As Professor Frey made her way through her own chemistry education, she realized that although her male mentors were very supportive of her pursuing a career as a chemist, they didn’t understand how her parenting duties were much different from theirs. They didn’t have to worry about their kids as much, buy groceries, and either stay home with the kids or take them to the doctor when they were sick. Though more and more males are taking on domestic care of home and family, this is still a barrier for many women socially and culturally.

She acknowledges there are still many barriers for women and BIPOC students that are deeply woven into policy, environmental, social, and cultural issues across the board. Professor Frey works to educate underrepresented students and their majority gender and race peers about the barriers that they face and how we can begin to dismantle them. Students need to know what their peers have to face so they can work together to create an educational and research environment that encourages all students to persist and find their own creative ways to fulfill their dreams of becoming a chemist.

Professor Frey would like all students, especially women, and BIPOC, to understand that there are many different ways for each individual to decide what makes them happy and fulfilled, and it will probably be different than what their peers want and need. She hopes we can begin to allow each other to decide within ourselves what is best for our families and ourselves. As women and BIPOC students continue to question their ability to continue in chemistry, Professor Frey is emphatic that if they want it, they can find a way, there is a path for them, and she’s there to help them.