Fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. candidate Jason Q.L. Williams (P. Weiss group) is one of six outstanding scholars joining the UCLA chapter of the national Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (BGHS) this academic year.
Williams’ interdisciplinary work bridges ancestral knowledge with nanotechnology through eco-conscious material science. Under the mentorship of Professor Paul S. Weiss, he develops green synthesis methodologies utilizing Southern African plants used in traditional medicine to create metal-oxide nanocomposites for multimodal skin therapeutic agents.
A nontraditional scholar, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after high school, serving as a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Specialist with two deployments to Iraq. His undergraduate academic journey—marked by perseverance through eight community colleges—culminated in a B.S. in Chemistry from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2020. At UCLA, he has been awarded the Center for Diversity in Science Early Career Fellowship for his scholarly and community contributions.
Williams is also the lead facilitator of UCLA’s Veterans in STEM program, and currently mentors five undergraduate students. He also founded Elements of Equity, a nonprofit organization that provides underrepresented students with paid research internships. EoE targets talented individuals who lack high GPAs but possess strong potential and passion for science. By partnering with businesses, Elements of Equity offers practical lab training, bridging the gap between talent and opportunity and helping students build competitive graduate school applications. Williams currently funds a paid internship for a nontraditional post-baccalaureate student and is actively mentoring the student toward a path to a Ph.D. program. Williams aspires to continue to offer inclusive research opportunities while amplifying community-driven science and advocating for diversity in academia.
The Bouchet Society honors Edward Alexander Bouchet, who in 1876 became the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States. Designed to develop a network of scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence and who foster a community of support, the society recognizes students who serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for those who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
Inductees to the UCLA Chapter of the Bouchet Society join a national network with 20 chapters across the U.S. and are invited to present their work at the Bouchet Annual Conference at Yale University, where the scholars further create connections and community within the national Bouchet Society.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.
