With the support of an endowed fund established by a donor in 2020, ChemE students, faculty, and staff are implementing inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism (IDEA) initiatives in our community.
Current Project – Adaptive and accessible shared instrumentation facilities
Proposed by Nada Naser
Funded for academic year 2026-2027.
Many of our laboratory classes require manual pipetting which can present challenges to individuals with limited hand strength, chronic pain, temporary injuries or mobility-related disabilities. This project will fund the purchase of one or two electric pipettes and establish a system for sharing the equipment across different lab spaces. Additionally, we will develop an informational guide on ergonomic best practices in laboratory work and raise awareness about invisible physical barriers in laboratory environments. Feedback will be collected from users to assess impact and identify future accessibility improvements.
Past Projects
Peer mentorship for a more-accessible graduate experience
Proposed by Ph.D. student Maria Politi, professor Shachi Mittal, and professor Cole DeForest
Funded in academic year 2022-2023. This program received permanent funding from another source after IDEA funded the pilot program.
The Graduate Mentorship Program aims to create an adaptive and evolving support system for chemical engineering students as they take the demanding initial steps of their graduate journeys. First-year graduate students will engage with more-senior ChemE Ph.D. students early on and learn from their experiences. Monthly group discussions will provide a platform for students to acknowledge, discuss, and address common issues concerning equity, social justice, and experiences faced by graduate students. Trained mentors will also connect students to available campus and departmental resources that can lower barriers to learning or wellbeing and help them address common challenges and roadblocks.
Seminar series: Improving graduate school accessibility
Proposed by graduate students Ava Karanjia and Adam Broerman
Funded in academic year 2021-2022.
The seminar/panel series educates undergraduate students about graduate school as a next career step. This represents one approach to plugging the “leaky pipeline” of STEM majors from underrepresented groups to academic positions. Each seminar consists of short presentations by three current graduate students, followed by a Q&A session. They cover topics related to longer-term grad school preparations (e.g. undergraduate research), crafting a strong application, and others.
Course: Ethics and DEI for Chemical Engineers
Proposed by Madeleine Clarke (B.S. '23), Jordy Jackson (B.S. '22), and Jimmy Ye (B.S. ‘21)
Funded in academic year 2021-2022.
This Ethics and DEI course trains chemical engineers who are ethically responsible and socially aware. The course consists of guest speakers from the UW and other institutions to cover topics including workplace discrimination and implicit bias, along with case studies that highlight medical, environmental, and other ethical issues. A diversity-related course in ChemE bolsters coverage of DEI issues in the College of Engineering curriculum and improve DEI in the field more broadly. The seminar was offered in the Winter 2022 quarter.
K-12 STEM outreach course: DNA Origami for Drug Delivery Systems
Proposed by Mikey Chungyoun (B.S. ‘21)
Funded in academic year 2020-2021.
The virtual learning environment has both increased the disparity in access to education, as well as hindered the ability to do outreach events for K-12 students. In response, this outreach course, conducted virtually in Spring 2021 at Cleveland High School in Seattle, was developed to reach a diverse student population and prepare participants for higher education through novel STEM projects.
Working with students in bioengineering and in biology, Mikey developed and taught a course that uses paper origami to represent DNA origami drug delivery technology. The approach allowed them to teach sophisticated concepts with ubiquitous materials. They presented the basics of pathology and developing therapies, recreated drug structures in origami, and showed students what lab work looks like at the UW through virtual visits.
Apply for Funding
Any ChemE student, faculty, or staff may propose a project that advances our IDEA work. Proposals are submitted and reviewed on an annual basis.
Applications for AY 26-27 have closed. Look out for applications for AY 27-28 in 2027.
Applications include:
- A short description of your project idea
- A budget of up to $1,000. If you are requesting more than $500, please discuss your request with the department chair prior to submitting
- A timeline
- The expected impact of the work.