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Chemistry Graduate Student Outreach Highlight: Rachita Dash
Compiled and edited for clarity by Melissa Leyden, UVA ChemSciComm
Rachita is a graduate student doing research in the Pires Lab and a member of the DEI Committee for several years. Rachita has received the graduate student “Stepped-up” Service Award for her work on the DEI Committee.
What brought you to UVA Chemistry?
I did my undergrad and master’s degree in India and looked to apply to graduate school in U.S. to a bunch of places. I decided to come to UVA because it had the highest concentration of people that I could see myself working with.
What are you currently working on in your lab?
My main project is studying the permeability of molecules across bacterial surfaces. I’m also dabbling a little into immunology related projects, trying to make nanobody-drug conjugates, but it’s in the very early stages. I mainly do things like peptide synthesis, some biological assays, and a lot of analytical chemistry.
What inspired you to get involved with the Chemistry department and student groups?
I just wanted to contribute to the community here, and I wanted to do my part in making our community a better place. So, I thought I would participate in some way in the Graduate Student Council, and I chose DEI. A part of it was because I saw a lab mate having a positive impact through DEI and I felt like maybe I could also help. It was just starting up, so it felt like it (DEI committee) needed more help.
Are there any outcomes from your involvement in the department that surprised you?
For both training sessions that we held we saw a lot of participation, which I wasn’t necessarily expecting. I was pleasantly surprised that it was active participation. It wasn’t just something that people came for the sake of it.
What challenges have you faced with participating in these various roles?
We have faced organizational issues. I’m glad we haven’t faced any participation issues. In terms of organizing training, we’ve had some hiccups. I think we have a workflow now and it’s getting better. We know what to do now and the plan is more laid out than it was before.
Has there been a particularly memorable or rewarding aspect of your outreach experience?
The DEI poem (about where you are from) activity at the chemistry department retreat last fall. The poems were really beautiful, and it made my heart so full. I feel like it got people talking to each other, which is what we wanted to begin with. Hopefully this year again we’ll try to do something good at the retreat.
What does it mean to you to be a part of the Chemistry community, either in the department or in a broader sense?
The first thing I noticed about our students is how friendly and welcoming everyone is. Everyone cares about everyone else, and everyone is generally friendly with each other. In terms of DEI itself, I would say people are becoming more open to furthering DEI related efforts. In the department, we’re seeing the journal club grow and seeing more participation in our events. It is also very nice to see that part (DEI participation) in changing.
What advice would you give to students wanting to get more involved in relevant outreach or coming from a similar experience?
Go for it! There is enough of a support system that if you want to get something done. Students and faculty are becoming more receptive to events and things we want to do, especially in DEI. It’s a good time to get involved in DEI efforts, we’re just starting, and it feels like it’s only going to grow from here. If you have ideas and thoughts about how to contribute to the chemistry community, you definitely shouldn’t hold back and be scared!