The theme of this year’s 2020 Virtual AIChE Annual Meeting and Annual Student Conference is The Increasing Diversity of Chemical Engineering. There are numerous events this year that focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and aim to help the profession acknowledge and welcome diversity of all kinds.
Please see below for a complete list of EDI events. Be sure to register!
Undergraduate Workshop for Women & Minorities, hosted by Women in Chemical Engineering at Annual Student Conference
Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM PST
This workshop will help you answer questions on career choices, graduate school and the application process, landing a dream job, and more.
LGBTQ+ & Allies Engineering for Inclusion: Young Professionals Panel at Annual Student Conference
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PST
This panel will address the concerns of undergraduate LGBTQ+ chemical engineering students and help them navigate and plan out their futures as engineers, as they prepare to enter the workforce or graduate school.
LGBTQ+ & Allies Virtual Ice Cream Social at Annual Student Conference
Sunday, Nov. 15, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PST
If you’re attending this event, have some ice cream at the ready. We encourage you to use your imagination to create your version of LGBTQ+ & Allies ice cream, AIChE-style. Attendees will have a chance to share their concoctions in breakout rooms.
Diversity and Inclusion Poster Session
Monday, Nov. 16, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PST
The purpose of this poster session is to reach out to all types of diversity and inclusion research and to share the most effective practices.
MAC Eminent Engineers Awards Poster Session
Monday, Nov. 16, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PST
LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Engineering: Young Professionals Panel
Monday, Nov. 16 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PST
A panel of young professionals from industry and academy will share insights into issues faced by newly hired LGBTQ+ engineers.
Meet the Leaders: Engineering for Inclusion (Invited Talks)
Monday, Nov. 16, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM PST
This plenary session looks at ongoing success stories in the area of diversity and inclusion, and will address still-unmet needs in both academia and industry. Participants include Christine S. Grant (moderator; North Carolina State University), Jennifer Lopez-Reed (Eli Lilly), Gary S. May (University of California, Davis), and Lori Ryerkerk (Celanese). The panelists will explain how their programs can be adapted for use in other organizations.
LGBTQ+ & Allies Safe Zone Workshop
Monday, Nov. 16, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PST
This workshop is an opportunity for allies and LGBTQ+ chemical engineers to learn more about the current engineering culture, terminology, microaggressions, and unconscious bias.
LGBTQ+ & Allies Networking Event
Monday, Nov. 16, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PST
Hear from industry and academic leaders about their support for the initiative, and network in breakout rooms to meet new contacts who are LGBTQ+ or supporting allies.
MAC Eminent Engineers Awards Ceremony
Monday, Nov. 16, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST
During this ceremony, MAC will honor the Eminent Engineer Award recipients, MAC’s most prestigious award, recognizing outstanding achievements from a professional in a traditional chemical engineering position or from a chemical engineer making significant contributions in a non-traditional profession.
WIC Keynote: Bio-inspiration: A Tale of Dreams Realized
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PST
This is an event to honor and recognize exemplary students, mentors, and professionals. It will be highlighted by a keynote speaker and offers a great opportunity to connect with chemical engineers from academia and industry.
The Science of Sexual Harassment
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PST
This session will explore the science of sexual harassment, the effects on chemical engineers, and what organizations are doing to stop it.
Live discussion: Gender, LGBTQ and Minority Status in Engineering – A discussion of the challenges and opportunities
Tuesday, Nov. 17 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PST
Women in Chemical Engineering (WIC) Networking Event
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST
Unconscious Bias in Engineering: Why Is It Relevant to the Profession and What Can We Do About It?
Wednesday, Nov. 18 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PST
This session will uncover what unconscious bias is and introduce you to key skills known to counter its negative impacts.
Women's Initiatives Committee (WIC) Meeting (all welcome)
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PST
Women in Chemical Engineering (WIC) presents "Elevating Your Career for Graduate Students and Young Professionals"
Thursday, Nov. 19, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM PST
This workshop focused on career launch and acceleration is led by Professor Geri Richmond, Presidential Chair in Science and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oregon.
Leading and Managing in Academia: A Perspective from Department Heads (invited talks)
Thursday, Nov. 19, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PST
Learn how chemical engineering department heads lead other engineers within their department, how they set goals, and how they inspire and motivate others to work together and better their departments.
Retaining Women in Chemical Engineering Careers
Thursday, Nov. 19, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PST
In this session, women who have either left or remain in the engineering workforce will share their experiences and present tools and solutions to help other women navigate difficult workplace environments.
Celebrating 30 Years of the Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) Event
Thursday, Nov. 19, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST
Join us in celebrating the strides MAC has made in its 30 years.
Get prepared for attending the meeting by downloading our attendee guide: aiche.org/annual/attendee-guide
This initiative is supported by the AIChE Foundation's Doing a World of Good Campaign.
AIChE Foundation – All for Good Campaign
Learn more about AIChE's Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives.