Chemistry Alumni Interview Series - Jieru Zhu
Jieru Zhu graduated from Penn State in 2019 with a bachelor’s in chemistry. After graduating, she moved to Wisconsin to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is now in her third year of graduate studies and her research focus is synthetic organic electrochemistry. In this alumnus interview, Zhu tells us about her undergraduate experience and the transition to graduate school.
Kathryn: What made you decide on Penn State University and was chemistry your first choice of major?
Jieru: Knowing how strong Penn State was at its education and research, it remained one of my dream schools. My twin sister (she studied business during her undergrad) and I applied to a bunch of different universities during our last year of high school, and luckily, Penn State was one that we both got accepted. I joined Penn State with the intention of majoring in energy engineering, a course I followed for two years. I never thought of being a chemist at that time until I met organic chemistry in my sophomore year. This is when I realized my real passion lay in the field of organic chemistry. I initially questioned whether it was sensible to switch majors from a promising and burgeoning field after two years of study, but now I am certain that I will never regret studying chemistry in my undergrad career.
Kathryn: What facet of chemistry were you most interested in and why?
Jieru: I was passionate about organic synthetic chemistry. I enjoyed organic chemistry and since joining and working in the lab as an undergrad, making actual molecules that you can physically hold in hands, in addition to just seeing those reaction schemes from books, has been fascinating to me.
Kathryn: Was there someone in the chemistry department who had a positive impact on you during your time here?
Jieru: I started my undergrad study at Penn State Harrisburg, a place where I met a great organic chemistry professor and a true friend, Dr. Ted Underinder. He helped me with my academic questions, supported me as he could in my daily life, and encouraged me to pursue what I was passionate about. Though I left Penn State Harrisburg in the summer of 2018, we stayed in close touch and continued to share our life updates, thoughts, and concerns regularly. Dr. Harry Allcock, my undergrad research PI, was also super supportive. It was the time I spent in his research group that made me certain that I wanted to continue doing research after graduation.
Kathryn: Looking back on your undergrad experiences, are there opportunities you wish you had taken advantage of?
Jieru: The scholarship opportunities opening to international students were limited, but I think Penn State has some not excluding international students. I wish I would have applied to more eligible scholarships/fellowships when I was there.
Kathryn: What was the most important thing you did in your time as an undergrad student?
Jieru: I really enjoyed taking organic chemistry-related courses and working in the research lab. I was pretty certain I would love to apply for grad schools and continue studying chemistry. I started to look for grad schools with research groups that had a good match with my personal interest in synthetic organic chemistry, at the beginning of my senior year, and eventually applied to those that fitted me well. I think doing undergrad research and getting my feet wet with the research atmosphere and relevant experimental skills was most helpful.
Kathryn: In your opinion, how can undergraduate students make the most of their time while in school?
Jieru: Take the courses you really wish to take other than the ones you MUST take. If you are passionate towards chemistry, or if you are not sure whether you should apply to grad schools or directly find a job after graduation, join a research group as an undergrad to have a taste of what research looks like!
Kathryn: What resources were most helpful for you when searching for and applying for graduate school?
Jieru: One thing I benefitted from the most was the kind help from professors when I was preparing my Statement of Purpose for grad schools. They offered me suggestions from a professor’s perspective and helped me polish my drafts. They also offered me invaluable guidance and suggestions on the grad school selections.
Kathryn: Did you find difficulties in the transition between undergrad and graduate school?
Jieru: I moved to Madison and started my grad school life when COVID hit. Things were not easy transferring from an undergrad to grad, and the pandemic made it more difficult. I stayed home taking classes, TAing, doing lab rotations, and making the decision of which lab I wanted to join. But talking to peers who were on the same boat and facing the same pressure helped, and I started to make friends from classes and with senior students from different labs. They were so kind and helpful, and they offered me suggestions, company, and laughter. As time goes on, I am more used to my new identity as a grad student, and the sense of belonging started to burgeon; I think I would call it the epilogue of my transition.
Kathryn: Can you explain your current research and what you plan to do after graduate school?
Jieru: My research focuses on synthetic organic electrochemistry, and my current project is about nickel-catalyzed electrochemical cross-electrophile coupling reactions. I am leaning towards going into industry (med chem or process chemistry) after graduation.
Kathryn: Despite your own personal interest in your current academic path, why is it important for people to know and understand it?
Jieru: Chemistry is everywhere in our life, and I think a basic understanding of chemistry is important, and sometimes rewarding – imagine the moments you can explain some amazing phenomena in your daily life with chemistry or recognize some of the ingredients listed on the back of a commodity!
Kathryn: Lastly, can you recall your favorite memory as a Penn State Chemistry student?
Jieru: Nothing really stands out since I enjoyed every moment as a Penn Stater. I still remember discussing the plausible mechanisms for different chemical reactions with my classmates in and out of classes for CHEM 432. Even as an introvert, I never felt nervous to speak in front of people – the learning atmosphere was really relaxing but informative. I could still remember my friends’ smiling faces when we solved one problem or made funny mistakes.