Women Chemists of Color
WCC programming now includes the ACS Women Chemists of Color, which aims to broaden awareness of challenges for women of color found at the intersection of gender and ethnicity; to gather more data about women chemists of color; and to provide a forum for building a community and highlighting women chemists of color achievements across the chemical enterprise.
Women Chemists Fall 2025 Webinar: The Power of Connections to Help Overcome Challenges
On November 19, 2025, the WCC Women Chemists of Color hosted its annual fall webinar featuring speakers Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dean of the Graduate School of the College of Pharmacy and Health Science at Wayne State University, and Kimberly Agnew-Heard, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Altria Client Services and ACS Director, District II. They discussed how to overcome challenges through powerful human connections from both academia and industry prospectives. Strong connections foster resilience and innovation and will help overcome challenges more effectively by leveraging shared knowledge, resources, and support.
A. Bryant-Friedrich
K. Agnew-Heard
Balancing Authenticity and Career Growth
The ACS Women Chemists of Color (WCoC) hosted it’s 2024 Fall Webinar “Balancing Authenticity and Career Growth” on October 28 featuring ACS President-Elect Dr. Dorothy J. Phillips, whose speech “My Journey: The Resilience of an Industrial Chemist” inspired many attendees. Workplace authenticity goes beyond being open or truthful; it involves a delicate and intentional balance between sharing who you truly are and adapting to the various expectations and unwritten rules that many are made aware of through their experiences. Dr. Phillips shared some insight from her professional journey, including how her resilience resulting in her becoming the first African American woman to complete a bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University, the first woman of color to have a chair at Vanderbilt endowed in her honor, the first woman of color to be elected to the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Board of Directors, and now the first woman of color to become the ACS President for 2025.
This event was hosted by the ACS Women Chemists Committee’s WCoC team and included special host panelists: Ramona Gray Amaro, Victoria Parker, Milagros Delgado, Devin Swiner, Jade Bing, Despina Strong, Lorilee Valientes, Allison Aldridge, and Greglynn Gibbs. Attendees participated in breakout discussions led by the panelists where they exchanged stories and information on ways to positively impact a career across the chemical enterprise. There were more than 150 attendees for this virtual event.
The WCC Women Chemists of Color (WCoC) have hosted several networking events at ACS national meetings and virtual networking webinars in collaboration with National Chemistry Week. If you would like to have more information about WCoC or would like to share information on potential speakers for future programming, please send an email to wcc@acs.org.
Archived WCC Events
WCoC Resources
Electrical Engineering Careers for Women and People of Color
According to the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), women only make up 13% of all engineers. This statistic doesn’t include race or cultural background, though the National Society of Engineers reports that people of color are even more underrepresented among the engineering workforce. This can make it daunting for women and people of color, particularly women of color, to follow through with the program. Here are some of the topics our article covers:
- Types of Electrical Engineering
- Career Opportunities for Electrical Engineers
- Concerns for Women and Marginalized Groups
- Scholarships and Grants
- Professional Organizations
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