Chemistry Alumni Interview Series: Mike DeGrazia
Mike DeGrazia graduated from Penn State in 2008 with a Ph.D. in chemistry. He used his chemistry training to build a career in law where he currently is a partner with the law firm McCarter & English. His patent practice is focused on chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnologies, with an emphasis on small molecule drugs. In this alum interview, Mike tells us about his Ph.D. experiences and how they led him to a career in law.
Kathryn: What made you decide on Penn State for graduate school?
Mike: When I was an undergraduate, I attended a seminar that was given by a Penn State professor as part of a colloquium series run by my undergraduate university. At the end of the seminar, the professor presented a few slides promoting the Penn State graduate chemistry program. I was intrigued, mainly because I had never thought of Penn State as a possible option for graduate school, so I went up and spoke with him afterwards, and the rest is history.
Kathryn: Were you always intending to study chemistry?
Mike: Chemistry was not my first choice of major. Indeed, the first time I took organic chemistry, I ended up dropping out mid-semester because I was failing! I started off as a biology major, thinking I would eventually attend medical school. However, I found the curriculum to be less intriguing then I anticipated and filled with memorization - no offense to the field of study, or those in it. Thinking that staying with a physical science would make me a good candidate for medical school, I decided to switch majors from biology to chemistry.
One of the requirements for a chemistry degree was the completion of two semesters of organic chemistry. I thought I could make my way through this class by simply showing up and doing the required homework. I was wrong. By mid-semester I was failing the class and had to drop out in order to save my GPA. The next semester I retook the class.
This time, however, I was so determined to make it through that I used to sit in the hallway at 7:00 am every Wednesday and Friday waiting for the professor to arrive so I could ask questions. Yes, I became that student, although he did not mind. I ended up getting an A in the class, which I ultimately ended up loving. So much so that I decided to forgo medical school for a career in chemistry.
Kathryn: Who did you do research with while you were here, and what was your research focus?
Mike: I worked for Dr. Blake Peterson during my time at Penn State. My graduate research focused on the design and synthesis of fluorescently labeled biology active compounds as tools for understanding how biological systems work.
Kathryn: Was there someone within the chemistry department who had a positive impact on you during your time here?
Mike: Out of all the friends and colleagues, both local and from other labs, there was an individual who worked in the chemistry stockroom who really put life in perspective. I used to go down to the stockroom complaining about this and that, and he would remind me of how lucky we all were to be able to get an education and to conduct research at such a world-renowned university. He was always in a good mood and was the type of person who treated everyone equally. But I needed that reminder, and it was motivating.
Kathryn: How did you decide what path you wanted to pursue following graduate school?
Mike: There was a post-doc in our lab who, instead of applying for academic or industrial jobs, started applying for technical advisor/specialist openings at various law firms. Prior to speaking with him, I had no idea was patent law was or that it even existed. All I knew at the time was that I did not want to teach or take a bench scientist position.
I did some research and ultimately ended up interviewing at law firms in DC, Virginia, New York, and Boston. Fourteen years later, I am a partner at law firm of over 400 lawyers. I get to see innovative science each day, both communicating with CEOs and the researchers developing the actual science.
Kathryn: Did you find difficulties in the transition between school and career?
Mike: For me, the transition between science and law was a big step. The legal thought process is much different than the scientific process. There was a huge learning curve. Science makes sense, the law (sometimes) does not. That said, my training at Penn State provided me with the necessary tools to explain, both written and verbal, highly technical subject matter to audiences who do not have a full understanding. I was told from my very first day at a law firm that you can train a scientist to be a lawyer, but you cannot train a lawyer to be a scientist. While I think that is true, without the great training I received at Penn State, none of this would have been possible.
Kathryn: Despite your own personal interest in your current career, why is it important for people to know and understand it?
Mike: I think it is important for individuals to realize that whether you are an undergraduate with an undefined major or a graduate student in organic chemistry, there are opportunities out there in fields that you would have never expected.
Kathryn: Looking back on your graduate school experiences, are there opportunities you wish you had taken advantage of?
Mike: Looking back, I wish I would have spent more time taking advantage of all the different cultural aspects, clubs, and organizations that Penn State has to offer. It is easy as a graduate student to make the lab your second home, i.e., eat, sleep, lab. Penn State has so much to offer other than great research and academics, and I wish I would have explored more of these in my “spare” time.
Kathryn: Lastly, can you recall your favorite memory as a Penn State Chemistry student?
Mike: This is a difficult question because there are many favorite memories from Penn State – from PSU tailgates and football to Beaver Canyon at 2:00 am for a $1.00 slice pizza (now I am showing my age) with ranch dressing. However, as cliché as it may sound, my favorite memories were spending time with my fellow graduate students, particularly sitting in our student lunchroom eating boxes of teddy grams with homemade cream cheese dip and complaining about how none of our experiments worked.