Today's Elements of Success features Junia Alsinawi, who tells us about her studies in the Stephan Lab, journalism work at The Varsity, and the book that put her on the path to studying chemistry.
Bio: Hi! My name is Junia Alsinawi (she/her), and I’m in my final year as a Synthetic and Catalytic Chemistry specialist at U of T’s St. George Campus. I’m part of University College, and in my free time I love to write, read, build community, and obsessively follow U.S. politics.
I’m also the Deputy News Editor at The Varsity, U of T’s tricampus student newspaper, so when I’m not in the lab, you can find me at our office writing and editing articles to help inform students about what’s going on across campus!
This past summer, I worked at the Chemistry Library developing and writing a Green Chemistry LibGuide. Our amazing chemistry librarian, Madeline Gerbig, helped me put this idea into action, and the guide will be published soon, so keep an eye out!
Chemistry Stories asked:
You are currently in CHM499, working with Professor Doug Stephan. What kind of project are you working on, and how did that all come together?
This year I have the privilege of doing CHM499 research in Prof. Doug Stephan’s lab, working on novel FLP (Frustrated Lewis Pair) chemistry. As part of applying to do a CHM499, students indicate the area of chemistry they’re interested in researching. I’ve loved inorganic chemistry since Professor Stephan taught it in my first year CHM151 class, so to be researching in his lab in my fourth year feels like a very fitting way to end my time at U of T and the chemistry department.
CHM499 has a series of workshops meant to prepare students for various aspects of research practice. What have you taken so far… and what was that experience like?
I’ve attended two of these workshops, led by Professor Andy Dicks and graduate student Turar Tanirbergenov, and both of them have been very helpful in directing my development as a student and scientist. Workshop two covered applying to graduate school— deciding where to apply, writing your personal statement, and doing well in interviews, among other things. These are the things that make or break an application, but often students are left to figure them out on their own. This workshop gave us invaluable guidance and helped us all feel more confident in the application process.
The third workshop was about communicating your research to different audiences. As someone who believes very strongly that scientific communication is necessary to build a scientifically literate society and a better world, I’m really glad to see that these conversations are part of the education of the next generation of scientists. The workshop was really fun, as well as informative: at the end, we had the option of giving an elevator pitch of our research, something I did and learned a lot from!
How did you first become interested in studying chemistry?
I’ve been fascinated by chemistry since I was twelve, when I read Obsessive Genius by Barbara Goldsmith, which chronicles the life and science of Marie Curie. Then, taking chemistry in high school developed this fascination into passion, and the rest is history.
Can you remember a time when a fact about chemistry blew your mind?
In 1996 Guida et al. published a paper approximating that there are at least 1063 possible molecules that could be made. My favourite chemistry fact is that even if we were to make just one copy of each of the 1063 molecules, there would not be enough carbon in the universe to do so. Humans are famously bad at comprehending big numbers, but this still blows my mind every time I think about it. For me, it really proves how vast chemistry is, and how much opportunity and potential for future discovery there is.
What advice would you give new U of T undergraduates considering a chemistry specialty?
I truly cannot recommend doing a chemistry specialist here at U of T enough. Every professor, administrator, and TA in the chemistry department is on your side and wants you to succeed. Help and guidance are always given if you ask, and no matter who you are, there is definitely the sense that you belong here. I’ve genuinely never taken a chemistry class that I didn't enjoy in some way— our professors are some of the best scientists in the world, and their knowledge and passion is evident in their teaching.
We’d love to share more about your journey as a scholar and student, and this includes anything you may wish to share about communities you’re part of, identities you’d like to highlight, or challenges you’ve encountered along the way. If there’s anything along these lines you’d be open to talking about, please do!
In many ways, I’m an atypical chemistry specialist because of the breadth of my academic and career interests. Prior to this year, the bulk of my research experience was biologically focused, and I spent two years researching HIV in Dr. Una O’Doherty’s lab, first at the University of Pennsylvania and then at Emory University. My deep interest in the humanities has led me to take electives in Italian history, comparative politics, and international relations. My love of writing and journalism has led to a place at The Varsity—not as a science writer, but a news editor. My future plans are also a bit unusual—I’d like to go to graduate school for chemistry, and then go to law school (and not to do patent law…).
I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without the challenges and joys of doing a chemistry specialist here at U of T. No matter who you are or what you want to do in life, studying chemistry only brings advantages by cultivating problem-solving, critical thinking, tenacity, and curiosity that will serve you long after you’ve finished your degree.
Every professor, administrator, and TA in the chemistry department is on your side and wants you to succeed. Help and guidance are always given if you ask, and no matter who you are, there is definitely the sense that you belong here. -Junia Alsinawi