Age: 32
Occupation: Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa
What’s the best advice you ever received: Don’t sweat the small stuff.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments: My greatest accomplishment is building my research team and laboratories at the University of Iowa. When I started at UI in 2010, I had an empty laboratory and an empty student office, but a lot of ideas for research. Today, I have a federally funded and productive research group that is generating new insight to how to improve air quality and reduce human exposures to air pollutants.
What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier in your career: More and more, I focus my energy and attention on what is most important to me, not what is important to other people.
How do you ensure a balance between work and your personal life: For me, this is about cultivating a healthy body and mind. I bring physical activity into my work day by riding my bicycle to and from work and taking time out for walks on campus.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support: I would support sustainable re-development in Nepal following the massive earthquake that occurred earlier this year.
What is your biggest passion: My biggest passion is sustainability. In this regard, I embrace the mantra “think globally, act locally.” I strive to live sustainably on a personal level by reducing my environmental impact. At the community level, I contribute to this effort through science education, public outreach and local environmental research.
Who are your local mentors: Among my most valued mentors are Profs. Vicki Grassian and Dave Wiemer in the UI Department of Chemistry, who are both excellent scientists that have taught me a tremendous amount about conducting research and training the next generation of scientists.
