The course “Afrochemistry: Study of Black-Life Matter” will be offered by Rice University in Houston starting in the spring semester.
John LeFevre, a former investment banker who is now an author, criticized the university for integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion activities with chemistry in screenshots he posted online.
“Afrochemistry course is for undergraduate students and does not include a final exam,” reads the screenshot. The description states the course will help students better understand “Black life in the US”. Also, the course will address the “inequities in chemistry and chemical education.”
The course is being called “the study of black-life matter” by the university, a play on words that combines scientific terminology with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
Describing the class, the university writes, “Students will apply chemical tools and analysis to understand Black life in the US and students will implement African American sensibilities to analyze chemistry. Diverse historical and contemporary scientists, intellectuals, and chemical discoveries will inform personal reflections and proposals for addressing inequities in chemistry and chemical education.”
Free entry-level ‘Afrochemistry’ course open to all students
The course has no additional tuition, is entry-level, and is open to all students, not only those interested in working in chemistry.
The description continues, “This course will be accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds, including STEM and non-STEM subjects. No prior understanding of chemistry or African American studies is required to participate in this course.
Another screenshot shows that Brooke Johnson, a Rice graduate with a PhD in chemistry from Princeton, will teach the course.
Training lens on the course, John LeFevre called it “wild”. Along with the screenshots, he wrote, “This wild… DEI is coming for the hard sciences at Rice University, with a class called ‘Afrochemistry.’ The class ‘will implement African American sensibilities to analyze chemistry… and inequities in chemistry and chemical education.’ Of course, ‘there is no final exam.’”