AIChE’s IDEAL initiative represents a commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. This blog post will explore various ways to get involved with our communities.
Join an IDEAL community
Getting involved with one of AIChE’s IDEAL communities is a powerful way to support inclusion and learning within chemical engineering. AIChE’s All for Good Campaign works to grow diversity across the Institute and the profession by providing platforms where members can connect and collaborate.
Disabilities OutReach & Inclusion Community (DORIC)
AIChE’s Disabilities OutReach & Inclusion Community (DORIC) is dedicated to fostering inclusion for chemical engineers with disabilities by addressing their needs and celebrating the unique skills and perspectives they bring to the profession. DORIC works to raise awareness, provide resources and services, and create opportunities for networking and support among engineers with disabilities and their allies. Through these efforts, DORIC empowers individuals to contribute to new levels of innovation and insight, enhancing the impact of the chemical engineering community.
WIC (Women in Chemical Engineering)
AIChE’s Women in Chemical Engineering Community (WIC) provides leadership in promoting the entry, development, and full participation of women within the chemical engineering profession. By fostering an inclusive and supportive environment, WIC empowers women and allies from all technical backgrounds in industry, academia, and government through networking, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities. The community advocates for equitable treatment, representation, and employment of women in chemical engineering, ensuring they can thrive and contribute to the advancement of the field.
MAC (Minority Affairs Committee)
The Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) is dedicated to advancing the education, training, and employment of underrepresented communities in engineering and related disciplines. By promoting activities that encourage minority entrepreneurship and addressing societal and economic challenges, MAC fosters inclusivity and innovation within the profession. The committee also serves as a resource hub, connecting members with programs, events, and opportunities to address disparities and empower diverse talent in chemical engineering.
LGBTQ+ & Allies
AIChE’s LGBTQ+ & Allies community strives to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for gender and sexual minorities and their allies within chemical engineering. The initiative’s mission is to increase the inclusion, participation, and advancement of LGBTQ+ individuals in the profession while fostering a supportive space for collaboration and progress. Through its efforts, the community champions diversity and celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ engineers to the field.
K-12
The AIChE K-12 Community inspires interest and excitement in science and engineering among K-12 students while preparing future engineers to tackle technical challenges ethically, sustainably, and socially responsibly. Join to stay updated on AIChE’s K-12 STEM outreach efforts, discover ways to get involved, and share your own outreach experiences with the community.
Attend an IDEAL event
There will be a number of IDEAL events taking place at the 2025 Spring Meeting and the 2025 Annual Meeting, in addition to IDEAL workshops throughout the year. Stay informed by checking ChEnected regularly and the IDEAL website.
See IDEAL programming offered at last year’s Annual Meeting
Spread the word about the $40K FOSSI scholarship
In partnership with The American Chemistry Council (ACC), Chemours, and HBCU Week Foundation, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) was established in November 2020 with the goal of helping to combat the lack of diversity in the STEM workforce. FOSSI provides scholarship recipients $10,000 per year for four years, helping to eliminate financial barriers for historically under-represented groups.
Take an Academy course
Learn more about why inclusion matters, and its impact in STEM and engineering. Through these courses, you can develop the necessary tools to help foster inclusivity in your role as a student, professional engineer, or engineering administrator.
Learn more about Academy’s certificate program
Support the All for Good Campaign
All For Good is a multi-year, industrywide effort to share best practices and fund new programming that welcomes all and provides opportunities for everyone in the profession, from the classroom to the boardroom. Your donation can make a difference in helping us reach 100% parity in the profession by 2050.
This initiative is supported by the AIChE Foundation's Doing a World of Good Campaign.
AIChE Foundation – All for Good Campaign
