Houston,
25
September
2019
|
14:44 PM
America/Chicago

UST Professor Works to Advance Diversity in Field of Chemistry

Dr. Javoris HollingsworthUniversity of St. Thomas Assistant Professor Dr. Javoris Hollingsworth is the 2019 recipient of the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences for the Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

This award recognizes individuals and/or institutions who have advanced diversity in the chemical sciences and significantly stimulated or fostered activities that promote inclusiveness within the region.

Hollingsworth was nominated by Lisa Houston, Awards Chair, American Chemical Society, Greater Houston Section.

Hollingsworth's Adventure in Chemistry

Houston writes that Hollingsworth began his adventure in chemistry as an American Chemical Society Project Seed Fellow under Rosalie Richards at Georgia College & State University in 2002. After this experience, he was motivated to further his education and complete his undergraduate and graduate degrees, which was made possible by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Negro College Fund. These philanthropic efforts inspired him to give back to the next generation of scholars through teaching, research, and service.

Hollingsworth's Accomplishments

In her nomination, Houston lists many of Hollingsworth’s accomplishments:

  1. Javoris mentors and teaches undergraduate students while also leading a research team as a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of St. Thomas, and serves as the co-advisor for the UST American Chemical Society (ACS) student chapter.
  2. Javoris founded the UST student chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) whose mission is to support the development of underserved minorities in STEM.
  3. As the co-Principal Investigator for a grant from the Catholic Women's Charity Guild, Javoris hosted a three-week summer research camp, where he led and mentored six high school students from the Houston and Galveston area from underserved groups in STEM, including minorities and individuals from financially disadvantaged families.
  4. Javoris has resurrected the formerly inactive ACS-GHS Minority Affairs Committee and also serves as the Area Co-Coordinator for the Project SEED Program.

Hollingsworth will receive the award at the ACS Southwest & Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting in El, Paso, Texas, on Nov. 13-16, 2019.

Hollingsworth is a Natural Leader and Mentor

This young and rising chemistry professor is the recipient of other leadership awards including the Mentor on the Map Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) and the Leadership Development Award from the Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) of the American Chemical Society (ACS).