Upward bound to a Ph.D. in chemistry and beyond

Abstract

"Mom! I am the only kid in high school who knows what an NMR is!" My career path to a Ph.D. in chemistry included raising a son. . .as a single parent. Once I made the decision to go back to college and to earn a degree, I realized that a career and a family life were hard to balance, but it could be done. I wanted a better life for my family and realized that this included getting a college education. This path to a Ph.D. in chemistry started in a small way in high school though I must admit that I did not like high school chemistry. I can say that I embraced a career in chemistry after working with some amazing mentors who helped me navigate undergraduate and graduate school as a student and as a single mom.