MOLE (not an acronym) is the IUPUI Graduate Student Chemistry Society. This organization, led by and for the graduate students, aims on furthering relationships between students of the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, as well as with the faculty and staff of the department and with people outside of IUPUI. It gives students a voice to be heard. We specifically focus on professional development, mental health, and outreach in the community. MOLE participates in a variety of activities, both internal and external (as can be seen in our list of events). We understand the importance of being connected with the community, our department, and with local professional organizations. We believe that giving back to our community is crucial to further STEM initiatives. Educating today’s youth in the joys of science is one of our most valued pastimes. Because we are student led, we are able to do things that our members think is important. We’ve done this by providing a Professional Development Series where we invite speakers to talk about subjects like: graduation requirements, getting jobs, and developing as a researcher. To us, MOLE is a place where students can gather with their peers, socialize, and grow as individuals.
In the words of our Faculty Advisor, Dr. Frederique Deiss:
The IUPUI Graduate Student Chemistry Society was founded in the Fall 2016. The students was instantly on board and the society created a collegiality and unity for our graduate students which can be so critical in our department where some students could have felt isolated in their research group. They rapidly took charge in organizing events both social and outreach activities, advocating in particular for inclusion and diversity. Their internal organization evolved through the past three years, to adapt to the need of their society, from a small organizing committee to a council and now elected administrative board. MOLE was instrumental in organizing the first Multi-disciplinary Science Symposium (July 2018), which led to the creation of an IUPUI School of Science to have an multi-disciplinary graduate students committee. In the last academic year 2018/2019, they created and implemented an impressive Professional Development series of monthly workshops. This series featured practical tools for grants and publications writing, network career panels (Alumni, we would be happy-and need you-to have you come back and share your life experience), job interview preparation, advice from senior or former students on being a successful graduate student. MOLE has been a great interface with the faculty and staff to gather graduate students feedbacks and ideas to help move the graduate program forward. Their goals for the future are to continue organize the events that the graduate students need and want, apply for sponsoring funds to ensure continuity of the organization, and be the voice of the students inside and outside of our departments.
Mission statement
- Help promote and enrich positive academic, professional, and social interactions between graduate students of IUPUI’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
- Represent and promote the engagement of chemistry graduate students with the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
- Foster the intellectual and professional development of graduate students.
- Establish and deepen relationships with local communities.
Outreach events
- Celebrate Science
- You be the Chemist
- Ignite Your Superpower
- Chapel Hill 7th and 8th Grade Center
- Chemistry Day
Community events
- ACS Baseball Game
- Chemistry of Cheese
- School of Science Picnic
- Trivia
Internal events
- Labsgiving
- Secret Santa Gift Exchange
- Multidisciplinary Poster Symposium
- School of Science Social Mixer
- Mentoring Undergraduate Clubs
- Professional Development Series
- Hosting Speakers
- Intramural Sports
From our students
To me MOLE was an opportunity not only to socialize with the rest of the graduate students and talk about the degree requirements, but it was also an encouragement by the faculty to take an active part in the department. That first year when we were getting established we provided opportunities for graduate students to meet up and talk about how to pass cumulative exams, prepare our original proposals, and generally share our graduate school experiences. It was just a small club to socialize at that point. At the same time though the small group of students running MOLE got experience organizing events and learning how to deal with people. We learned how to communicate with a large number of people, what types of events people would show up for, and that no event with free food would ever go completely unattended. That really was my favorite part of MOLE, getting real life experience in organizing and leading people. In the following years we continued to get organized and branched out into volunteer opportunities which helped students get involved in the community and professional development events where speakers came to help graduate students get the skills they needed to graduate and get a job afterwards. The group has grown into an opportunity for graduate students to not only get together and help each other pass degree requirements, but an opportunity to help other students develop as professionals while gaining leadership experience themselves. — Brandon Bills
Mole has allowed us to make a positive impact on the academic and career trajectories of youth in the wider community thorough our outreach programming.—Ashur Rael
What’s your favorite thing about MOLE?
My favorite thing about MOLE is that it provides me a way to stay connected with the other graduate students in the program, as well as providing many professional networking/learning opportunities that otherwise would not be provided. — Annie Masterson
What does MOLE mean to you?
To me MOLE is not just a club, it is a group of friends who are helping each other throughout the graduate program both professionally and personally. — Annie Masterson
How does MOLE help you both personally and professionally?
MOLE helps me personally by allowing me to communicate any problems and questions that I may have with people who understand and are going through the same process as me. MOLE helps me professionally by providing me many opportunities to learn and better prepare myself for post graduate life, an example is this upcoming Friday about CVs and resumes. — Annie Masterson