On the morning of March 15, 2024, UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry faculty, graduate students, and eager undergraduates gathered in Boyer Hall 159 for a student-faculty mixer, hosted by UCLA’s Student Members of the American Chemical Society (SMACS) in collaboration with the department.
More than 40 faculty members and students engaged in friendly, casual exchanges over breakfast treats and beverages, including an assortment of muffins, bagels, tea, and coffee. The event, held from 9:30 to 11:00 am, provided a platform for faculty and students to explore each other’s interests beyond their ongoing scientific pursuits.
“It was nice to see not just people’s current research and responsibilities but also their backgrounds and where they come from,” commented Bedelia Law, a second-year Chemistry major who attended the event.
This was the second quarterly mixer hosted by UCLA’s Student Members of the American Chemical Society (SMACS) in collaboration with the department. The first event brought students and faculty together in November 2023 over pizza. Keep an eye out for more of these events in the future!
SMACS is the UCLA undergraduate chapter of the American Chemical Society. SMACS aims to nurture a social network for life and physical science undergraduate students, especially chemistry and biochemistry majors. SMACS holds weekly meetings from 6-7 PM on Wednesdays in Young Hall 2033 covering professional development, green chemistry, and service demonstrations. To find out more about SMACS at UCLA, visit https://smacsbruins.wixsite.com/smacsucla or check them out on instagram @smacsbruins.
Article written by SMACS members Chahak Gupta, Felisha Kuo, and Juliana Girdner, smacsbruins@gmail.com.
Photos by Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.
