2023 Keynote Speakers

URSA Lecture

Heavily influencing the emblems and symbols of the University of California system, the bear also has been chosen to represent the iconic nature of our conference and our opening keynote address. The invitation for this talk is decided upon by graduate student and post-doc attendees to honor and hear from someone who they consider to be one of the most influential members of our field. It is the opening keynote address for the University of California Chemical Symposium and addresses the career and work of the speaker and serves to address the state of chemical sciences as a field.

Our group pioneers new mechanisms for transition-metal reactivity with synthetic applications and aims to change the way people study chemical reactions by developing microscopy techniques to study mechanisms and catalysis.

LUx Lecture

The motto of the University of California system is “Let there be light”; this call to action serves as the origin of the name of our closing keynote address. This lecturer must be nominated by multiple former attendees in recognition of their roles as a researcher, a mentor, and an inspiration to strive ever further. This lecture addresses the career and work of the speaker as well as should serve as an inspiration to return to our universities and continue our noble pursuits.

My research explores the chemistry of volatile molecules in protostars and protoplanetary disks, the evolutionary progenitors of planetary systems. Ultimately, we aim to characterize the chemical environment which regulates the formation, composition, and potential habitability of planetesimals and planets. To tackle this complex problem I use a variety of approaches: telescope observations of protostars and protoplanetary disks, laboratory experiments of astrophysical ice analogs, and simulations of protoplanetary disk chemistry.

Workshops

CAREER PANEL

Do you struggle to answer the dreaded question about your plans after graduation? Come to the career panel to get some ideas of what career options you have. This will be a guided Q&A session with professionals representing a variety of career opportunities for those in the chemical sciences. Please come prepared with your career questions and note that there will be time to interact with these individuals throughout the conference.

RSC Publishing Workshop

May Copsey, Ph.D., Executive Editor of Chemical Science

So you want be employed: A career development workshop

Victoria Lim, Ph.D., Technical Writer, Imply Data

You can't judge a book by its cover, but HR and hiring managers judge you based on only 1-2 pages of application material. This workshop goes through principles of crafting your resume and other career documents to present your best self. Other elements of the workshop include interviewing tips and navigating career pathways.

Strategies for Undergraduate Mentorship

Kay Xia, University of California Berkeley

This workshop will introduce some basic strategies for effective undergraduate teaching and mentoring in the research lab through three activities. The first activity will discuss clear communication methods with a mentee. The second activity will focus on developing a teaching plan and guiding a mentee along a scaffolded progression of knowledge. The third activity will use "elevator pitches" as a way to assess understanding, identify areas for growth, and practice presentation skills.