NOBCChE

The National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to assisting black and other minority students and professionals in fully realizing their potential in academic, professional, and entrepreneurial pursuits in chemistry, chemical engineering, and allied fields. NOBCChE conducts programs locally, regionally and nationally as much as feasible. During the 2021-2022 Fiscal year, NOBCChE held its 50th Annual Meeting in an in-person format at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Approximately 600 students, professionals and exhibitors attended the conference and exhibition however attendance was greatly impacted by an impinging hurricane threat to the area. The conference was funded by a contribution of registrant fees, exhibition fees, sponsor donations, and grant funds. The meeting had record breaking numbers of attendees at the major luncheons for Winifred-Burks Houck and Percy L. Julian luncheons, which the latter honored Dr. Dorothy J. Phillips Wingfield. The sessions were stellar and including panels on teaching, a career and academic expo, poster prizes for poster presentations, workshops on branding and social media and leadership, scientific storytelling, and a range of technical talks and Master Scientist sessions. In addition, to the NOBCChE annual meeting we also hosted a virtual webinar series on Black inventors from high school to retirees in conjunction with Beyond Benign and the Society of Science through funds received by the Lemelson Foundation. Furthermore, our local chapters (~50) across the country had robust programming on their college campuses and in local city areas and our regional chairs hosted a variety of virtual sessions through collaborations with other societies such as the American Chemical Society for student and professional members. The most noted activity was a Southwest and southeast regional meeting that brought ~150 attendees to Ole Mississippi University and area for scientific and professional development programming.

NOBCChE engaged in various other programs and activities at the regional and local levels and in collaboration with other entities with the expressed purpose to fill the STEM pipeline in general and specifically the chemical enterprise pipeline with under-represented groups of students and professionals.