Networking Opportunity Lands Chemistry Senior Important Internship

Networking Opportunity Lands Chemistry Senior Important Internship

This summer, senior chemistry student Mary Eby found herself with a unique internship opportunity.

"From my experience and from what I have learned from others, it can be particularly difficult to find an internship in chemistry," said Eby, who is scheduled to graduate next May. "There is not a lack of internships, but rather a lack of advertisement. I was extremely grateful to have found this opportunity as I felt I already knew I wanted to work in industry; however, I did not want to enter the workforce without knowing it was truly the path for me, and this was a way to test that."

Alongside two other interns, Eby worked in the research and development department at BASF Corp. in Wyandotte, Michigan.

"I worked as the sole intern on the structure elucidation team, characterizing and identifying components and contaminants in manufactured products," she said. "It was amazing to see industrial applications of the things I had learned in an academic setting, and I was able to take the knowledge of those applications back to the University and my research there as well."

Eby first heard about the opportunity through her association with UToledo's student chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

"I had attended an event with the Detroit chapter of the American Chemical Society and met a chemist there who was employed at BASF in Wyandotte," she said. "We had struck up a conversation about my education and it led to the realization that I was looking for an internship and that her department at BASF was looking for interns with a solid education in chemistry."

The American Chemical Society has allowed Eby to experience myriad new opportunities for students in her major.

"I had the opportunity to attend the Spring 2024 ACS National Conference this past academic year," she said. "I was able to travel with a group of my peers to New Orleans and attend seminars on how to further my career, research symposiums and so many other beneficial events. Attending the conference and presenting a demo was definitely a memorable experience and I was able to gain so much from the trip."

Dr. Jon Kirchhoff, a Distinguished University Professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has worked closely with Eby throughout her education.

"Mary is a dedicated student in the classroom and research laboratory," Kirchhoff said. "She has taken advantage of many opportunities in the chemistry and biochemistry program including performing undergraduate research in analytical chemistry since her freshman year. This experience has positioned her not only for the success she achieved in her summer internship at BASF, but also will benefit her future career in science. Mary has become an exceptionally talented and insightful scientist with her hard work leading to her presenting her research at the upcoming Spring 2025 ACS National Conference."

Eby said the most important aspect of college for her was to get involved.

"The best thing I ever did for myself was to build connections," she said. "Taking time to email professors and talk to them after class allowed me to build connections with faculty, which opened up future opportunities. Joining a lab and conducting undergraduate research helped me to refine my skills from the very beginning while receiving support from faculty and graduate students."

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