Ria's Story and her graduate school journey

 

Hi ChattyPhD friend! Today I am glad to introduce to you Ria’s story. Hope you can find insightful information and be inspired. 

 

 

 

 Hello all, my name is Ria. I have always been amazed by the complex interactions of atoms and molecules that allow life on Earth. When I first learned about chemistry, that everything is made of atoms and we are all just very complicated chemical reactions, I was awed by the sheer intricacy of that system. All it takes is one tiny reaction to go wrong in the body and life is ruined. How could we possibly be so complicated and, yet, all of us are still alive and thriving? I was drawn to the study of chemistry and biology as a career to further satisfy my curiosity about life and how it works. 

 

I always look up to and am inspired by my teachers. When I was little, I wanted to be a teacher, to learn lots of things and then impart that knowledge unto others. One professor who really inspired me to pursue graduate school was my undergrad cell biology instructor. She studied drug discovery and the interactions of small molecules in the body. She experimented with iris plants (which were often used in tea by Native Americans to treat inflammation) and figured out what molecule made them good at treating disease. She used to say to me, “approach the world with a sense of wonder, and you will find your job to be much more rewarding”. She encouraged me to get a higher degree, to keep on learning, and to apply that knowledge later to make a difference in the world.

 

 Before applying to grad school, I spent a few months just collecting general opinions. I asked every professor their thoughts about graduate school. They provided me with a few recommendations to help me choose:

 

 When applying, choose 7 or 8 schools that are in locations you think you would be happy living. Could you see yourself spending five or six years in that city? Then narrow that list down to 5 or 6 based on the credibility of the program and the requirements to apply. Do you meet their general criteria? Do you see labs there that you could imagine working for? Next, spend actual time writing and editing your application essays. Tailor each one to the school you are going. This takes time which is why, applying to 4 schools with absolutely awesome essays is often more fruitful than applying to 10 with a generic, copied and pasted, essay. I had my essays edited by a bunch of different people and often your undergraduate institution will have a writing center dedicated to helping you out. When you get into grad school, accept their offer to come and tour each campus. That is when you can really decide where you want to be. Do you feel safe on campus? Are the people welcoming and helpful? Do you like the area? Remember, graduate school is tough and you will rely on these people for a lot of support. 

 

 Finally, I would say just follow your heart. A graduate degree is a graduate degree, if you find you loved that smaller, less famous university way more than the prestigious one you got in to, go for the one that will make you happy. It is soooo much easier to work in a place where you feel welcome and happy than somewhere you are miserable.

 

 I came to IU from very far away and one of the biggest challenges I faced was moving from my home to settle somewhere new. The Chemistry program at IU was very understanding and helpful. My first year I joined a lab I thought would be cool, but by my second year I realized that I didn’t really fit in. The director of graduate studies was very kind and helped me to find a lab better suited to me and was super encouraging the entire time. I miss my home but am glad for the support that I have found here.

 

Currently, I study symbiotic relationships and the chemistry that drives animal-protist interactions. There is a parasite called a schistosome which is a worm that infects humans. This parasite also spends part of its life inside of a snail. The parasites are very hard to treat and we study the removal of them from the snails.  My project has components of organic chemistry, cell biology, and medicine.

 

Ultimately, I think it would be cool to go into drug research and development. I would like to find new cures to diseases while still working to understand more about humans and how they function on a molecular level.

 

 Outside of school, I really like rockhounding and geology. During my free time I cut and polish gemstones and other cool rocks in my garage. I also recently got into reef aquariums, I like to grow interesting corals and cool saltwater fish (a surprising amount of chemistry is involved in this).

 

 Advice I would tell freshman me to not be discouraged! Believe in yourself and keep going! Even if you don’t end up taking the path you expected to take, it all works out in the end.