Chemistry and Biochemistry (CBC) Ph.D. candidate Abigail Gyamfi has earned the 2025 American Chemical Society Leader Scholars Award. The ACS Leader Scholars program recognizes outstanding undergraduate students, graduate students and early-career scientists.
“I am profoundly grateful to the American Chemical Society for their support in fostering my academic and professional growth,” Gyamfi said. “It was an incredible opportunity to learn from and connect with so many accomplished leaders in the chemical sciences. I am especially thankful to the Hratchian Group at UC Merced, including my fellow graduate student and 2024 ACS Leader Scholar, Brianna Aguilar-Solis, for their inspiration and support.”
This award reflects Gyamfi’s leadership potential and commitment to advancing the chemical sciences. In Fall 2025, with the support of CBC faculty, she collaborated with colleagues from the Chemistry and Biochemistry, Quantitative and Systems Biology and Bioengineering departments to establish the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) chapter at UC Merced. She currently serves as its president.
This competitive award provides scholars with year-long access to monthly professional development programs, leadership training, funding and networking opportunities led by professionals across STEM and social sciences in academia and industry. The program is designed to help scholars leverage their unique values, strengths and skills to flourish both personally and professionally.
As part of the program, Gyamfi was invited to participate in the ACS Student Experiences Meeting during the 2025 ACS National Conference in San Diego last March.
Gyamfi earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and master’s degree in occupational and environmental health and safety from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana.
Brenda Ortiz
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