Student Spotlight: Mark Kalaj

<b>How long have you been in the Chemistry & Biochemistry PhD program and when are you planning to defend/graduate?</b> I started in the UCSD Chemistry and Biochemistry Program in the fall of 2017 and I have been in the program for just under four years. I recently defended my thesis in April of 2021! <b>What drew you into your current field of research?</b> As an undergraduate, I conducted fundamental inorganic chemistry research. I was fascinated by this research but in graduate school I wanted to work on more applicable inorganic research. Thus, I chose to join the Cohen Lab and work on Metal-Organic Frameworks or MOFs for short. MOFs are crystalline and typically porous three-dimensional materials with exceptional absorption, catalytic, and separation properties. In my research, I use MOFs as catalysts to degrade chemical warfare agents. I also have worked on combining MOFs with stretchy polymers in an effort to form a hybrid material that contains the flexibility of the polymer and the desired properties of the MOFs. <b>What scientific accomplishment are you most proud of since arriving at UCSD? </b> There are a number of achievements I am very proud of during my graduate career, but I would have to say the one I am most proud of is winning the 2021 ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Young Investigator Award. This was something that came as a complete shock and I am very honored to join a long list of very successful current and former winners (i.e. UCSD Chem Biochem Prof. Alina Schimpf and Prof. Jeffrey Rinehart) of this award. <b>What advice would you give new PhD students arriving in Fall? </b> The best advice that I could give new students in the fall is to find a lab that has a great leader and a good group dynamic. Yes, finding a group that does the chemistry that you like is obviously important as well, but I think that finding a lab with a healthy environment and a supportive team is the secret to graduate school. <b>Greatest memory (so far) from your time at UCSD? </b> My greatest memory at UCSD is meeting my now wife (Brianna Kalaj – Burkart Lab) during the Chemistry and Biochemistry Orientation in the fall of 2017. We were recently married in June of 2021 and I can truly say it has been wonderful going through graduate school step by step with someone who understands both the struggles and triumphs at every step of the way.