From Lab to Launch
Lewis & Clark’s John S. Rogers Science Research Program gave these young alumni scientists the skills—and the confidence—to soar into graduate programs nationwide.
Research Opportunities
Jordan Gonzalez
Class Year: 2021
Majors: Chemistry and Mathematics (double)
Continuing Studies: PhD Candidate in Chemistry, University of California at Los Angeles
What research project did you work on?
During the Rogers summer program, I worked with Professor Louis Kuo, who specializes in organometallic chemistry. I synthesized molybdenum-based catalysts and studied sulfide oxidation reactions, which culminated in a senior thesis project the following academic year.
What skills have been most valuable in your post-L&C life?
The most important skills that I learned from the Rogers program were to be able to think independently and to solve problems.
How did the experience influence your future career plans?
I fell in love with the idea of research after participating in the Rogers program, which motivated me to pursue graduate school. I now find myself applying to pharmaceutical research positions, where I will help discover new medicines!
Read more about Jordan’s research experience.
Drew Blauth
Class Year: 2023
Majors: Chemistry and Mathematics (double)
Continuing Studies: Atmospheric Chemistry PhD Candidate, University of Colorado at Boulder
What research project did you work on?
The 2021 Rogers program was my first experience working as a full-time researcher and kick-started what would eventually become my senior thesis research over the next two years. Working with Dr. Louis Kuo [professor of chemistry], I created and tested the ability of molybdenum-based compounds to oxidize sulfur-containing compounds. (Molybdenum is a metallic element.) This project also involved modeling these oxidation reactions and identifying new compounds to create and test by perusing scientific literature.
What skills have been most valuable in your post-L&C life?
As a PhD student, my current work shares many similarities to researching during the Rogers program. The most valuable skills deal with working independently: perusing literature for research ideas, designing experiments, performing experiments, and analyzing data with minimal guidance from my research advisor. Being able to keep track of the work that I do and avoid repeating mistakes are critical for performing research over long periods of time. In terms of knowledge, my current work as an atmospheric chemist is very different from the inorganic synthesis that I worked on during Rogers. Despite that, there are basic concepts relevant to both projects. For example, I still think about factors that influence reaction speed as well as the impact of fossil fuel burning emissions on natural and anthropogenic environments.
How did the experience influence your future career plans?
The Rogers program greatly impacted how I thought about my future. Up until that point, I had been waffling between several STEM fields to major in and did not have enough information from classes alone to decide which one to pursue after graduating. After Rogers, however, I knew that I wanted to focus specifically on using my STEM knowledge to tackle environmental issues. Participating in this program gave me the momentum I needed to do so. With that in mind, I focused specifically on chemistry and math, hoping to use skills from those fields to collect, analyze, and interpret chemical data while continuing on the research path that I had just started. Since then, I have continued onward using that momentum, ending up in my PhD program. I am currently in performing large-scale data analysis to try and understand sources of air pollution in major cities across the U.S.
Read more about Drew’s research experience.
McKenna Finley
Class Year: 2023
Majors: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Hispanic Studies (double)
Job: Senior Research Assistant at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
What research project did you work on?
I have worked at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute since the beginning of my sophomore year at Lewis & Clark. Hired as a student worker, I worked part time for 2.5 years and have been a senior research assistant on the same team since graduation. I work in the lab of Dr. Elie Traer, where we now research the mechanisms of therapeutic resistance and relapse in acute myeloid leukemia.
What skills have been most valuable in your post-L&C life?
The skill that immediately comes to mind is flow cytometry. I learned how to operate the cytometer during undergrad, and have since done a deep dive into the world of flow. I’m now responsible for much of the assay development and optimization on our team. It is one of my favorite parts of my research and is an invaluable skill in translational science.
How did the experience influence your future career plans?
It’s been essential. Inspired by Dr. Traer, and wanting to bridge the gap between science and medicine, I am currently applying to combined MD-PhD programs. I had always been curious about this path, but my time at OHSU confirmed my desire to pursue academic medicine. At this point, I hope to remain in the same field (hematology/oncology) for my graduate studies.
Read more about McKenna’s research experience.
Nuzhat Maisha Hoque
Class Year: 2024
Majors: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Computer Science and Mathematics (double)
Continuing Studies: Western University of Health Sciences—College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest
What research project did you work on?
My project used bioinformatics to characterize the microbes found in our urine and bladder, investigating how disease is associated with differences found in the microbiota of different patients. I mined a public dataset collected from female urine samples and sequenced for bacterial genomes. From these genomes, I used computer tools to identify proteins called carbohydrate active enzymes and their predicted substrates, dividing the data depending on disease status. In the end, we hope to learn how the bladder microbiome plays a role in disease, particularly among women.
What skills have been most valuable in your post-L&C life?
I learned how to work independently and organize myself to achieve goals, which helps me every day in my studies. I also learned how to seek help from faculty mentors and ask questions. Lastly, I learned so much about bioinformatics and the importance of microbiomes, which I’ve been able to build upon in medical school.
How did the experience influence your future career plans?
I knew I enjoyed computer science and coding but I also like medicine. I’ve been searching for a way to bring those two interests together. This experience showed me it was possible and even gave me some options in how I can do that in the future.
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