Even as a junior, Karissa Jensen is already getting paid to do what she loves. Jensen, a chemistry major at the University of Idaho, works in Lab Services, a research lab and in a carbon compound lab as a teaching assistant.
Her latest goal: get her name published in a scientific journal.
Despite the inherent stress these commitments carry, Jensen said chemistry is where she belongs.
“I really like challenging things, a lot,” Jensen said. “And chemistry is everywhere. Literally everything is made out of atoms and molecules.”
As a chemistry major, Jensen gets to create molecules she”s never made before in a relatively small class setting and teach other students what she”s learned. Yet, Jensen originally chose UI for its music program.
She also had an interest in journalism and enrolled in some English and writing courses in her beginning semesters.
But it wasn”t until she enrolled in a chemistry class on a whim from her love of the subject in high school that she decided to make chemistry her major.
Jensen said she remembers she loved that first class, taught by Dan Edwards.
“I thought “You know what, this is what I want to do with my life,”” she said.
Of course, Jensen said being a chemistry major comes with its challenges. The major requires hours of homework, classwork and labs. She said physical and biological chemistry classes are tough but she still loves them.
She also finds solace in putting chemistry to creative use by cooking.
“You always feel a sense of accomplishment when you”re done,” Jensen said. “Like, “I made this.””
Jensen”s advice to incoming science majors is to ask questions and make time for the simple things.
Jensen said time management is critical to being academically successful. She said she learned to schedule her classes to end by 6 p.m. and schedule time to eat.
Jensen said despite her commitment to chemistry, she still does not know exactly what she wants to do with her life.
A dream job would be to work as a chemist for NASA, studying organic material in space, she said.
Other long-term goals include plans to earn a doctorate”s degree in chemistry, Jensen said. She also said she hopes to stay in the realm of education and become a teacher.
“I love helping people understand things,” Jensen said. “I love it when you can see the light go off in someone”s head and they”re like, “Oh my gosh, I get it,” and help them get there. That”s really cool for me.”
Taylor Nadauld can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @tnadauldarg