Key highlights:
- More than 130 chemistry students and graduates have enrolled on the Broadening Horizons programme, an increase of more than a third (38%) on its first year.
- Charles River Laboratories joins 10 companies including Unilever, AstraZeneca, and GSK to partner with the programme.
A new cohort of more than 130 chemistry students and graduates from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds have enrolled on the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Broadening Horizons programme, increasing its intake by more than a third (38%) on its first pilot year.
Launched in September 2022, Broadening Horizons was established by the RSC after its Missing Elements report found that talented Black chemists are more likely to leave the profession at every stage of their career path after undergraduate studies than their peers.The programme offers aspiring chemists access to mentoring, networking, and opportunities to gain crucial industry experience from partner companies.
With positive feedback from both participants and partner companies on the inaugural programme, the RSC has expanded the places available and secured further industry backing. Charles River Laboratories, which specialises in products and services to help expedite the discovery, early-stage development, and safe manufacture of novel drugs and therapies, joins 10 of the world’s leading chemistry companies, including Unilever, AstraZeneca, and GSK, to support the programme.
Dr Helen Pain, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “We launched the Broadening Horizons pilot last year to help enact the change that is needed to retain talented Black and minority ethnic chemists. The students and industry partners involved have told us just how valuable they found the programme, which makes us all the more determined to continue delivering an impactful experience for future cohorts. We’re excited to welcome the second cohort and are proud to have even more young people taking part this year as we continue this vital work to improve inclusion and diversity in our industry.”
Feedback from the inaugural cohort of 94 participants indicates the programme has so far been hugely valuable in creating an inclusive environment, opening networking opportunities, and showcasing the range of different career paths available in the chemical sciences.
Speaking during a site visit, Dr Rehana Sidat, Vice President of Risk Management at GSK, commented: “We all go through academic journeys, but our lived experiences reinforce who we are, and I think it’s really important to embrace that in our workforces and make sure that everybody has a sense of belonging and feels welcome. I think we’ve left the students with a really good sense of who we are, what we do and how they could potentially join GSK. If I can encourage even just one person to stay within the chemical sciences, that’s my job done.”
There are now 11 chemistry-focused businesses partnered with the programme: Nanomerics, RSSL, Syngenta, Unilever, Oxford Nanopore, AM Technology, AstraZeneca, Johnson Matthey, GSK, BASF, and Charles River Laboratories.
Open to students and recent graduates of chemistry in the UK or Republic of Ireland from a Black or minority ethnic background, the second year of the Broadening Horizons programme will run until summer 2024.