Commitment to diversity and our community
The Weirich Lab welcomes students, researchers, and collaborators from all backgrounds and is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and cultivating an inclusive environment in STEM and education.
In our group, we strive to not only grow as researchers who advance scientific understanding, but also as innovative citizens who care deeply about our community. Some recent initiatives in our broader community include:
Creative Inquiry (CI) and REUs
We encourage local undergraduates interested in research opportunities to join our group (or other exciting campus research groups) through Clemson’s Creative Inquiry program or other avenues! We welcome undergraduates from other universities to apply to one of Clemson’s REU programs or inquire about joining us for summer research. Our lab requires only curiosity, interest, and sincere effort, while we offer a group that values mentorship and the chance to experience collaborative, interdisciplinary experimental research. Inquire today to learn about current research opportunities!
Biological Physics and Physical Biology Seminar (BPPB seminar)
We co-organize a virtual, international seminar series on biological physics, started during the recent pandemic to help build community and fill some of the void left by canceled seminars and conferences. This seminar has international attendance of faculty, postdocs, students, as well as community members! Visit the BPPB website to see our upcoming seminars or learn how to join us!
Just curious about biological physics research? Visit the BPPB seminar’s YouTube channel to watch past seminars and tutorials.
Curious about more general topics in soft matter? Visit the new virtual Complex Fluids and Soft Matter seminar started by our colleagues in Clemson’s Mechanical Engineering department.
Women+ of Color Project Workshop
This fantastic workshop hosted by the Women+ of Color Project is aimed at increasing access to and success in graduate school for underrepresented women in STEM. Kim was delighted for the opportunity to volunteer this year in graduate application workshops!
Conference of Undergraduate Women in Physics
Kim represented Experimental Soft Matter in the Fields of Physics panel at the 2020 American Physical Society's CUWiP site hosted by the University of Chicago. It was a pleasure to meet some of the talented undergraduates who are our next generation of physicists!
Public School Outreach
Kim led a course, The Physics and Chemistry of Biology, introducing Chicago Public School teachers to interdisciplinary science and modern topics of biology from a physical science perspective. This course, offered by the University of Chicago’s SESAME program with the Illinois State Board of Education, primarily served middle school teachers who teach STEM courses to fill a community need, but lack formal STEM training. We featured labs designed from ordinary, low cost, household materials. In a course-long project, teachers constructed Foldscopes—awesome paper-based, low cost microscopes— and used them while learning how to do experimental research.
Women in STEM Career Panel
In a virtual Women in STEM Career Panel hosted by Career Connect Southwest, Kim represented researchers. These panels are for middle school students in the Washington State area. We were honored to have a chance to talk about the amazing possibilities in STEM career paths!
And the future…
Would you like us to join your innovative outreach effort? We are always interested in opportunities to increase equity and help spread the word about STEM and education to future generations and the broader community!