Welcome!

Welcome to the laboratory of the Mad Chemist Chick. I have a few minutes while waiting for a reaction to go to completion. Why don’t you put on these safety glasses, pull up a lab stool and sit for a while?

So before y’all start with “Oh, I really hated chemistry in high school” or “Chemistry is sooooo boring”, let me just say that this is not intended to be a blog on everything-you-did-NOT-want-to-know-about-chemistry-and-were-
afraid-to-ask-for-fear-of-an-hour-long-lecture-on-it. I will post about everything from politics to what color polish I want to use during my next pedicure. But science and chemistry---in particular organic chemistry (Gasp! Not organic!) will appear in some posts---y’all have been warned.

You are probably wondering “Who is this Mad Chemist Chick?” Well, even as a kid, I always enjoyed science. One year my older sister (hereafter called DS) received this combo biology/chemistry set for Christmas. DS, having always been interested in Nature, took the microscope and slides and went off to hunt some poor bug to put under its lens (Side note: she is in grad school now working on her Ph.D. in biology). In the meantime, I had started poking around with the chemicals in the set and promptly burned a hole in the carpet. I have been hooked ever since. (BTW, they have long since removed all the good stuff from chemistry sets for fear of a lawsuit. Very sad.)

Fast forward a few years. After majoring in chemistry in college (with a biology minor), I went on to obtain a doctorate in organic chemistry and participate in a couple of postdoctoral fellowships. While in academia, I had the opportunity to both perform research and teach college level courses which I enjoyed but my dream had always been to work in drug development. To that end, I recently left academia to accept a job as a research chemist at a pharmaceutical company---and I love it. You will have to stick around to hear the rest. ;-)

As you enter the laboratory of the Mad Chemist Chick, there are a few things you should know. First, always wear protection. Things get a little messy around here—explosions can happen. Second, feel free to contribute to the discussion—I always enjoy meeting new people and learning new things. Third, you will have to be patient with me. This is my first blog and I am still trying to figure things out and find my style.

Hope you enjoy your stay!