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Career Ladder

Learn how chemists got to where they are now

Submit a chemist
Submit a chemist
 
Kerisha Bowen

Kerisha Bowen

This litigator and patent prosecutor uses her background in chemistry to help clients get access to information they otherwise could not
March 4, 2023
Candice Z. Ulmer Holland

Candice Z. Ulmer Holland

Determination, vision, and mentorship helped this chemist achieve her dream job and beyond
February 5, 2023
Ana Sousa Dias

Ana Sousa Dias

This organometallic chemist crossed a continent to develop green chemistry in industry
December 30, 2022
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Chelsea Thompson

Chelsea Thompson

This atmospheric chemist used her interest in art to create a career in science communication
November 13, 2022
Josh Crossney

Josh Crossney

Cannabis Science Conference founder’s skills as a connector and communicator have made this business school graduate a key figure in a fast-growing area of analytical chemistry
October 8, 2022
Miranda Paley

Miranda Paley

Discovering an interest in communications led this chemist from the lab to publishing to policy
October 1, 2022
Michelle Wong

Michelle Wong

This content creator uses her chemistry background to explain personal care products to the public
September 13, 2022
Michaeleen Doucleff

Michaeleen Doucleff

A degree in chemistry helps this award-winning journalist and author look at science news with a critical eye
July 29, 2022
Michael Mullowney

Michael Mullowney

An interest in the natural world led this chemist from the arts to natural product chemistry and the microbiome
July 1, 2022
Benjamin Eyer

Benjamin Eyer

How this chemist used his scientific skills to grow a career in the wine industry
June 12, 2022
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Dontarie Stallings

Dontarie Stallings

This chemistry professor learned how to love academia by leaving it behind
April 16, 2022
Kat Day

Kat Day

Communication skills and attention to detail assisted this chemist turned teacher turned writer and editor through multiple career transformations
March 6, 2022
Erik Luber

Erik Luber

This boundary-crossing scientist has expertise in physics, chemistry, and biology.
January 14, 2022
Amina Traoré Schartup

Amina Traoré Schartup

This biogeochemist and chemical oceanographer is passionate about the pursuit of knowledge
October 31, 2021
George Dai

George Dai

A book recommendation inspired this chemist to pivot to a career in finance
May 2, 2021
Kelly Chibale

Kelly Chibale

Education helped this organic chemist overcome poverty. He now leads a drug discovery research center in Cape Town
April 4, 2021
Karrera Djoko

Karrera Djoko

A passion for the chemical basis of life turned an eager learner into a doctor of copper
February 28, 2021
Paula Hammond

Paula Hammond

This MIT professor and entrepreneur engineers polymers for robotics and medicine
February 22, 2021
Jeanita Pritchett

Jeanita Pritchett

This science communicator is passionate about sharing her love of science with students of all ages
January 28, 2021
Melissa Weller

Melissa Weller

Curiosity and a love of French cuisine drove this former fuel-cell engineer to become a master baker
January 2, 2021
Sibrina Collins

Sibrina Collins

This inorganic chemist uses her diverse experiences to make science engaging for students
October 27, 2020
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Charles Miller

Charles Miller

This patent lawyer chose a path less traveled, from chemistry to a career advocating for intellectual property causes
October 3, 2020
Luis Alvarez

Luis Alvarez

West Point and MIT grad brings his love of chemistry to bear on regenerative medicine
September 1, 2020
Joyce Nethery

Joyce Nethery

This chemical engineer’s winding career path has been the best route for her work running a distillery
August 2, 2020
Lana Rossiter

Lana Rossiter

This FDA reviewer doubles as a commissioned officer called to action for emergencies like COVID-19
July 4, 2020
Naresh Sunkara

Naresh Sunkara

This Indian entrepreneur helps students and postdocs learn about business
June 5, 2020
Abril Estrada

Abril Estrada

This biomaterials chemist makes pet food proteins from nonanimal sources
April 28, 2020
Joslynn Lee

Joslynn Lee

This Native American chemist’s path through industry and education eventually led her back to academia and home
February 1, 2020
Dionne Hernández-Lugo

Dionne Hernández-Lugo

An openness to learning new things took this chemist from pharma to NASA
January 3, 2020
Jason Pontrello

Jason Pontrello

This former professor does contract work from home as he raises 4 boys
November 3, 2019
Amber Wise

Amber Wise

This former chemistry professor is helping cannabis regulators make science-based decisions
October 1, 2019
Vartika Joshi

Vartika Joshi

Education and travel helped this Indian chemist build her career in the chemical industry
August 28, 2019
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Catherine Goffinet

Catherine Goffinet

This Ben & Jerry’s flavor guru made a career out of her love of food and chemistry
August 3, 2019
Luis Martínez

Luis Martínez

This synthetic chemist is now teaching students to create companies rather than molecules
June 25, 2019
Anne Mallaband

Anne Mallaband

This English chemist worked in industry before moving to academia and European science policy
June 1, 2019
Vy Dong

Vy Dong

From first-generation college student to award-winning catalysis chemist
April 30, 2019
Curtis Ho

Curtis Ho

Organometallics lecturer uses his calling as a Buddhist monk to help calm the stresses of academic life
April 11, 2019
Raluca Ellis

Raluca Ellis

This chemist turned museum programmer is inspiring the next generation of scientists
February 3, 2019
Jonathan Schroden

Jonathan Schroden

This physical chemist turned defense analyst goes far with problem-solving and data-analysis skills
January 7, 2019
Hannah Follis

Hannah Follis

This formulation chemist turned cosmetics entrepreneur whips up bold fragrances and daring lip colors
November 3, 2018
Andrew Davis

Andrew Davis

This polymer chemist puts his industry background to work preserving documents at the Library of Congress
August 29, 2018
Rebecca Robbins

Rebecca Robbins

Exploring industry led this former professor to a career as a color chemist at a confections company
August 3, 2018
Chloe Poston

Chloe Poston

This chemist carved a path away from the bench to become an expert on the scientific workforce
June 30, 2018
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Kabrena Rodda

Kabrena Rodda

This chemist and military academy grad found a varied career in national security
June 3, 2018
Yun He

Yun He

Opportunities in academia and industry call chemist from China to the U.S.—and back again
May 2, 2018
Dana Garves

Dana Garves

This bench chemist built her own business around the craft beer boom
February 27, 2018
Michele Ramirez-Weinhouse

Michele Ramirez-Weinhouse

This former pharma chemist got back to her roots at the only school on the Hawaiian island of Lanai
February 5, 2018
Regina Easley

Regina Easley

This research chemist’s career took some unexpected turns before she fell for oceanography
December 26, 2017
Paula Olsiewski

Paula Olsiewski

This chemist made the leap into biotech, then entrepreneurship and beyond
November 1, 2017
Michael Malaska

Michael Malaska

Chemist turned a hobby into a job in space science
October 3, 2017
Mark Olson

Mark Olson

Nonconventional career track leads supramolecular chemist from Texas to China
August 30, 2017
Mary O’Reilly

Mary O’Reilly

This science illustrator combines her passion for research with her love of art
August 1, 2017
Kusai Merchant

Kusai Merchant

A chance encounter at an ACS national meeting led this chemist to a career on Capitol Hill
July 10, 2017
Xiaoxi Wei

Xiaoxi Wei

A fascination with organ transplantation inspired this ‘biohacker’ to cofound her own company
June 5, 2017
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Karen Goodwin

Karen Goodwin

A passion for chemistry drove this one-time homemaker to become a tenured professor
May 8, 2017
Warren Samms

Warren Samms

From science-loving Wichita schoolboy to crime-solving chemist
March 28, 2017
Lynn Soby

Lynn Soby

Passion for addressing global problems led her to the helm of IUPAC, the "United Nations of chemistry"
February 28, 2017
James Schiller

James Schiller

A life-changing event plus encouragement led to a career in the pharma industry
January 31, 2017
Michael Okoroafor

Michael Okoroafor

Polymer research took this packaging innovator from academia to industry
January 2, 2017
Elliot Richman

Elliot Richman

A lifelong love of learning moved this chemist from lab bench to newsroom to classroom
December 5, 2016
Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink

Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink

A love for science lit the path for this Science journal editor
November 7, 2016
Angela Hoffman

Angela Hoffman

Self-reliance and an unlikely start in teaching helped make Sister Angela Hoffman a standout educator
October 3, 2016
Eric Breitung

Eric Breitung

Networking helped this industrial chemist transition into a career at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
September 5, 2016
Joan Frye

Joan Frye

Science fiction inspires physical chemistry professor turned NSF program director
August 1, 2016
Salvatore La Rosa

Salvatore La Rosa

Children’s Tumor Foundation vice president for R&D leaves behind music for a medicinal chemistry career
July 4, 2016
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Paul Dietze

Paul Dietze

Chemistry professor turned patent attorney says there’s life after being denied tenure
June 3, 2016