Career Conversations: Q & A with Organic Chemist Elizabeth Parkinson

Dr. Elizabeth Parkinson. Credit: Courtesy of Dr. Elizabeth Parkinson. “Being able to discover new, unexpected things is why you wake up every day and go to work as a scientist. The other part is hopefully to have a positive impact on human health—through combatting conditions ranging from antibiotic resistance to cancer,” says Elizabeth Parkinson, Ph.D., an assistant professor of organic chemistry at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. In an interview, Dr. Parkinson shared with us her path to a scientific career, research on natural products made by soil-dwelling bacteria, and advice for students. Q: What sparked your interest in science? A: My high school freshman biology teacher, Mr. O’Connell, first got me interested in science. He’d bring objects to class, and we’d have to guess how they might relate to the day’s subject matter. One time he brought strawberries, and we isolated DNA from them, which I really enjoyed. I also participated in a science fair for the first time that year. My project focused on how the color of light affected plant growth, and that was a very fun experience. Q: How did you decide to pursue a career in organic chemistry research? A: I entered Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, knowing that I enjoyed biology and chemistry, but what led me to focus on this field was my organic chemistry professor, Dr. Julie Li. She was just fantastic, always welcoming questions and using real-life examples. I also partic...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Being a Scientist Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Bacteria Medicines Microbes Profiles Source Type: blogs