ABSTRACT: On my first day of work as a research engineer at Chevron in 1989, I placed a photo of my partner, who is now my legal husband, on my desk. That small act of disclosing my sexual orientation and "coming out” at work led to many, sometimes difficult, conversations about sexual orientation, diversity, inclusion, fairness, and equity in the workplace. While also working through the challenges of a technical career, I joined with other LGBTQ employees and allies throughout Chevron to make the business case for addressing those issues to corporate management. Our efforts directly contributed to Chevron making several major changes to its global policies, benefits, and culture, often for the first time in the traditionally conservative oil and gas industry.
Bio: Dr. Kirk A. Nass received a BS in ChemE from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. in ChemE from the University of Washington in Seattle. He retired from Chevron in 2020 after working for 31 years at the Richmond Technology Center in the San Francisco Bay Area, first as a polymer R&D engineer and later as a technical manager overseeing the development of performance additives for lubricating oils and gasoline. Dr. Nass holds several US and international patents and received two company Presidential awards for his contributions. In 1991, Dr. Nass was a founding Board member of the Chevron Lesbian and Gay Employees Association, now known as Chevron PRIDE, and held various Board positions, including Chair, for 10 years. During that time, Chevron added sexual orientation to its non-discrimination and non-harassment policies, extended domestic partner benefits to all employees, and officially recognized employee diversity networks. Dr. Nass and his husband, Michael E. Gillespie, established scholarships intended for LGBTQ engineering undergraduates at both the University of Illinois and the University of Washington to support the development and mentorship of diverse STEM talent.
