1. What is your work and ACS (if applicable) title?
Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University
Director of the Pittsburgh ACS Local Section
2. How many years have you been in the ACS?
I have been an ACS Member for 12 years. I have been involved in the local section for the past 5 years.
3. What is the biggest benefit of ACS Membership?
The connections. I think in particular I have found that connecting with the local section has been amazing for meeting fellow chemists in the local community. Everyone has different areas of expertise with a mutual interest in this physical science.
4. What did you want to be when you were a child?
I probably wanted to be an athlete of some kind, though I always loved science classes in school. My favorite sports growing up were basketball and volleyball, so probably a basketball player.
5. What made you fall in love with Chemistry?
My high school chemistry teacher was really fantastic. Mr. Spencer had a way of making each class fun and interesting so it was always a class I just enjoyed going to. In University, I spent a little time undeclared as a major, but I elected to take physical and inorganic chemistry because the classes looked interesting. After completing those courses, I started to think maybe this is a good place for me.
6. Which chemist, past or present, would you like to meet and why?
Stephanie Kwolek. I would love to hear more about her time at Carnegie Mellon (before it was Carnegie Mellon) and her time at Dupont and the discovery of Kevlar.