Wood Honors College student and senior chemistry major Cole Pearson recently earned the Trish Baisden Student of the Year Award, honoring him as a top student among the 12-student cohort at the Nuclear Chemistry Summer School hosted at San Jose State University.
Sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the American Chemical Society, the rigorous six-week program brings together undergraduates from across the country to participate in the study of nuclear chemistry through lectures, labs and field experiences. Students study the chemistry of nuclear materials, radiochemistry, fuel reprocessing and nuclear medicine while visiting top research facilities, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Pearson described the program as being an “amazing experience,” noting that it pushed him to step out of his comfort zone both academically and on a personal level. “It was very rewarding. By the end of it, my imposter syndrome was beaten into the ground. I realized I can put the work in.”
He was one of only a dozen students selected nationwide for the program, yet he remained humble. “The students who were in the program with me were some the smartest, brightest and most passionate people I’ve ever met, Pearson stated. “It was a spectacular cohort of people. Many of them spoke multiple languages, played several instruments, and held two or three majors.”
Despite initially feeling intimidated, Pearson shared how the experience strengthened both his confidence and his appreciation for the collaborative nature of conducting science research. Pearson spent six weeks not only completing research with his cohort, but also living with them in San Jose’s International House.
Each day, students attended intensive lectures and lab sessions led by the program director, Dr. Jeff C. Bryan, formerly of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. “The day consisted of about two to three hours a day of lecture, then two to three hours a day in the lab or about four to 6 hours, said Pearson. “It’s a full semester’s worth of advancing nuclear chemistry packed into six weeks.”
Beyond the classroom, the cohort explored the Bay Area through weekly excursions to places such as Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Monterey. “We went to San Francisco and visited Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli, Chinatown and Lombard Street.” he shared. “Our last weekend, we went to Monterey. It was so beautiful there, and it turns out, our professor’s wife is the great niece of John Steinbeck.”
The laboratory experience was unlike anything Pearson had experienced before. “There are very few labs that allow you to conduct nuclear chemistry research,” Pearson explained. He learned more about emerging fields such as nuclear medicine and radio-pharmaceuticals. “In one lab, we got to synthesize our own radio-pharmaceutical. That was very fun.”
In addition, Pearson got to meet top experts in the field of nuclear science. “My cohort got to meet some big people within the field of pharmaceuticals, quantum chemistry, physical chemistry, like modeling which has a big role to play in the development of this very new field of radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine,” he said. “It’s holding a lot of promise to advance cancer care in a way that hasn’t been seen. Now, I’m applying to PhD programs in that field, which I would not have known existed if it weren’t for my cohort program.”
Back at Ship, Pearson credits his professors and peers for preparing him to succeed last summer at San Jose. “The chemistry faculty at Ship, they’re amazing. They did a great job at preparing me and providing a high-quality education.”
Reflecting on his overall experience, Pearson shared that the friendships and mentorships that he gained are what matter the most. “If I could highlight just one thing, it would definitely be the people in my cohort; they were a great group of people.”
