a sophomore at Texas Southern University, and Sierra Sossamon, a junior at Louisiana State University, met last year at a biomedical research program. This is the first conference for each, and they say they’re learning so much already. “I love this experience because you can network, and there’s so many opportunities,” Ubanyionwu said. “It brings you closer to what you want to do.” Sossamon added: “The Career Fair gave me so many new ideas about what I can do—I had no idea the FBI was recruiting scientists.” Sophia Cai/C&EN
Venroy Watson is a first-year Florida A&M chemistry Ph.D. student who hails from Jamaica. He said of his first NOBCChE meeting: “This has been great, awesome! I’d recommend NOBCChE to everyone. What I’ve learned here so far is that you should always give back in any way that you can. Getting help from people here and passing it forward—that’s what has made NOBCChE possible.” Sophia Cai/C&EN
Dominique Williams, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Georgia State University, attends her first NOBCChE meeting. Her favorite parts included attending the career fair and career development workshop as well as seeing authentic New Orleans during the morning presidential run through the French Quarter with President Judson L. Haynes III and Vice President Talitha Hampton-Mayo. Sophia Cai/C&EN
