Local man continues to foster diversity, inclusion in the chemistry field

ALLISON PARK, Pa. — Inside the Allison Park PPG Research and Development Center, employees look to research and develop a wide variety of things.

“I’m helping work on a product that will help reduce corrosion in the automotive industry,” Josh Mitchell told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek from his lab.

Mitchell is a Chemistry Technical Assistant at PPG. He’s fairly new to the chemistry field.

“I started at Bidwell Training Center last May. I graduated this May, and I’ve been working here at PPG as a technical assistant for just under two months now,” Mitchell said.

Last year, he wanted a career change.

While in a program at Bidwell Training Center, his class took a field trip to PPG.

“From that day on I wanted to work here in research,” Mitchell said.

But, during his studies, he noticed something both at school and on these field trips.

“I never actually met a Black chemist previously,” he noted.

He also saw Black classmates dropping out of the program. It wasn’t a unique situation. There are only about 5,000 black chemists and chemical engineers in the country

Mitchell wanted to change that.

He started to look into what could be done, and found the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers – or NOBCChE.

“I think in any situation, representation matters,” said Dr. Bridgette Shannon, President of NOBCChE.

Mitchell contacted Shannon and worked to launch a Pittsburgh chapter of the organization.

The hope is to help Black chemists – and students – network and help start or grow their careers.

“We have to kind of dig deeper, going through that K-12 level, kind of targeting them and getting them excited about science, but not forgetting about them when they get to the next level,” Shannon said.

Leaders at Bidwell Training Center and PPG say they’re committed to helping Mitchell, and strive to continue to help foster diversity in the chemistry field.

“It’s going to be a great way to let people know about a thing that maybe they didn’t know was an option for them,” said Kelly Weiler, Chemical Lab Technician Program Director at Bidwell Training Center.

Mitchell said he’s excited for the future.

“I am hoping that with the help of NOBCChE, PPG, Bidwell Training Center, as well as other schools in the area, that Pittsburgh will be known for building Black professionals in the chemistry and science fields.”

The next chemical technician training program at Bidwell Training Center starts on October 7.

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