MIT's ChemREFS (resources for easing friction and stress) is a group of graduate students trained and certified in conflict mediation and resolution. The mission of ChemREFS is to improve the graduate student experience in MIT Chemistry by serving as a confidential resource for chemistry graduate students, faculty, and staff.
Furthermore, ChemREFS act as advocates for chemistry graduate students in meetings with Faculty REFS and Department Head meetings. Historically, ChemREFS have encouraged the department to establish policies for better student/advisor communications as well as clearer standards for graduate student qualification examinations, and have also worked with other chemistry student groups on establishing a department code of conduct.
I joined ChemREFS in Spring of 2021 in hopes of supporting efforts to better departmental culture and student experiences at MIT Chemistry.
