2026 RAISE Up Inclusive STEM Retreat

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 11:45 AM - 4:45 PM

2026 PDF Program

The RAISE Up Inclusive STEM Retreat brings STEM students together with faculty, alumni, and other professionals from academia and industry! We’ll be exploring options for your future in STEM, addressing your career and education questions, and forging a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community together.

Mission Statement: The goal of the retreat is to educate, empower, and inspire Lafayette students, faculty, and staff by offering dynamic and interactive programming with workshops, networking opportunities, and alumni panels.

2026 Schedule

Luncheon: Marquis

Registration (11:45 AM – 12:00 PM)
Marquis Lobby

Plated Lunch (12:00 PM – 1:15 PM)
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Raychelle Burks
Bergethon Dining Hall

Dr. Raychelle Burks is an award-winning forensic chemist, science communicator, and Provost Associate Professor at American University. A Fellow of the American Chemical Society and recipient of the prestigious Grady-Stack Award, Dr. Burks is renowned for her research in forensic sensors and her unique ability to make science accessible through pop culture.

A sought after science communicator, Dr. Burks appeared on the Science Channel’s Outrageous Acts of Science and will soon be appearing on the Smithsonian Channel’s The Curious Life and Death Of, as well as ACS Reactions videos, Royal Society of Chemistry podcasts, and at genre conventions such as DragonCon and GeekGirlCon. Dr. Burks helped create and organize SciPop Talks!, which blends science and pop culture, and she writes the forensic science–true crime column Trace Analysis for Chemistry World.

A colorful hand-drawn graphic combining text and cartoony images. RAISE UP INCLUSIVE STEM RETREAT: Keynote with Dr. Raychelle Burks, Provost Associate Professor of CHemistry at American University [picture of Dr. Burks, a Black woman with braids] February 7th, 2026 Happy Black History Month! Black joy is resistance. They want you isolated and joyless. You are your best thing! Joy is shared! Mutual care and community! [picture of Polaroid photos of people smiling together] 30 Minutes Rule to collect ourselves: park that car. No, they cannot have our joy. We have things to do -- together. [picture of a parked car at the base of a formidable mountain] Fight the dumpster fire! [picture of a dumpster on fire with a disco ball reflecting the light] I will not give them what they want. We do not surrender our joy. We love who we love and we have a damn good time! [picture of the Lafayette leopard mascot in lab coat and safety glasses, holding a kite that resembles the RAISE logo] Micro-Affirmations: excellence, openness, and opportunity. What is bringing you joy? Share! Joy in our work and research! [picture of a Black woman happily using a microscope] "I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal." - Toni Morrison
Workshops: Rockwell

Session 1 (1:30 PM – 2:10 PM)
A Conversation with Dr. Raychelle Burks (Rockwell 362)
Achievement Without Exhaustion in STEM (Rockwell 262)
Community Over Competition: Redefining STEM Culture (Rockwell 104)

Break (2:10 PM – 2:20 PM)
Snacks in Dyer Center

Session 2 (2:20 PM – 3:00 PM )
Building Inner Confidence in STEM (Rockwell 104)
Combatting Biases in STEM (Rockwell 360)
Unlocking the Secrets of College Success: A First-Gen Workshop (Rockwell 362)
Where Science Meets Story: The Intersection between STEM and the Humanities (Rockwell 262)

Hot Seats: Rockwell

Industry and Graduate School Discussions with Early-Career Alumni (3:10 PM – 3:50 PM)
Engineering & Infrastructure (Rockwell 362)
Education & Community Impact (Rockwell 104)
Health Care (Rockwell 462)
Research & Innovation (Rockwell 460)
Business & Technology (Rockwell 360)

Reception: Rockwell

RAISE a Glass Reception (4:00 PM – 4:45 PM)
Mocktails, Posters, and Networking
ECO Cafe and Courtyard