On Oct. 4, the Rhodes College Chemistry Department held its annual Chemistry Research Recruiting Seminar. All the faculty had exactly three minutes to introduce themselves, explain their research, and convince eager students to join their labs.

Dr. Peterson began by explaining her research in working with dopamine analogues and COMT inhibitors which won her a National Science Foundation grant. Additionally, she is designing a molecule that can inhibit the growth of gram-negative bacteria. Afterwards, Dr. Stoddard discussed her lab’s research into hide antigens, chemicals that the body attacks inappropriately. Dr. Eckenhoff, an inorganic chemist, later presented on his work to artificially mimic photosynthesis as a way of harvesting energy.

“I have here a periodic table,” Stoddard said, pointing behind him. “My lab focuses on the middle elements. These are the fun ones, even if you don’t know it yet.”

The seminar was a lighthearted affair, emphasizing professors’ outside interests and personalities as they relate to their work. Dr. Loprete, for example, who is studying fungal growth in her lab, introduced herself as an avid Grizzlies fan and tennis player first.

Up next, Dr. Jackson-Hayes, projected a photo of mold.

“This is who I am,” Jackson-Hayes said, joking.

After the audience stopped laughing, Jackson-Hayes explained how her lab is studying hyphae tip growth of fungi to see which proteins are involved.

The talks interacted with each other as do the professors and students, who draw upon each other’s research in their professional setting. In particular, Dr. Horgen, Foundations Lab professor, discussed her work on organic chemistry and a student’s effort to synthesize ligands that would be used in Eckenhoff’s lab.

Some seminar speakers took time to highlight some of the more practical aspects of research work. Dr. Brien shared stories of students who went directly into the industry instead of medical or graduate school, and Dr. Cafiero explained how his lab consults part-time with an international law firm on drug packaging. In the end, students were able to get a clear picture of the kinds of jobs they can have at Rhodes and beyond.

“It’s a little bit of money, it’s not a lot of money,” Dr. Russ said in regards to summer opportunities for students. “You aren’t going to buy a car, but you will survive.”