Dickinson College
Chemistry Major Jobs, Graduate School Acceptances and Scholarships 2022
A chemistry class underway in a lab.
Sarah Manderbach
Hometown: Reading, Pennsylvania
Major: chemistry
Employer: Eurofins
Job title: associate chemist, environmental volatiles lab
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
I have worked with professors in my department to not only determine in which areas I excel but also where my personal interests and pursuits lie and what path may best fit those interests. They were always there when I needed help or a shoulder to cry on, and were for the most part very understanding when personal emergencies came into play. I also have conducted research at Dickinson in collaboration with the Chemistry department as well as the College Farm, and this effort has helped me prepare for what my future career of choice will be down the line. Without the aid of advisors and caring professors, I would not be the strong, open-minded intellectual that I am today.
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
I am excited to make connections and expand upon my interests in environmental chemistry and toxicology. I eventually hope to go for my masters in environmental toxicology.
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
Definitely being able to meet the friends I have now, specifically the many bonding moments I was able to share with my housemates this year. I've never felt more loved in a community than I have in my special interest house. Some other defining moments include club meetings for Gaming Club, and also helping out with performances from Mermaid Players.
Daisheau Player
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Major: chemistry
Employer: Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery
Job title: transplant surgery research assistant
Job Responsibilities
Assist abdominal transplant surgeons, one of whom is the director of the Children's Transplant Center while the other is the interim chairmen of surgery, in their research projects. There are dozens of them, but I will be assisting and eventually leading specifically the projects on the “liver pump” and altruistic donors.
Internship Experience
Johns Hopkins
- Department of Human Resources (summer '19) - Served as a college peer mentor, supervised 23 high school students in the internship placements through Johns Hopkins University and Hospital by serving as a liaison, conducting professional development sessions and meeting with them and their departments biweekly.
- Department of Surgery (summer '21) - Shadowed the chairman of surgery, cardiac transplant surgeon, in clinic and the OR. Shadowed residents, fellows and attendings in other departments, including trauma surgery, surgical oncology, abdominal transplant, thoracic, pediatric cardiac and pediatric general surgery. Conducted archival research alongside Dr.Higgins (PI) and surgical residents on Vivien Thomas and his contributions and treatment during his time at Hopkins.
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
How hasn’t Dickinson prepared me… Being able to advocate, form connections—personally and professionally—to think critically, not taking “well, it’s always been that way” as an answer, the unwavering support.
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
Organ procurements. Hear me out—as a part of my post-graduate research, I get to travel with the surgeons on organ-procurement procedures. I didn’t get to see this last summer because of some technicalities, but I’m looking forward to experiencing that.
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
- Overnight leading in to Admitted Students Day
- Hawaii service trip
- Sophomore class president
- Death of my siblings
- Student body president
- Removal of President Jones' interim title
Caitlin Lauritzen
Hometown: Midland, Texas
Major: chemistry
Scholarship: Fulbright
Purpose of scholarship: English teaching assistant while serving as a cultural ambassador in Germany
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
My professors have personally taken time to prepare me for future education/career opportunities, through both their teaching and their personal connections. I've also developed invaluable lab skills, also thanks to my professors.
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
I look forward to being able to put my knowledge and skills to the test in a practical setting, as well as being able to become fully independent.
Alex Arnette
Hometown: Williamsburg, Virginia
Majors: chemistry, political science
Graduate School: Penn State University
Field of study: chemistry
Field of study: chemistry
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
Dickinson helped me find exactly what I was interested in. I'm leaving here confident in my passion for chemistry and with the knowledge to thrive in graduate school. I feel well rounded as a person because of the variety of classes I have been able to take while I studied here. But most importantly, the connections I have made with my peers and professors will last long beyond my time here.
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
I can't wait to continue learning about chemistry and about how to apply it to solve real-world issues.
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
During my first semester, Professor of Chemistry Cindy Samet took our gen chem class to the college farm to pick vegetables that we would use in an experiment. My lab partner, Shea Player '22, and I picked a turnip and used it to adsorb iron ions from drinking water. While our data was mixed, seeing the connections between chemistry, sustainability and botany were eye-opening.
Internship Experience
I completed an internship as an analytical chemistry intern at Carlisle Construction Materials, located right here in Carlisle, Pa.. My project involved designing methods on various analytical instruments to characterize the additives in CCM's PVC roofing membrane. In particular, I worked with antioxidant and antimicrobial additives using an LC-MS and a UPLC.
Katherine Ennis
Hometown: Mountain Brook, Alabama
Major: chemistry
Employer: Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
Job title: research assistant I
Internship Experience
I was able to participate in student-faculty research twice while at Dickinson. I believe this experience not only better prepared me for classes at Dickinson but also for my future career in the sciences.
Vu Pham
Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam
Major: chemistry
Employer: Andrew S. McCreath & Son, Inc.
Job title: chemist
Job Responsibilities
Analyzing and purifying metal samples.
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
I will have a network for my future projects, including grad school.
Erin Heeschen
Hometown: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Major: chemistry
Graduate School: Northeastern University
Field of study: chemical engineering
How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?
Dickinson has fostered not only my hard science and lab-based skills but ensured I can adequately communicate my findings to a wide variety of audiences. Its liberal arts education has also inspired me to be more creative in a stereotypically rigid field, drawing from other backgrounds to produce the best results and harbor positive relationships.
What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?
I am excited to see tangible results of my hard work, both in and out of an academic setting.
What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?
My proposal being accepted for honors, research with faculty and laughing with friends late at night when we should really be sleeping are some of the highlights of my Dickinson experience.
Internship Experience
Conducted research into nanomaterials under the instruction of Ph.D. candidate Maria Politit in the lab of Dr. Lilo Pozzo at the University of Washington in Seattle. REU was funded by the Clean Energy Bridge to Research.
Brendon Subramanian
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Major: chemistry
Employer: Johns Hopkins University
Job title: research technologist
What was the most impactful academic experience you had at Dickinson?
The academic experience that impacted me most was gaining the ability to do research with Associate Professor of Chemistry Sarah St. Angelo (also my academic advisor) during the spring 2022 semester, which was enriching both as a continuation of my laboratory experience and as an introduction to the less directly supervised work that often takes place in industry.
What was the most impactful social experience you had at Dickinson?
I've been lucky to accumulate several close friends, many of whom are either other people of color and/or other members of the queer community. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to connect with people who have experiences and identities similar to my own.
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Published May 20, 2022