Q&A with CAS Future Leader Vishal Yadav
Vishal Yadav, a Chemical Abstracts Service Future Leader, recently shared with us what being selected as a 2026 Future Leader means to him and what he hopes to achieve in the program. The CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society, Future Leaders program gives doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars the opportunity to learn leadership skills, engage in scientific discourse, and connect with peers and innovators from around the world. Yadav is also a postdoctoral research fellow in the chemistry department.
Q: What does it mean to you to have been selected as a CAS Future Leader?
VY: Being selected as a CAS Future Leader feels deeply personal to me. When I first started my journey in chemistry, I didn’t have a clear roadmap for how to navigate academia or what opportunities like this could even look like. There were moments of uncertainty and self-doubt along the way, especially as an international student trying to find my place in a new system. This recognition feels like a moment to pause and appreciate how far that journey has come.
At the same time, it’s not something I see as an individual achievement alone. It reflects the support, mentorship, and belief that others have invested in me over the years. Because of that, it means a lot to be part of a community like CAS Future Leaders, where there’s a shared commitment not just to doing good science, but to supporting and uplifting others in the field.
Q: What do you hope to gain as a CAS Future Leader?
VY: As a CAS Future Leader, I hope to grow not just as a scientist, but as a more thoughtful and effective leader within the broader chemistry community. I’m excited about the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of peers from different areas of chemistry and learn from their perspectives. Those interactions are especially valuable to me because they often spark new ways of thinking about scientific problems and how our work can have a wider impact.
More personally, I see this as an opportunity to develop my voice as a mentor and leader. I want to be more intentional about creating inclusive, supportive environments where students can grow with confidence. Being part of this program gives me a platform and a community that will help shape that vision, and I’m looking forward to carrying those lessons forward throughout my career.
Q: What has been a favorite moment/experience at Penn State?
VY: One of my favorite experiences at Penn State has been becoming part of its world-renowned bioinorganic chemistry community, the main reason I chose it for my postdoctoral training. Being surrounded by scientists tackling both fundamental and interdisciplinary questions has been incredibly motivating and has shaped how I think about my research and future directions. Overall, my experience has been shaped by a blend of scientific engagement and personal connection that I will carry forward.