HWIC+ Spotlight
Bailey Plaman
Graduate Student in the Kahne Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
My research takes a detailed & mechanism-oriented look at the early steps of transport of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a molecule found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria that acts as armor against molecules like antibiotics.
What's one thing on your Cambridge/New England bucketlist?
There's a tea company in Salem that I've been dying to visit - Jolie Tea Company.
What's your favorite quote?
"Teaching is important." - Dan Kahne
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
In Somerville so it's cheating, a Peruvian restaurant called Celeste.
Describe one of your role models.
Adrienne Maree Brown - she is a writer, and a social and environmental justice activist that centers the joy that can be found in work that facilitates community care.
What would you identify as the biggest impediment to your success as a woman/nonbinary person in STEM?
I think the culture of STEM careers can be very isolating. It's great that there is more representation for folks of diverse genders, but it's hard that administrative tasks typically fall on woman and nonbinary folks in labs. I have spent a lot of time trying to cultivate a better community within my lab, and men are able to spend that time on their research. It puts me at a disadvantage. Men need to step up and take responsibility for things beyond their individual research projects.
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
I have a lot of tattoos! Sometimes I forget about this and when I spot one it makes me really excited.
If you had to teach a non-chemistry course, what would it be?
I majored in both Spanish and Chemistry in my undergraduate studies. I would love to study and teach a course on the recent activism in Chile that led to their drafting a new constitution. My sister was studying abroad there at the time, and this movement really inspired me to get involved with labor organizing when I started here at Harvard.
What's the most valuable piece of advice you've ever received?
This is more of a synthesis of advice that I've received throughout my years: You know more than you think you know. Be confident, be yourself, and do your best in any moment - even if that's not 100%. How someone responds to you is more a reflection of them that it is of you.
Anna Renner
Graduate Student in the Myers Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
My research project involves the synthesis and biological evaluation of structurally novel tetracyclines with anticancer activity. By installing new substituents at a certain position on the tetracycline scaffold, I have been able to obtain compounds that have significantly improved potency.
What song would describe your life right now?
Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" (Symphony No. 8 in B minor). I currently have an unfinished dissertation (I'm currently writing parts of it) and will be really happy when it's finished.
What is your favorite element and why?
Carbon, because I love organic chemistry. :) At the moment my second favorite might be phosphorus because tributylphosphine has been a very important reagent for me lately.
What is your favorite spot on campus?
Naito Courtyard.
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
Isaac Newton, because he came up with important, fundamental ideas in math and physics and because I would like to travel back in time to when he was doing alchemy and inform him about modern chemistry.
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
Nice weather. In general, I really enjoy the weather in the Boston area.
Agnes Thorarinsdottir
Assistant Professor at University of Rochester, formerly Nocera Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
I am very excited about combining inorganic chemistry and electrochemistry and my research group will focus on using coordination chemistry strategies to creating new electrochemical systems for addressing problems in energy, catalysis, and environmental sustainability. We are particularly interested in developing strategies to control the chemical and physical properties of electrochemical interfaces to increase the energy efficiency and selectivity of reactions and devices.
What is your favorite element and why?
Silver. The reason is simple, Ag are the first two letters of my name. The first two letters of one of my brother's name is Au and we would refer to us as gold and silver. Note that there is a saying in Iceland along these ways: "Good silver is better than gold".
What's the most valuable advice you've ever received?
"You need to be the biggest critic of your own data."
What's something you're really passionate about?
I'm really passionate about eliminating the gender disparity in academia and increasing the diversity of chemistry faculties.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
As a kid, I really liked science because of how logical the scientific workflow was. You form an hypothesis (about whatever your mind takes you that day), design experiments to test the hypothesis, perform those experiments, analyze the data, and draw conclusions based on the data. I became particularly interested in chemistry because of the combination of theoretical courses and colorful lab courses (I'm a big firework enthusiast). After becoming older, I further realized the importance of scientists to make the world a better place and wanted to join the team.
What was the last experience that made you a stronger person?
Going through the academic job market last year definitely made me a stronger person. I needed to be prepared to deal with so many different personalities during interviews. I got much better at finding the balance of defending my ideas while still taking advice and being realistic.
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
Biking to work in the morning wakes me up and gets my mind ready for the day.
If you had to teach a non-chemistry course, what would it be?
"How to design the perfect firework show!"
Olivia Zhang
Grad Student: Liau Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
The projects I'm currently working on are aimed at understanding a protein that is a chromatin regulator. In particular, I'm interested in a specific resistance mutation of this protein and how it affects the interactions between the protein and certain small molecule inhibitors. Additionally, I'm studying how different small molecules work to inhibit and degrade this protein.
What is your dream career?
A horticulturist 🌱 I wish I had a green thumb but I really don't :(
What song would describe your life right now?
The Mii Plaza theme song
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I like discovering answers to everyday questions, so a career in science was a natural path for me to take. Many people in my family are interested in science and our conversations over the years grew my interest in the field. I still enjoy talking with my mom about my projects in lab to this day. Meeting new people and hearing their ideas is my main motivation for becoming a scientist. I love that science is always evolving and there is an endless amount of questions left to be answered.
What's one thing on your Cambridge/New England bucketlist?
Whale watching 🐳
What's your favorite quote?
"Oh, bother" -- Winnie the Pooh
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
Tampopo! It's run by a cute old couple and they have great katsu curry!
Christie Choi
Undergraduate
What's one thing on your Cambridge/New England bucketlist?
I want to go to a Boston Red Soxs vs New York Yankees game and root for the Yankees. I'm not sure if I will leave the stadium alive, but it would be pretty exciting to watch.
How has your experience in the field been as a woman? and/or any additional identities?
Being a FGLI (first generation, low-income) woman in chemistry has definitely been challenging. My parents are immigrants who do not come from financially well-off or educated backgrounds. Pursing chemistry, let alone at Harvard, was such a far-fetched dream for me. Now that I'm here, I have to admit it is scary at times. I want to support my family once I complete my education, but since I am an only child, I feel a lot of pressure to succeed. Since I did not come from a rigorous STEM background prior to college, I often found myself falling behind and in a perpetual state of confusion. While I have not yet found chemists who share similar identities/experiences as I do, I found a lot of support among FGLI students pursuing other fields. I am also incredibly grateful for the chemistry community. I have formed incredible relationships with other chemistry concentrators through classes and late night Pset sessions. My professors, advisors, TFs, and mentors (shoutout to Olivia!) have always empowered and motivated me. Though I do face a lot of challenges due to my identity, the people here do such a great job of making me feel welcomed and included.
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
Definitely Le's! Nothing beats a huge bowl of pho on a cold winter day.
What is your favorite element and why?
Palladium! It forms catalysts that do a lot of cool coupling reactions. It also has 10 d-electrons, and 10 is my favorite number.
What advice would you give your high school self?
Embrace the present. The present becomes the past really quickly, so make sure to enjoy every minute of your life. Have some fun; you deserve it.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I actually never thought I would pursue science. My 7th grade science teacher scared me away from science, so I was very set on studying math and humanities. During my freshman year, I was required to take a chemistry class. I had heard so many chemistry horror stories, so I was terrified. Thankfully, I had an amazing teacher, and I ended up really liking chemistry. Since then, I developed an immense love for chemistry. Because I went to a humanities-centered high school, I had very limited opportunities to study chemistry. It wasn't until college when I was finally confident in pursuing chemistry. The idea of being able to create a completely new compound with completely new properties from other compounds was fascinating. Learning about organic synthesis in Chem 20/30 and actually synthesizing compounds in a lab have been so satisfying and rewarding. Learning chemistry has made me better understand how the world works, and how perfect the world is. I also know that synthetic organic chemistry plays a major role in drug discovery and pharmaceuticals, so it's great to know that I have the potential to treat diseases and save people's lives in the future.
Dr. Rachelle Quach
Kishi Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
My project focuses on the synthesis of neonorhalichondrin B, a member of the halichondrin family of natural products that exhibit excellent anticancer activity. Due to their limited natural supply, chemical synthesis is required to access these complex molecules to further probe its medicinal properties. My synthesis utilizes new ketone coupling methodology that we have developed in the group to make these exciting compounds.
What's one thing on your Cambridge/New England bucketlist?
I want to see a moose!
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
For a special occasion, Oleana or Forage (they have amazing wine). Otherwise my go-to is Sumiao Hunan Kitchen - must try their cumin potato and impossible beef on fire!
What is your favorite element and why?
Gold - it is versatile and pretty.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
Super cliché but I wanted to help research novel drugs that could help save lives, but I also enjoyed mixing chemicals in high school.
What advice would you give your high school self?
Maybe go study in a field where there are jobs in NZ.
Malia Wenny
Mason Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
I study the relationship between liquid structure and gas absorption, with a focus on manipulating empty space within liquids to increase the solubility of gases like oxygen.
Describe one of your role models.
I wish we had more role models for women in science!
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I have many scientists in my family, so sometimes it feels a bit inevitable that I ended up in science (I am lucky). But, I ended up in chemistry because I had amazing chemistry teachers in both high school and college that made chemistry both challenging and exciting to learn!
What is your dream career?
Not to be snarky, but I am dreaming about finding a career that makes me happy.
What would you identify as the biggest impediment to your success as a woman in STEM?
Unintentional bias against women in science + imposter syndrome
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
Quiet time alone at home in the evening #introverted
If you had to teach a non-chemistry course, what would it be?
Introductory violin...is that a course?
What advice would you give your high school self?
You know what you like, you should be confident about showing it!
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
Non-fancy: El Jefe's "Fancy": Orinoco
What's something you're really passionate about?
Dark chocolate chips. The shape makes all the difference.
How has your experience in the field been as a woman? and/or any additional identities?
Overall I have had a good experience in chemistry as a woman with many supportive mentors and peers. But I have also experienced both outright bias against women in science and "unintentional" bias. Perhaps ironically, the outright bias was easier for me to ignore. I find that the unacknowledged assumptions we make about someone's ability/desire/interest just because of their identity can sometimes be much more harmful than more blatant discrimination.
What is your favorite element and why?
My favorite element is fluorine, partially because I work with fluorinated compounds, but also because I enjoy that it can be both terrifying (HF) and inert (biology doesn't know what to do with a C-F bond!).
Dr. Grace E. Kenney
Balskus Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
I'm interested in identifying proteins that do new chemistry. I'm currently studying a new metalloenzyme family that forms nitrogen-nitrogen bonds in a surprisingly diverse range of natural products.
What is your favorite element and why?
I think my research history leaves me contractually obliged to list both copper and iron. I've spent a great deal of time over the years studying copper- and iron-binding metalloenzymes and natural products, and trying to understand the fun redox chemistry they catalyze. Also, metalloenzymes come in such a pleasing array of colors!
What's one of your silliest proudest accomplishments?
I once helped design and build a two-story tall Trojan My Little Pony.
Who are some of the female chemists that have played an important role in your career?
Dr. JoAnne Stubbe was willing to take me on as an unpromising Course 5 undergraduate at MIT, and working on bleomycin in her group sparked my enduring interests in bioinorganic chemistry and in natural products. As a doctoral student at Northwestern University, Dr. Amy Rosenzweig helped me chart a somewhat meandering path through the biosynthesis, regulation, and transport of the copper-binding natural product methanobactin. And of course as a postdoctoral researcher, I’ve been working with Dr. Emily Balskus to decipher the roles of some unusual metalloenzymes in nitrogen-nitrogen bond formation in natural product biosynthesis.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I stumbled into it by accident because of a summer program I attended after my junior year in high school. As an inveterate reader, I'd vaguely assumed I was going to get an English degree (or possibly figure out how to build up a portfolio and apply to art school, since I did a fair amount of drawing and painting) - no one in my family did anything remotely related to science, engineering, or even medicine. But the Research Science Institute was free (never a bad thing with younger siblings who also needed to be able to do summer activities), and doing actual science research while getting out of town for the summer sounded interesting enough. As it turned out, I found actually working in a lab and solving new scientific problems to be rather more compelling than simply taking science courses had been, and it completely changed the trajectory of my life.
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
Tea. I made the decision to become a tea snob rather than a coffee snob when I moved in next to a coffee shop when starting grad school (the excellent Metropolis, recommended if one happens to be in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood.) It was an excellent life choice.
What's your favorite quote?
I ended up prefacing my dissertation with two epigraphs, and I think I stand by them both: "The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next." (Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Left Hand of Darkness.”) and "Nicht Kunst und Wissenschaft allein / Geduld will bei dem Werke sein." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Faust I”)
If you had to teach a non-chemistry course, what would it be?
While I'm certainly not really qualified to teach it, I could probably cobble something together regarding the history of underground/alternative/experimental music between, oh, 1980 and the present day? That, or possibly something to do with digital graphic design.
Lisa Awaitey
Betley Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
Nitrogen fixation is the six-proton, six-electron reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia, which is utilized in the production of pharmaceuticals and agricultural fertilizers. Nitrogenase enzymes use small inorganic cofactors to facilitate this reduction. Unfortunately, these highly reactive intermediates form exclusively under catalytic conditions and rapidly turn over, leading to short lifetimes unsuitable for isolation and characterization. For this reason, we turn to synthetic structural and/or electronic model complexes to provide insight into the mechanism of activity in nitrogenase. During my doctoral studies, I aim to probe how hydridic clusters can mediate reduction of unsaturated substrates akin to nitrogenase activity.
What is your favorite spot on campus?
Smith Center
What advice would you give your high school self?
Relax, it is all going to work out... also, buy some bitcoin.
Describe one of your role models.
My dad. He was smart, honest and kind. The best person I knew.
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
Orinoco.
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
St. Elmo Brady. He was the first African American to earn a PhD in chemistry. I'd be curious to hear about his experience.
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
The new ping pong table!
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Shelby Roseman
Liau Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
The 3D organization of DNA in the nucleus is important for regulating gene expression, but the factors responsible for this organization are poorly understood. My goal is to develop new tools that allow for an improved understanding of how DNA is organized and the implications of disrupting this DNA structure.
What is your favorite place to eat out in Cambridge?
Ugh this is a hard one! I was originally going to say Sarma but that's in Somerville (still- go there!). Maybe Punjabi Dhaba. Oh, and Bagelsaurus!
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
My first research-y experience was actually for an occupational therapy internship in high school. I was studying Sensory Processing Disorder, which affected many of our patients with autism. I was super into the science aspect of the project, and thought it would be interesting to conduct lab-based autism research for my next year's internship, but I couldn't find a position in that field and wound up finding a spot in a basic molecular biology lab instead! The lab gave me my own mini-project, which I really enjoyed. Along with an excellent chemistry teacher that year, that independent project convinced me to go into science.
What's a small thing that makes your day better?
When my cats come greet me at the door at the end of a long day :D
What advice would you give your high school self?
Be intentional, be mindful, and be gentle towards yourself and others.
What's something you're really passionate about?
Food! I love eating, cooking, and learning about food science. I especially love when I have the opportunity to cook for family and friends.
How has your experience in the field been as a woman? and/or any additional identities?
My experience as a woman in chemical biology has been really positive overall! I'm lucky to have been surrounded by strong female mentors and colleagues throughout my scientific career so far. I feel really fortunate to have entered into science when I did, after many women had already paved the way. HWIC has also been a huge support throughout grad school!
Joy Cho
Mason Lab
What are you studying in the lab?
I work on creating aqueous media with increased gas solubility for potential biomedical and energy applications. A particular focus of my research is to increase oxygen solubility in water through stably dispersing microporous nanoparticles.
What is your favorite book, movie and/or TV show?
My favorite book is "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" by John le Carré, and my favorite movie is Parasite. As for TV shows, I'd have to say it's a tie between season 1 of Sherlock (BBC) and Chernobyl (HBO).
What is your favorite element and why?
Tungsten! I was first introduced to scientific research through working with tungsten-based nanomaterials, so it holds a special place in my heart. Its elemental symbol also has a pretty interesting story: W stands for "wolfram" because tin ores containing tungsten had such low yields that smelters used to say tungsten devoured tin "like a wolf."
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
I would like to meet Rosalind Franklin. She was such a phenomenal scientist and an instrumental figure in perhaps one of the greatest discoveries in science, but was largely unrecognized during her lifetime. I would like to hear her story in her own words about being a female scientist, and what she had to overcome.
What would you identify as the biggest impediment to your success as a woman in STEM?
While I definitely was fortunate to have great and supportive colleagues and mentors, I think the greatest impediment is the implicit stereotypes about women and STEM. There are gender-based perceptions and labels that we - I myself included - accept without really questioning at times, and I think that prevents society from seeing women in STEM as something that should be the norm.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
During undergrad, I realized I enjoyed lab courses immensely. Apart from making fascinating colors and crystals (which was a huge boon), I liked how there was room for mistakes, and what you can learn from systematically troubleshooting them. I was also fascinated by the fact that one could spend a lifetime pursuing questions that are of interest to oneself, and also have that be beneficial to the world.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
I enjoy watching European and Korean football leagues and reading about commercial aircraft.
What is a 'hidden talent' people in CCB might not know about you?
I can drink iced coffee very, very quickly in large quantities.
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Seresa McDowell
Kahne Lab
What are you working on in the lab?
As a research assistant in the Kahne Lab in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, I use synthetic chemistry to analyze the structural-activity relationship of known antibiotics. The data collected will assist in the lab’s continued research in the biogenesis of the gram-negative bacterial outer membrane.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Scenic walks while enjoying music.
What is your favorite element and why?
Oxygen because taking deep breaths of it can be uplifting.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
It's factual
What advice would you give your high school self?
Be patient with yourself, smaller puzzle pieces come together to form a bigger picture.
What is your favorite spot on Earth?
My mom's couch
Ally Freedy
Liau Lab (MD/PhD track)
What are you studying in the lab?
I study resistance mutations to small molecule inhibitors of a protein that is commonly mutated in lymphoma. The protein I study is a chromatin regulator that is responsible for controlling which genes are expressed at any given time in any given cell in our body. Chromatin regulators like the one I study are mutated in a lot of cancers and for that reason are important drug targets for anti-cancer therapies. In fact, one of the inhibitors I study is clinically approved and is being used to treat lymphoma patients in the clinic right now! I study resistance mutations to these inhibitors. Resistance mutations are genetic variants that cancers can develop to make them impervious to the anti-cancer effects of an anti-cancer drug. By studying these resistance mutations, we learn more about the biology of the cancer and develop new anti-cancer therapies!
What was your proudest moment during your tenure as HWIC president?
Can I say 2 proudest moments? :)
My first proudest moment was watching the HWIC community come together to serve our community during the COVID19 shutdown and shiftwork. There were multiple times where I heard that the events we put on as HWIC made a difference for our community in what was a very difficult time. I was proud when I heard that our Science at Home posters were being distributed at local schools (a CCB staff member’s child got one of our posters from her science teacher at school!). I was proud when 30 mentor-mentee pairs participated in the inaugural virtual event for our undergraduate mentoring program. Lastly, I was proud when I and 20 other people joined our virtual book club and got to connect meaningfully over Zoom! I’m extremely proud of the way we adapted to serve the HWIC, CCB and local communities during what was an extremely challenging time for our community.
My second proudest moment has been watching the new initiatives that HWIC has started this semester blossom J There are so many initiatives that it is hard to outline them all here, but I think one initiative that has made me incredibly proud is the new W(h)ine about it initiative. Seeing women from the department have a safe space to come together at the last two W(h)ine about it events in a casual atmosphere has been truly beautiful to witness. I think it is clear from the positive feedback we have gotten recently that all of our initiatives are filling an important role in the CCB community. I’ve been so proud to sit back and watch the amazing work HWIC has done this semester.
What are your hopes for the future of HWIC?
I think the future of HWIC is really bright. My primary hope for HWIC is that the HWIC community continues to serve as an inclusive, supportive and diverse community for women in the Harvard CCB community. A lot of the initiatives we currently have are fabulous and I can’t wait to see how these initiatives grow over the years. I’m also excited to watch as new initiatives get brought into the HWIC community by future generations of HWIC members. I am very inspired by the current HWIC board and know that the community is in good hands with them at the helm for the coming year. Overall, I’m just excited to sit back and watch as the community continues to blossom and comes up with new creative ways to best serve the needs of women at Harvard CCB!
Burdicks or Toscanini?
Burdicks for sure! Chocolate is probably my favorite food of all time.
What motivates you to pursue medicine?
I first became motivated to pursue medicine watching my grandmother suffer from cancer for 15 years when I was growing up. After watching her go through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and seeing how hard it was on her and my grandfather, I decided that I wanted to serve patients like her and work with them as they learn what it means to live life with a cancer diagnosis. Since that time, I’ve been motivated to pursue medicine as an oncologist. I became interested in research because I wanted to identify alternative cancer therapeutics that have more tolerable side effect profiles than chemotherapy, ultimately with the same goal of helping cancer patients live life more fully while recovering from a cancer diagnosis.
What is your all time favorite musical?
Probably Les Misérables (Les Miz), it’s the first musical I ever saw on Broadway in New York City! Les Miz is a retelling of Victor Hugo’s classic novel (also called Les Misérables) where it follows the life of an ex-convict during the French Revolution. It’s one of my favorites because of its portrayal of justice, mercy, and salvation. The Finale is one of my favorite songs of all time for the way that it beautifully and uniquely portrays heaven.
What is your favorite part of HWIC? / What will you miss the most about HWIC?
My favorite part of the HWIC community is the wonderful individuals that make it up! I especially love how HWIC is a community that is united by its support of women in chemistry, but on other axes is very diverse. As a chemical biologist and a medical student, apart from HWIC, I would rarely interact with anyone studying other disciplines of chemistry. I love how our community has grown over the years to include members from all disciplines of chemistry! More than that, through HWIC, I’ve met many individuals with life experiences beyond the lab that are different from my own. I’ve learned so much from everyone I’ve met and will miss getting to see everyone at the HWIC events!
Miranda Walter
Mason Lab
What is your research about?
I work on developing zeolite-based porous liquids in order to improve the solubility of gas molecules in common solvents. Improving the absorption and release of gas molecules in a liquid medium can have a wide variety of sustainable energy and biomedical applications.
What is your favorite spot on Earth?
My abuela's house in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The house is incredibly old and she has a ton of antiques and old family photos that she's accumulated over the years. Plus I get to see family and the food is SO much better over there.
What is your dream career?
Owning a bakery with cottagecore vibes and cute, embroidered merchandise for sale.
What would you identify as the biggest impediment to your success as a woman in STEM?
Probably not speaking out enough. Women are often judged for being outspoken in a society that welcomes it in men. Over the years, I've internalized this. Not talking is a direct impediment to research though and it's something I'm actively working on.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I honestly thought I was terrible at science until middle school. Then some of the teachers formed a club aimed at getting girls more involved in STEM and I loved it! I also had an incredible chemistry teacher in high school who made the subject interesting and fun.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Baking! I have a mild sugar addiction and sometimes a good stress-baking session is the perfect thing after a hard week.
Anne Marie Crooke
Balskus Lab
What are you studying?
My work focuses on understanding how microbes build complex molecules with unique functional groups.
What keeps you going when it gets tough?
My community! I feel very lucky to have a supportive group of friends and family that always help me keep perspective.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
I love to bake!
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I was always fascinated by how scientists uncovered the mysteries of the natural world. I became excited about the idea of venturing into the unknown and hoped that the discoveries I made along the way would positively contribute to society.
What advice would you give your high school self?
Asking questions is a strength, not a weakness. Let yourself be curious and critical, and once you start asking questions, don't stop!
How have you had to adapt to the pandemic?
I've learned to find joy in the small things.
Dr. Jennifer D. Lee
Friend Lab
What are you studying?
My current project focuses on the development of copper-based heterogeneous catalysts for energy efficient processes, with a special focus on selective hydrogenation reactions. My research is part of the efforts in Integrated Mesoscale Architectures for Sustainable Catalysis (IMASC), a DOE energy frontier research center.
What is your favorite spot on Earth?
Any spot that I can spend quality time with my family.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I think it all started when I was inspired by the way science explains how and why things happen the way they do. It is always encouraging to learn how scientists come up with ideas to solve a problem and overcome a global challenge. It is also fascinating to learn how science evolved throughout time, and I’m even more curious to know where it will take us in the future. And although this might sound cliché, I really do believe we can use science to make the world a better place and I am thrilled to be a part of this community.
How has your experience in the field been as a woman? and/or any additional identities?
It has been a great experience for me so far! I am fortunate to work in a welcoming and supportive environment for women. During my Ph.D. time at Penn, I served as a board member of Women+ in Chemistry, where we organize events to support women to grow professionally and personally. I’m proud to be a part of these efforts and will continue to engage in similar opportunities and to be an advocate for women in science.
What keeps you going when it gets tough?
Knowing there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel and there’s someone I can always count on.
Dr. Rebecca Sherbo
Nocera Lab + Silver Lab
What are you working on in the lab?
My research focuses on using bacteria that fix carbon dioxide and dinitrogen to form food products such as proteins, vitamins and amino acids. I am working to genetically modify the bacteria that can fix both carbon and nitrogen to make high yields of the desired products, as well as grow the bacteria using renewable energy for completely sustainable food products.
What is your favorite element and why?
Bismuth! Crystallized bismuth is so amazing it doesn't look real.
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
I'd love to meet Lise Meitner, the famous female physicist. There are so many things I want to know about her life! Lise Meitner discovered nuclear fission, escaped Germany as a Jewish woman during WWII, was passed over in favour of her male colleagues for the Nobel prize, and, of course, and was one of extremely few female scientists at the time. I would love to hear her life story.
What keeps you going when it gets tough?
Research can be really hard when things aren't going well and experiments aren't working. The key for me is to be passionate about my research, and when things aren't working day-to-day, reminding myself about the big picture and why I'm excited about my project. Taking a day or two to think, reassess and relax can also be really important.
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Alaina Hartnett
Nocera Lab
What are you studying?
I design different mixed metal films as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. Broadly, we are interested in investigating catalytic materials for renewable energy-related reactions such as water splitting (and hydrogen fuel production).
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Dance! I take every opportunity to take classes at local studios in every style from ballet to heels to hip hop.
What is your favorite element and why?
Cobalt- a beautiful and useful element!
What is your favorite spot on Earth?
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (Kenya)- I spent a semester doing field work here and in other places around Kenya, and there is no place like it! It's amazing!
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
Rosalind Franklin- her discoveries were so important, and she does not get the credit she deserves.
What is your favorite book, movie and/or TV show?
Book: Harry Potter Movie: Lord of the Rings TV Show: Love Island
How have you had to adapt to the pandemic?
Quarantine and lock-downs can be very isolating, so I learned to really prioritize relationships with family and friends and be more purposeful in making connections. We all need a community to lean on, especially in tough times! (I also learned some great new cooking skills)
What is your dream career?
Hopefully something in renewable energy!
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I was definitely inspired by my awesome parents, who are both biologists. Growing up, I also really enjoyed my science classes.
What keeps you going when it gets tough?
Good friends and good dogs.
What is a 'hidden talent' people in CCB might not know about you?
I used to be my school's jazz band drummer!
Samantha Angle
Jacobsen Lab
What is your research about?
I am working on developing a catalytic enantioselective reaction. The goal of the project is to be able to develop a new catalyst which can control the absolute stereochemistry of continuous stereocenters within various classes of small molecules.
Describe one of your role models.
One of my role models is my high school chemistry teacher. Throughout my time in organic chemistry I have mostly existed in male dominated spaces yet have had a few female mentors who have really encouraged me. My high school chemistry teacher told me that she took a job teaching high school chemistry to try and encourage people who looked like her to enter scientific fields. She was the first chemist I had ever met and so at a formative age I was exposed to a strong woman in science.
What is your dream career?
My dream career is to work in pharmaceuticals doing drug development. I feel so lucky to have a career path where I can use my academic passion to help develop life saving medicines.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
In high school I was lucky enough to work in a chemistry lab at a local university. I really loved the explorative aspect of science and the collaborative nature of working in a lab. I haven't looked back since then.
Clare Canavan
Kahne Lab
What is your research about?
I study two key cell wall synthesis enzymes (called penicillin-binding proteins) in MRSA that contribute to antibiotic resistance. I am using biochemical assays and structural biology techniques to characterize the interaction between these two proteins.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Spending time in the sun with my friends!
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
Alice Ball! I recently learned about her work - she developed a method to isolate compounds that could be used to treat leprosy when it was a huge threat to public health in Hawaii. I think her chemistry work was really cool and I’d love to hear about her experience as a Black woman in higher ed and STEM.
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
I always knew that I didn’t want to be a doctor, but I loved the idea of medicine and helping fight disease. Once I took some biochemistry classes in high school and college, I was sold - I was fascinated with understanding how things function in cells and I was determined to work on something that could be even a small puzzle piece in helping push the medical field forward.
What's the most valuable piece of advice you've ever received?
Don’t underestimate small kindness. If you appreciate someone’s sense of humor or like their outfit, tell them - don’t hold yourself back from sharing little moments of warmth and compassion.
Mandy Liu
Mason Lab
What are you studying?
I work on the design and synthesis of novel metal-organic networks with interesting phase behaviors, such as melting and glass transition. These networks affords liquids and glasses with unique structures and dynamics, and their homogeneity and fluidity promote processability of metal-organic compounds and therefore their applications as functional materials.
What is your favorite spot on earth?
Any comfortable seat on a sunny afternoon with a gin tonic and a good book.
What inspired you to be a scientist?
It's probably different from many other people's experience, I was first attracted to the "romantic" aspects of science. Growing up I enjoyed reading a lot and thought I would do a humanity related subject in the future. When I first started taking chemistry classes in college, I was impressed by how beautifully written chemistry literature can be. The appreciation of learning the subject led me to do research in a materials chemistry lab, where I was immediately fascinated by the idea of transforming starting materials into something that has never existed before, some of them are even pretty! Of course scientific research is more than its romantic sides, and I have been learning to embrace uncertainties, failures, and confusions that come with it.
What keeps you going when it gets tough?
Curiosity to see and experience something new.
Who's been an important role model for you?
One of my role models in science is the graduate student who mentored me for three years in undergrad. On my first day in lab he told me he was there to help me become a better scientist than he is. His faith in lifting me/other people up still inspires me until five years later today, and I hope I can positively impact people the way he did for me.
Dr. Agnes Thorarinsdottir
Nocera Lab
What are you working on?
My research focuses on designing and studying low-cost electrocatalytic systems that may facilitate the conversion of renewable electricity into fuels and valuable chemicals.
What is your favorite element and why?
My favorite element is silver. The reason is simple because my name (Agnes) starts with Ag. We also have a phrase in Icelandic that says: "good silver is better than gold", which originates from the fact that the Icelandic men's national team in handball won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics!
Describe one of your role models
One of my role models in life is my grandfather. He was a high school math teacher and got me really interested in STEM subjects. I studied with him from elementary school and through my high school years in Akureyri Junior College.
If you could meet any single scientist throughout history, who would you choose to meet and why?
This is a really tough one, as there are so many scientists that I would love to have been able to meet. If I could only choose one, I think I would go for Marie Curie. Being a woman in STEM in the early 20th century and winning two Nobel Prizes, enough words said!
Why did you decided to pursue science as a career? What inspired you to become a scientist?
What I liked most about science as a kid was the logic, i.e. there was one (or sometimes more) correct answer to a given problem and by learning sets of rules you could derive at that answer. I was always more keen on solving problems than reading novels and history books and writing long essays. However, after becoming older and doing more research, I have been more and more fascinated by the uncertainty of science and how it can make the world a better place, i.e. we are tackling problems that may help answering some important questions and provide new technologies to the world.
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
In my free time I like to catch up with my family and friends through video calls. I also like exercising and watching non-American sports.
How has your experience in the field been as a woman?
My experience as a woman in STEM has been extremely positive. I have been very lucky to have highly supportive mentors and teachers throughout my education and scientific training, and I have never felt that I have been discriminated because of my gender or nationality. I really hope that other students and postdocs have been as fortunate as I have.
Do you know someone we should spotlight?
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