Kourtney Wright
Hometown: Pocatello, ID
Major: Chemistry
High School: Century High School
What are some of your hobbies/interests?
I like to go hiking, skiing and camping. I also like to read and I was a part of the chemistry club at ISU.
Why did you choose your major?
I started out as a pre-med student. But after volunteering at the hospital, I realized I didn't like it very much. But I did like my organic chemistry class, so I decided to switch. Chemistry is challenging and interesting and I just enjoy doing it. With chemistry, I liked that I was learning why things happen.
Was there a professor who had an impact on you while at ISU?
There were two, actually. Dr. Robert Holman is the one that helped me transition from the idea of medical school to chemistry. Dr. Joshua Pak is my research advisor and he has always been very supportive. He helped provide the support I needed that allowed me to provide two presentations to the American Chemical Society. He also encouraged me to apply for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Even though I didn't get it, I'm glad he pushed me to do that because now I have the experience of writing my own proposal and going through the application process.
What was one challenge that you faced during your time at ISU?
Probably when I was working at Winco for 35 hours a week. It was really hard to balance school and work and still get enough sleep. Dr. Pak helped me by giving me a job in his research lab so I could afford to quit Winco. It was awesome because I was able to be flexible with my schedule. I also learned a lot about my project and what it means to work in a chemistry lab.
What surprised you about college life?
I thought college was going to be the hardest thing ever and I thought the professors were going to be totally unwilling to work with me. It was not like that at all. However, I think having that idea in my mind helped me with college because I started out working really hard, expecting it to be difficult. I found that the professors genuinely care and are definitely willing to work with students.
Career goals:
I'm going to study at Rice University and get my Ph.D. in chemistry. And then I'm not totally sure after that. I'm really interested in alternative energy research, like developing better solar panels or finding a way to make hydrogen fuel efficiently. So, that's probably where I will end up.