The Culture Of Chemistry Is Racist, Where Are All The Black Chemists? “0% Black Chemistry Professors, But I DO Exist!”

April 3, 2024

Clive and Ali are joined by Professor Robert Mokaya OBE, lecturer in Materials Chemistry and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement at the University of Nottingham. Robert is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, where he sits on the Board as a Trustee.

We discuss Robert’s life growing up in Kenya, the cultural shift in moving to the UK to study a PhD at Cambridge University and the significant drop off in Black Chemists after undergraduate level. We deep dive into the recently published ‘Missing Elements’ report which concluded that the culture of Chemistry is racist. Finally, we discuss the RSC’s action plan, addressing these issues by taking an equitable approach.