Full Transcript for Better Science Through Belonging: Chemistry at Its Core, Episode 4

just need to be yourself. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:54.959 That's what you need to do. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:05:00.959 She was like, you're not doing any of us any favors by trying to be like someone else. 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:08.399 She gave me an example of if I go to a restaurant and I order steak and they bring me chicken, I'm gonna be very upset. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:10.480 She was like, be who you are. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:13.040 And that just really stuck with me and helped me. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:17.680 And from then on, I gained the confidence to kind of see it through. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:25.920 You've worked in industry, you you serve in no bouche, you've you've done so many different things to contribute to science. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:30.480 What makes you most proud of when you think about the communities in which you move? 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:38.240 I think there are different moments that make me proud and different moments that I've encountered along the way. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:42.240 I'd say now, like I have experience under my belt, right? 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:48.959 And I've done a lot of things, being the president of Nobich, being in the lab, being in leadership roles. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:54.639 That has really helped me in terms of my growth, both personally and professionally. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:06:02.480 So I think what I'm most proud of is like how I show up when I enter the room and how I contribute. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:14.079 I feel that when I do say things that my voice is heard, but I also feel like I am contributing and I'm confident in the things that I am trying to put out. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:14.879 Yeah. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:25.439 Finding career pathways, there are a lot of barriers to certain communities and groups of people that are hard to overcome or struggle to overcome. 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:27.040 Can you talk about some of those? 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:33.680 And in your view, what are some of the ways in which you think we could reduce those barriers or just mitigate them? 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:41.680 Oh, that's a good question because I wish I had the answer to or the solution to how we could mitigate those. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:43.680 I do understand that there are challenges. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:47.120 It's really hard trying to find a job. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:47.519 Yeah. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:53.759 When you, you know, you're like, I've I've been to school, I have the degree, and then it's still hard. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.199 And it should not be so hard to find it. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:01.519 When I'm mentoring people, I say, you know, there's a it's a lot of work. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:07.680 It can be a lot of work because you have to make a lot of changes, you have to meet a lot of people, network, you have to be in the right place at the right time. 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:12.800 There has to be a need from whatever place you're trying to apply for. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:17.040 So connecting the need to the skill set, right? 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:19.600 How do you put the two in the room? 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:28.800 And that's part of the problem because the people with the need, they're only going into certain spaces that they're comfortable with. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:35.199 And you have a lot of good talent out here in other spaces, like a no bishop conference, for example. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:39.600 And we're just not getting people to look for talent in these places. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:41.680 And that's just unfortunate. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:48.639 And science, are there places in which we can do better to get everybody's perspectives in? 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:54.959 Are there are there places you think where sometimes the rigidity in which we do science doesn't serve us? 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.839 Yeah, I think we we are so passionate about science, right? 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:03.839 And we all have our own beliefs about science. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:05.920 And we want to share those beliefs. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:12.240 And you you have some people that want to share them more than others, and those that kind of dominate the room. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:20.639 And then you have other people that are quiet that have those diverse thoughts, but will not contribute early in my career when I started. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:25.040 I had thoughts, but I wouldn't say anything because everybody was talking. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:30.240 So I just like, oh I I thought I had a great idea, but didn't say anything. 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:34.720 But then I realized that you have to get it out there at some point. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:38.879 So I think just taking the pause to kind of read the room. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.600 And you don't have to be a leader to do this. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:43.759 You can be a team, a teammate to do this. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:44.639 Just read the room. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:49.120 And if someone's not speaking up or not talking, ask them, do they agree? 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:51.919 Ask them, you know, do they have any thoughts? 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:55.440 Do they have anything to add, or do they see any risk in there? 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:58.240 I mean, there are other ways to kind of pull people in. 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:10.639 And I think we just really have to look at it as a whole when we're in these meetings and we're talking about science, understanding that everyone does have this passion and just making sure that we're sharing the love. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:27.279 I like how Bridget talked about inviting each other into the conversation so that you know you make sure that it's not just the loudest or most confident voices that are heard. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:28.639 Oh, absolutely. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:29.360 Yeah. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:31.759 Um, so who are we gonna hear from next? 00:09:32.000 -->

00:09:39.279 Next, Raj chatted with Mary Jo Onderkin, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University in Boston. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:45.679 Mary Jo is also a former chair of the board of ACES and was recently given the Ely S. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:48.559 Parker Award, which is the organization's highest honor. 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:50.320 Oh wow, that's amazing. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:51.200 I know. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:10:02.240 So Mary Jo's conversation with Raj began with her talking about what it meant to attend her first ACES conference with folks like herself, which was a new and really impressionable experience. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:02.960 Hmm. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:08.399 Okay, well, we start with that story after a quick message from our sponsor. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.480 Custom manufacturing isn't about applying a template. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.679 It's about understanding what you actually need to succeed. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:25.360 When you partner with Permega, you're working with a manufacturer that controls every step of production. 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.639 That means we can solve your unique challenges faster. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:31.200 We can adapt when your requirements shift. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:37.519 We can ensure the quality and consistency your research demands, because we're accountable for every stage. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:41.440 Because we make what we sell, we're never waiting on outside partners. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:45.679 We can pivot with you and deliver exactly what you need when you need it. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:47.919 We listen to what you're trying to achieve. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:49.519 We learn your constraints. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:54.879 Then we leverage decades of manufacturing expertise to create exactly what works for you. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:59.200 Because your success isn't our byproduct, it's our priority. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:02.399 Learn more at permega.com slash oem. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:10.000 ACES is an amazing organization. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:23.360 I first went to an ACES National Conference in 1994, and I was blown away just seeing science and native culture coming together. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.200 It was a beautiful thing. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:47.039 When you think about that gathering and the work of bringing together different groups so they can do their best science, what are some of the things that you have seen or experienced or have worked on to make sure that people who come from groups that feel that they don't belong to mainstream science, what are some of the things you've observed and what do you think are some of the solutions? 00:11:47.360 --> 00:12:04.559 Well, I think that when you're in an environment that doesn't understand your culture, when you're in an environment with people who are different from you, it can give you a feeling of not belonging, of not uh even not being good enough, or poster

syndrome. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:16.399 And ACES lives to promote science among natives, indigenous people, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, Amerindians, First Nations. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:20.639 Our ancestors were excellent observers of nature. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:34.240 They made observations, they made hypotheses based on these observations, and used that knowledge, which is passed down from generation to generation, to make life better for the people. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.879 And essentially, that's what science is. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:44.559 I mean, our our native students have science in their DNA, and we emphasize that in ACES. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:50.159 Our young natives have a lot to give to science to solve the world's problems. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:53.360 What do you tell people in your lab when they first join? 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:56.720 What kind of culture do you like to uphold in your lab? 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:00.320 What kind of environment do you like to create in your in your work? 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:03.440 Oh, that the group is a is a community. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:05.679 It's it's like a family. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:12.639 We help each other, we support each other, uh, we honor the people who achieve. 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:16.960 Somebody gives a paper or publishes a paper or gets an award. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:19.120 You know, everybody's happy for them. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:27.279 You know, the pandemic kind of broke up the esprit de core of the group because we were meeting remotely and it just wasn't the same. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:36.480 So after we were able to meet in person again, I said, okay, everybody, I want you to come to group meeting in person, unless you're sick. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:45.279 See, we usually have a party when somebody gets their PhD, but there were a couple people who graduated in the middle of the pandemic and we couldn't have a party for them. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:50.879 They defended online and say, Well, congratulations, but we couldn't have their party. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:14:05.519 So the next person that graduated after we were able to come together, I got tickets for everybody on a Boston Harbor cruise, and we celebrated the PhD on Boston Harbor, and it was a beautiful day. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:15.039 We were on the boat, and I think that that did a lot to reignite that group cohesiveness that is so important in a research group. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:24.000 In in my past, I've known of research groups where there's kind of a cutthroat mentality where people try to outdo the other person. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:25.440 That's no good. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:29.519 That's that just gets in the way of progress and innovation. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.120 That just holds people back. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:36.080 You want to have a supportive and friendly and collegial community. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:38.480 Have you ever felt

like an outsider? 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:42.080 And what happened to make that change? 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.039 Oh gosh. 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:43.840 Yeah. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:48.879 I felt like an outsider for most of my life. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:57.519 My PhD class in my first year of graduate school, there was one other woman, she quit at the end of the first year. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:04.159 And there were professors who were pretty open about not wanting to take women in their group. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:12.799 I mean, I I was fortunate that Mark Ratner was doing interesting stuff, but he didn't seem to mind to have a woman in the group. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:20.639 I you know, I I can remember my first ACS meeting, there were not many women and not many minorities. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:22.320 Well, what kept you going? 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:24.000 Or who kept you going? 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:25.120 What kept me going? 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:36.480 One thing was from the time I was very little, my mom kept telling me you can do anything you want if you try, if you work. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:40.320 And she told me that so many times that I believed her. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:46.240 So even when that was a struggle, I still carried on because I believed that I could do it. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:52.240 So can you think of a time when Yeah, you talked about how sometimes you were the only. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:16:03.600 Was there a time when your perspective or presence in a setting changed the trajectory of a project or or or thinking or something like that? 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:20.399 I mean, I can remember many decades ago serving on search committees, back in the search committees, for example, there were reluctance on the part of some to interview a woman or a minority person or to hire, say, a married woman. 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:23.440 Oh, she's married, she's not serious about science. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:23.840 Yeah. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.279 There was some of that. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:29.840 And uh I would have to say, no, we don't consider that. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.840 Or gee, how about this file? 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:33.279 This is a really strong candidate. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:34.879 So, oh gee, wow, you're right. 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:36.320 That is a strong candidate. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:42.240 But they see a name that doesn't signify white male, and they just kind of overlook. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:42.879 Yeah. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.039 Doesn't happen anymore, thankfully. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.080 Thankfully. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:53.440 What advice do you now give students who are coming in and are going to be the next generation of people to carry the work of science forward? 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.720 What do you tell them? 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:57.679 Do something you love, do something that excites you. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:58.879 You know, life is short. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:06.319 I mean, to our native students, I tell them that you have something to contribute to science to solve the world's problems. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:19.599 I love that we're circling back to what we started the series with, which is really having a love and a passion for science. 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:20.880 Oh, definitely. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:22.960 And it all ties together, too. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:28.319 That's why I was curious about doing a series on our core values. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:32.559 Being a scientist and wanting to do science isn't just one thing. 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:33.920 Yeah, yeah. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.720 So who's the last person we're gonna hear from? 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:38.240 Ingrid Montez. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:43.599 Ingrid is a professor of organic chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piatris campus. 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:47.680 She's also on the ACS board and on the board of SOCNAS. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:59.759 What makes SACNAS really, really unique is that you really find a community. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:20.400 As you say, also is is part of the mentorship, but it's also uh to have a community when you look around, and for me, I am Latina, so uh it's important to really identify with all the people that are there that are really like you. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:36.000 Sometimes that is not completely usual in other meetings when you have everyone in the same place, but with Sagnas, because it's more oriented to the community Hispanic, Chicanos, and then Native America. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:41.519 Well, we really find everyone that is just like you. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:50.079 I think that mentorship is sacred because it's built on trust, generosity, and mushroom roles. 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:55.359 A mentor believes in you even before you believe in yourself. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:57.519 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:07.599 So you've served both on the ACS board as well as on the SACNAS board, and so those are very important roles that you've contributed to the scientific community. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:17.920 Talk a little bit, if you can, about what is it like leading change so that you foster inclusion and you foster bringing everybody along. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:27.200 I think that leading change is mean moving beyond words to an action. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:47.039 It requires some courage that you stand and just you know say we should do this, even when people are not following the same thought or maybe have different opinions, and also is humility and accountability. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:20:17.359 I think that something that I have learned through all this experience is that when you are in a table discussing in a board or in a classroom, whatever, you have to listen deeply to the experience of people that are often overlooked, and you can see that they are shy, that they are afraid of maybe saying something that is not

accepted. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:29.759 So for me, it's very important to be very, very aware of everyone because everyone is unique and everyone could bring to the table a different perspective. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:45.599 And I always say that you should lead by example, you have to model in inclusive behavior every day, making sure that every voice is heard in a meeting. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:21:04.000 Give credit to everyone where is doing something important or making a difference, and I have been going through this, and my point of view as a Latina is completely different, not only because I am Latina, because I grew up and I stay in Puerto Rico. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:08.000 And Puerto Rico, we have a different culture from US. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:11.759 Yeah, and that's something that I want to bring to the to this discussion. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:17.200 We need to create safe spaces for people to read their whole self. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:25.920 If I have to say something, maybe they don't have to accept during the vote or you know, the final decision. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:27.680 But it's important to listen. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:33.599 It's important that you know uh everyone, every voice has to be heard. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:56.160 So it's is the responsibility that you take to open the doors for others, is leaders that are really committed with inclusion recognize that their legacy will not be only their scientific contribution, but also the opportunities they create for the next generation. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.759 And for me, inclusion in science means. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:03.279 More than opening the door to others. 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:09.039 It means making sure that people strive once they are inside. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:15.119 So it's an ongoing process, and every day we should learn more about that. 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:21.279 So I'd like to pull on those threads a bit more because you've touched on two very important things. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:28.559 We're talking about psychological safety and feeling safe enough to have a different opinion or a different perspective. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:45.200 And we've been talking a lot about the need for psychological safety in science because, first of all, just from a safety standpoint, lab safety, chemical safety, you need to have psychological safety to speak up and say, I don't think that's a safe reaction to do, or I don't think that's a safe way to do something. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:53.440 Let's start by talking about maybe an experience you had where you had to push for that psychological safety to do the better science. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:23:05.759 You had to push for that environment, or you yourself have created that environment in your own research space to create room for different ways of doing science, so the best science happens. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:14.319 Yeah, well, in my case, I am professor at a Hispanic institution, 100% Hispanic institution. 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:21.200 Here in Puerto Rico, maybe nowadays it's not the same, but in the past was really the machismo. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:23.920 The male are the best. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:37.200 And I can say that when I started my career many years ago, I was the only one female doing committees or doing some proposals or whatever. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:45.599 And especially in some thesis committee from graduate students, you know, I was the only female in the room. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:52.880 And something that I want to share in this conversation is that for me it was something very intimidating. 00:23:53.119 --> 00:24:01.920 When I started, I I feel like, oh my God, I I have to prove that I belong here, you know, I have to make my way. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:05.039 And that was not my personality. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:07.519 It was something really hard for me. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:14.160 And sometimes I lead the question for for the oral exams of some student. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:24.640 And when I received the letter that was sent to the student, all my my questions were just acknowledged to other person. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.400 Oh my myself. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:28.559 Can you imagine how I feel? 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:30.559 How I feel in that moment? 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:34.880 I I was thinking that I cannot continue in this. 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:46.559 And something that is also important is that I have always been Puerto Rico, so I have an accent. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:50.640 I am completely Spanglish in some sense, you know. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:53.680 And people really don't like that, also. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:25:01.839 And for the accents, they just maybe underestimate my contribution to the science or or to the discussion. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:09.759 Something that I have to really think about and take the courage to continue. 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:29.039 And I take all the hardship as an experience and something that made me stronger and make me aware that I need to help other people to strive and not to pass the same that I have to pass in those days. 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:52.640 I have to say that on my lab, for example, and on my classroom, I always say that it's important the content, it's important the research, it's important, but it is more important that we feel that we belong to a family, that the ownership of your project is not the ownership for only for you. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:26:00.880 It's the ownership of everyone that helps you to strive and create the environment that you can flourish. 00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:11.519 Many of our students come from low incomes or are the first generation of students, and they are maybe insecure about themselves. 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:16.960 So psychological safety is something important, especially in science. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:36.319 The science is better when you have the team to work together, and the team is very diverse, is the best thing that you can get for your organization, for your science, for your classroom, for everything, because diversity is richness. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:53.839 I really feel like it's yeah, richness of thought, richness of culture, richness of science. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:55.039 Right? 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:58.720 And to hear her talking about ownership and family. 00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:05.359 I will admit that I sometimes cringe when I hear family being thrown around in professional contexts. 00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.240 Yeah. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:12.400 But I do love this idea of ownership and feeling like you belong to something bigger. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.279 Yeah, yeah. 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:15.759 And Mary Jo used the word family as well. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:20.720 It's clear that so much of inclusion and belonging comes down to support. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:25.759 You know, support from your community and others, and really rooting for each other. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:28.480 And I think that's the perfect note to end on. 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:31.680 But of course, the miniseries isn't totally wrapped. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:43.759 We will be back in two weeks for a bonus episode where we each researched one really fascinating National Historical Chemical Landmark, and we're gonna do a swap and share. 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:45.920 Ooh, just like show and tell. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:49.039 Yes, taking me back to second grade. 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:52.160 That's next time on Chain Reaction. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:06.720 This was Chain Reaction, a podcast by the American Chemical Society. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:09.440 Our executive producer is Sam Jones. 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:11.839 Our producer is me, Margo Wall. 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:17.359 This miniseries was also produced by Shane Hanlin in a partnership with ACS Brand Lab. 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:19.359 Editing by Jeremy Barr. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:22.319 Production help from Michael David and Matt Radcliffe. 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:24.640 Theme song by Dee Peterschmidt. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:26.000 Do you have any questions? 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:30.000 Send them to chainreaction at acs.org. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:41.599 At Premega, we believe discovery starts from within. 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:49.759 When employees uncover strengths they didn't know they had, or scientists realize their authentic curiosity can shape their path, great things happen. 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:59.839 We build a culture rooted in genuine conversations, emotional intelligence, and creative thinking because the people who fuel breakthrough science are the ones who have first discovered themselves. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:02.960 Permega, where curiosity meets discovery. 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:06.480 Learn more at permega.comslash careerpath.