The Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition (CSC 2025) is delighted to highlight Dr. André K. Isaacs as one of its plenary speakers. The Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) had a chance to sit down with Dr. Isaacs and explore how his love of chemistry began and discuss his advocacy work in the Queer & BIPOC community.

CIC: Thank you for speaking with us. Can you start by telling us about your early life growing up in Jamaica? How did you become interested in the sciences?

Dr. André K. Isaacs: My love for science began as a child growing up in Jamaica. My mother wanted her children to live a better life than her, and education was the way out. She invested heavily in my primary and secondary education. She worked many jobs to pay my tuition fees. I attribute my love of chemistry to my father’s brother who taught me chemistry. He was a teacher that had a unique ability of connecting science to his students’ lived experiences. I fell in love with chemistry as a result and decided to pursue it in college.

CIC: That’s very interesting. How did you choose to pursue your degree in the US?

A.I.: Unfortunately, tragedy led me to pursue a degree in the US. I was accepted to the University of the West Indies (UWI) to pursue a degree in Pure and Applied Sciences. On the night before my General Certificate Exam (GCE), a standardized exam based in the UK in Chemistry, my uncle and mentor passed away from a violent attack by criminals. I was devastated, deferred my acceptance to UWI, and decided to leave Jamaica for a fresh start. I applied to colleges in the U.S. for my undergraduate education. My pursuit of chemistry has been to honor his contribution to my education and to realize his dream of being a research scientist.

CIC: I am so sorry to hear that. I am sure that he would be very proud of your accomplishments today. As an advocate in the sciences for the Queer & BIPOC community, do you think this brings a unique perspective to your work?

A.I.: Science is better when we leverage our unique perspectives and contributions. Many of the most successful and influential scientists I admire in the US are immigrants, women and people of color. My identity as a queer, black immigrant informs how I view the world and impacts how I approach science. I strongly believe there is no challenge too great for the scientific community if we have a diverse workforce that can bring new solutions and approaches to the questions we ask.

CIC: What advice would you give to young Queer or BIPOC individuals aspiring to pursue a career in science?

A.I.: Find a supportive community that encourages you to bring your authentic self to the science you do. You can only do good science when you don’t leave aspects of your identity at the door of the lab. Seek out institutions, industries, and communities that value what you bring to the table.

CIC: Who are some of your role models in the field?

A.I.: I have numerous role models! Carolyn Bertozzi, Richmond Sarpong, Neil Garg, and Tehshik Yoon are some of the brilliant chemists I admire. They are changing the world with their science, mentorship, and humanity.

CIC: Do you plan to attend the talks of other plenary speakers that will be present at the CSC conference in Ottawa?

A.I.: I will be attending all the plenary sessions! I’m excited to hear from all the other speakers. I’ve long admired their work.

CIC:  What will be the topic of your talk at the CSC conference? What can attendees expect?

A.I.: I’m excited to share my research on synthesizing Nitrogen Heterocycles using C. This work has been done in collaboration with undergraduates exclusively. As a result, I’ll also be sharing my thoughts on how we can improve our pedagogy to build a scientific community that’s inclusive and inspires the next generation.

To see Dr. Isaacs speak in person, register for the CSC 2025 conference now!