Workshops
All attendees are scheduled for one half-day workshop developed by COACh (https://coach.uoregon.edu/domestic-workshops/) This workshop focuses on Negotiation.
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Attendees rank their choice of breakout sessions during registration.
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Workshops
All attendees are scheduled for one half-day workshop developed by COACh (https://coach.uoregon.edu/domestic-workshops/) This workshop focuses on Negotiation.
​
Attendees rank their choice of breakout sessions during registration.
​
​
​
Workshops
All attendees are scheduled for one half-day workshop developed by COACh (https://coach.uoregon.edu/domestic-workshops/) This workshop focuses on Negotiation.
​
Attendees rank their choice of breakout sessions during registration.
​
​
​
Midwest Retreat for Pathways in Chemistry
June 19-21, 2026 | Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
Founder
Robbyn K. Anand
Dr. Robbyn K. Anand is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Iowa State University and the Carlyle G. Caldwell Endowed Chair in Chemistry. She earned her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin under the guidance of Prof. Richard M. Crooks as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Washington as a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellow.
Prof. Anand leads an internationally recognized research program at the interface of electrochemistry, microfluidics, and bioanalysis. Her group develops electrokinetic and electrochemical technologies for high-throughput separations, single-cell analysis, and point-of-care diagnostics, with applications ranging from cancer biology to water purification. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, industry partners, and private foundations.
She is the recipient of numerous honors, including the NSF CAREER Award, Cottrell Scholars Award, the American Electrophoresis Society Midcareer Award, and the Analytical Chemistry Young Innovator Award. She currently serves as Associate Editor for ACS Sensors and on the editorial advisory boards of multiple leading journals in analytical chemistry and electrochemistry.
In addition to her research leadership, Prof. Anand is the Founder of the Midwest Retreat for Pathways in Chemistry, an annual professional development retreat that connects graduate-level chemists with mentors across academia, industry, government, and emerging career sectors.
A few words from Robbyn K. Anand, founder of the Midwest Retreat for Pathways in Chemistry:
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"The idea for this Retreat began during a season of uncertainty in my own career. I was a postdoctoral researcher trying to decide what came next. I loved science, but I had real questions about what different career paths actually looked like in daily life, not just in theory, but in practice.
At the encouragement of my graduate advisor, I began having candid conversations with scientists about their experiences. In one of those conversations, I proposed bringing people together for an informal retreat -- a space with a high mentor-to-participant ratio, open dialogue, and practical professional development.
At the first retreat, I heard a story that changed me. A professor spoke honestly about the tradeoffs in her life. She described a moment when her child scraped a knee and ran to their father first. It stung, she admitted. But she also spoke about the pride she felt in her family, her partnership, and the meaningful work she was doing. She did not pretend there were no tradeoffs. She simply shared that, for her, the path was worth it.
For the first time, I could see myself clearly in that role. Not a perfect version of it but a real one. I left that retreat with clarity, and soon after, I applied for faculty positions. It was the best professional decision I have ever made. I now lead a research program and mentor students -- work that continues to bring me deep purpose.
What surprised me most at that first retreat was something else entirely. As attendees arrived, I felt a flash of panic. Their backgrounds, goals, and life circumstances were wide-ranging. How could one event possibly address so many different questions?
What I learned is that it wasn’t my role to have all the answers. The strength of the Retreat lies in the collective wisdom of its mentors and participants. When you create the right environment -- small groups, thoughtful panels, space for honest conversation -- people meet each other’s needs.
Since joining the faculty at Iowa State University, I have led a dozen retreats, serving more than 600 graduate-level chemists. The event is now organized by a multi-institutional team of graduate students who shape the program, invite mentors, and grow as leaders in the process.
Among the many moments that stay with me, one stands out. During a small-group discussion, a student asked a panelist, “How do you find the courage to be yourself in your profession?” The response was simple: “I test the waters -- a little at a time.” That exchange captured exactly why this Retreat exists. Science is deeply human work. We all navigate uncertainty, ambition, tradeoffs, and growth.
The Midwest Retreat for Pathways in Chemistry is built on the belief that honest conversations can change trajectories. Sometimes all it takes is one story, shared openly, to help someone see their own future more clearly."
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