Rice University received an onslaught of online mockery this week when news broke of their new "Afrochemistry" class that seeks to analyze science via a "contemporary Africa-American lens." The course description on the university's website explains students will "apply chemical tools and analysis to understand black life in the U.S." and "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," it read.
Brooke Johnson, a Rice graduate with a PhD in chemistry from Princeton hired last August as part of the university's DEI department, will instruct the class.
A flyer advertising a preview for the class used a cartoon of a student with an afro hairstyle pondering questions the course would address. They included "what does it look like to do science on one's own terms?", "what does justice look like in chemistry?", and "how does our society shape the science we do?"
The flyer explained the course would "explore the intersection of racial justice and chemistry." "We will approach chemistry using a historical and contemporary African American lens in order to analyze science and its impact," it read.
The class will not count toward a chemistry major but will give credit towards an African and African American studies minor. The description noted "no prior knowledge of chemistry or African American studies is required" and there is no final exam.
The private Houston-based university isn't the only prestigious school to endure mockery for over-playing the diversity card in the past week. Johns Hopkins took it on the chin when their DEI officer was forced to apologize for an over-zealous newsletter attempting to define "privilege."
The statement was bought to public attention, over 32 million views as of Friday, by the @EndWokeness X account where they posted the January 2024 newsletter of the school's Monthly Diversity Digest.
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