Bethany Wellen from Baltimore, Maryland, is a fourth-year graduate student in Chemistry Professor Heather Allen’s lab. She was a Metro High School Fellow in 2015-16 and expects to get her PhD in 2018.

Where did you get your undergrad degree? And, in what?

-I received my BS in chemistry, with honors and honors research distinction, magna cum laude, from Ohio State in 2013. I conducted undergraduate research in Dr. Anne McCoy’s theoretical chemistry group, focusing on Diffusion Monte Carlo studies of the rotationally excited states of molecules with large amplitude motions.

What inspired you to focus on your field?

-For the longest time, I thought I would be a marine biologist (I even worked as a student volunteer at the National Aquarium in Baltimore for my first couple of years of high school). But, when I took my first chemistry class, I found my niche. I liked the ubiquity of chemistry—it’s everywhere! I also really enjoy math, so physical chemistry was the perfect fit for me. As it turns out, my scientific interests have almost come full circle back to the ocean, being part of an NSF Center for Chemical Innovation, investigating the complex chemistry of sea spray aerosols.

What are your plans after graduation?

-I would like to teach chemistry at a small, undergraduate-focused college. And, I plan to be involved in science outreach programs that introduce science and its career opportunities to students, K-12. Tell me a bit more about your research—why are you excited about it? As a student researcher in the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE), an NSF Center for Chemical Innovation, I study fundamental surface phenomena at air-water interfaces of atmospheric relevance. The Allen group studies model systems approximating complex interfaces that exist at the uppermost level of the sea surface and on the surface of sea spray aerosols. Through our research, we better understand the interactions between surface-active molecules and ions that exist in these environments and how these interactions may affect the climate properties of aerosols including reflectivity, longevity and reactivity.

What’s the hardest thing about being a grad student?

-The hardest thing is the uncertainty. Research at this level involves doing experiments that no one has done before to uncover new information. Sometimes that is a daunting task because the results may surprise you or make you seriously question previous work. However, that is also when some of the fun begins and you have to figure out what’s going on. What’s the best thing? My favorite part of being a graduate student is the interaction I have with undergraduate students. In particular, I truly love TA-ing. The one-on-one interaction between student and TA, I think, is very important, especially at such a large university where it may be overwhelming for some students to go directly to their professors. The best part about research are the days when your projects/data finally come together and you can see the story they’re telling truly develop. It gets you excited about the science and its potential impact on the field!

How do you see your role in training/mentoring undergrad students in your advisor’s lab?

-I currently supervise two undergraduate students (one junior, one senior) in Dr. Allen’s lab. These students assist me with my various projects. I think that it’s important that undergraduates feel a sense of ownership of the work that they do with their graduate student advisor. So, each of my undergrads has a particular part of a project on which they focus and are an expert. During my undergraduate career, my graduate student advisor took the time to answer all of my questions and really encouraged me to pursue research at the graduate level. I think it is right to pay forward the same type of encouragement.

How has the mentoring/training you’ve received from your advisor impacted your life and career aspirations?

-Dr. Allen is a great advisor. She has a keen eye for seeing a project’s bigger picture. This really helps when we discuss my progress because sometimes, as a grad student, you get so caught up in the small details that the bigger picture (and impact) of your work is pushed to the back of your mind. She also encourages and supports my passion for teaching and undergraduate mentorship. She is a phenomenal role model, and I am very happy to be part of her research group.

Where do you hope to be in 10/20 years? I hope to be working in a career that allows me to pursue my passions for science education and outreach. I hope that I will be able to positively impact the futures of our country’s next generations of scientists and innovators. What do you think the average person does NOT understand about research? I think the average person has a skewed perception of scientists and researchers. We’re not all characters from “The Big Bang Theory” (though I do love the show!). It’s great that the population of graduate student researchers is becoming more diverse. Unfortunately, the stereotype of a scientist has not really changed.

How would you like to change that?

-I just stay true to myself and hope to be a positive example for younger scientists!

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