The WCC Merck Research Award recognizes eight individuals in their 3rd & 4th year of graduate school within Chemistry-related fields. Awardees highlight their outstanding research through presentations at a WCC/Merck half-day symposium and receive a $1,500 stipend to cover Fall ACS national meeting expenses. The Award program began in 2016 and continues to be a successful example of industry sponsorship of female graduate students in STEM.<br/>Another added benefit of the Merck Research Award is that each awardee has an opportunity to be mentored by a carefully selected Merck research scientist. This mentoring relationship has proven to be valuable in empowering the students, bolstering Merck’s external image and in the recruitment of key talent. Mentors provide guidance and feedback on such things as broad career paths, how to navigate work-life balance, successful interview tactics, and working at Merck.<br/>This talk will discuss the impact of the WCC Merck Research Award. Through the lens of mentors and mentees, the presentation will highlight the importance of industrial sponsorship of female graduate students from diverse backgrounds and discuss the value of mentorship for women in STEM.

WCC Merck Research Award: The role of mentorship in the development of future scientists

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.