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Spelman College, a small (∼2150 students) Black women’s liberal arts college located in Atlanta, GA, USA, is dedicated to empowering women of African descent to become global leaders and change agents. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting abrupt and unforeseen campus closure, Spelman experienced pressure and urgency to maintain a high quality curriculum for its students, while balancing student and faculty well-being. This communication is a reflection of the teaching practices that the faculty in Spelman’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry implemented during the transition to emergency remote instruction (ERI). We first describe the initial week-long planning phase used to transition the Department to ERI, including detailed information on the faculty’s efforts to redesign lecture and lab courses via the adoption of new learning platforms, teaching strategies, and student learning objectives. Next, we use student survey data, collected by individual faculty, to reflect on the challenges, opportunities, and iterative course redesign that occurred throughout ERI. Student well-being, engagement, and adaptation were of particular concern and challenge to the Department during ERI. Nevertheless, by embracing a spirit of ”productive disorder”, the Department was able to channel its faculty ”superpowers” toward pedagogical change and transformation. More importantly, by allowing students to operate as independent and resilient learners in the time of COVID-19, we found that students rose to the challenge of creative expression and critique even in unconventional times.

The dehydration of 2- or 4-methylcyclohexanol to obtain isomers of methylcyclohexene is a classic organic chemistry experiment. Students perform a distillation, collecting samples to analyze the progress of the reaction. The reaction produces a major product that can be explained on the basis of the regiochemistry of the π bond formation for the α–β elimination process. Minor products can be attributed to the possible rearrangement of the carbocation through a hydride shift. We have added computational analysis to this classic experiment to help students understand alkene stability. The experiment was performed early in the sophomore organic chemistry laboratory, before students were introduced to the mechanistic perspectives that govern the reaction. The iSpartan analysis of the possible methylcyclohexene products combined with gas chromatography data provides students with an inquiry-based laboratory experience. A novice student can analyze the computational information about the products to determine the trend in product stability and determine if a double-bond is formed at an unexpected location in the molecule. The integration of computational tools provides more information to students than performing the experiment in isolation.

Culturally relevant pedagogy and critical race feminism can be utilized to challenge the inequality and masculine nature of chemistry. Such an approach is needed to increase the representation of Black women in STEM and can be leveraged to create a curriculum that addresses the lived experiences of these individuals. This approach can shift the dynamics of the learning environment by allowing students to take the lead in creating knowledge and, in the case of students, seeing how other Black women experience and contribute to the field of chemistry in meaningful ways. In acknowledging the intersection of gender, race, and personal interest in connection with culturally relevant pedagogies, learning strategies have been created to engage Black women. Student interview and survey data revealed their interest and growing knowledge of the relevance of science. The information also showed that completing the culturally relevant lab activities helped students see themselves as developing scientists. Based on the response to the activities, it is believed that the intentional design of an academically challenging and inclusive curriculum will enhance students' perception of themselves as scientists.

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