A group of 26 student participants in the MIT ACCESS program pose as a group in front of MIT's Killian Court. A view of the MIT dome is in the background.

2026 ACCESS student participants.

Image courtesy of Dr. Sunhee Bae.

26 Students Participate in the 2026 MIT ACCESS Program

by Karen Baird | Department of Chemistry |
Categories: Events, Faculty, Students

The mission of the ACCESS program is to increase the diversity of qualified applicants to PhD programs in chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science.

The Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering held a joint program, welcoming students to campus on October 1-3, 2026.

The mission of the ACCESS program is to increase the diversity of qualified applicants to PhD programs in chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science throughout the United States. ACCESS is a weekend of educational and informative events that will introduce talented sophomores, juniors and seniors to the benefits of a graduate education in these fields. The goal of ACCESS is not to prepare students for graduate school at MIT specifically, but rather to introduce them to the advantages of choosing a graduate career path at an institution that best meets each participant’s individual needs.

The weekend-long program offered students an overview of graduate education through seminars, faculty talks, and interactive sessions, all designed to give a greater understanding of the application process and an insight into the career opportunities that stem from PhD programs. The majority of participants in prior years have applied for and enrolled in PhD programs.

Thirteen of the program’s 26 attendees participated in the Chemistry schedule, which kicked off with a welcome from Department Head and Class of 1942 Professor Matt Shoulders. Chemistry faculty and alumni engaged with students throughout the weekend. Professors Kit Cummins and Alex Radosevich, and PhD student, Alex Cumming spoke on the Graduate Admissions panel; and Assistant Professor Sam Peng, Dr. Whitney Hess, and Dr. Andrew DiChiaria engaged with the participants in the Careers in Chemistry panel. Moungi Bawendi, Lester Wolfe Professor of Chemistry, provided the keynote address.

In addition, the weekend included a campus tour, a Duck Boat tour, a Quantum Dots presentation with members of the Bawendi Group, a Communications Workshop, and two-minute drills. The program concluded with a reception dinner.

To learn more about the MIT ACCESS program, including how to apply, visit the MIT ACCESS website.