Christine Grant,  , has been recognized by the American Chemical Society for promoting diversity.

According to a University press release, the ACS presented the professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering with the 2012 Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences, along with a medal and a $1,000 grant.  The formal ceremony took place in November at the Raleigh Convention Center, the release stated.

For Grant, society’s understanding of diversity must start with one-on-one relationships.

“I would like to see people having really honest dialogue with people who think differently or are from different places. Differences are not that scary,” Grant said.

Grant grew up in upstate New York and attended Brown University in 1980, where she was involved in a lot of programs aimed at diversifying science, technology, education and math fields. She said she promoted field trips for students to visit the University and always taught students to take the next step towards their education.

Grant also worked with many organizations on the national level, including scientific organizations that encouraged diversity and brought underrepresented minorities into the field.

She also mentors students, who nominated her for her most recent award, according to Grant.

Grant went to many workshops that discussed the future of women in chemistry and said she learned the obstacles facing women were all about perception.

According to Grant, many women do not enter the field of chemistry because they are not seen as capable by their peers, and are therefore discouraged from doing so. “Any mistake they make is then seen as a lack in ability,” Grant said.

People biased against minority groups “put barriers and obstacles in their way,” Grant said.

One of the barriers facing minorities is they have not had a history of people working in the STEM fields. For example, five or less African-American women are ranked as a full professor in chemical engineering nationwide, according to Grant.

“Generally, these African-American women are ostracized because they appear different from others, and there is a need for people to be around those who are similar,” Grant said.

Grant has experienced her own set of challenges due to her race and gender. “Colleagues have had to work hard to get used to the way she looks, while having to learn to respect both her position and personal self,” Grant said.

“A bad day is seen as a reflection of who I am and my demographic, so I have to be ‘on’ all the time,” Grant said.

At one work function, Grant said she was confused for “hired help.” 

“I have to work harder for people to understand why I am here,” Grant said.

 Even during her freshman year, professors had told her to change majors. At this point, she had to learn to distinguish whether the advice she had received was due to biases that women were not capable of that type of work, or whether the professors truly had her “best interests in mind.”

Grant said she learned the latter was not true, and was motivated to continue her studies through the combination of a strong faith and a supportive network of friends and family.  

Grant thus planned her life accordingly, though she said the timing of her goals was not always accurate due to life’s unexpected surprises.

“I had a vision and a dream at each age,” Grant said.

At this age, projects for  Grant include the recruitment of minority students from Wake Technical Community College to the University.