Inspirational Chemists: A Student Conference Activity to Raise Awareness of Diversity and Inclusion in the Chemical Sciences

A team-based poster conference activity was developed in order to provide a structure for first year chemistry students at a university in the United Kingdom to discuss inclusion and diversity in chemistry and to support the development of inclusive learning communities. Student teams designed and developed posters based on the work of chemists who had inspired them with a particular emphasis on work conducted by underrepresented chemists. Teams presented their posters to peers at an end of semester poster conference which allowed students to discuss the work of these individuals and the importance of diversity and inclusion in chemistry. The majority of participants reported that the activity was an effective way to raise their awareness of diversity and inclusion in the subject by initiating discussions of these themes with their peers.