Successful Women in Chemistry

An Interview with Kathryn E. Uhrich, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Kathryn Uhrich is a professor of chemistry and associate chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University.  She received a B.S. degree (1986) in chemistry at the University of North Dakota, and a Ph.D. degree (1992) in organic chemistry from Cornell University.  Before moving to her present post at Rutgers in 1995, she held postdoctoral positions at AT&T Bell Laboratories (1992) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1993-95).

Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Several industrial and government agencies have recognized her research: Professor Uhrich has received the Johnson & Johnson Discovery Award (1996), the Hoechst Celanese Innovative Research Award (1996 and 1997), the NSF CAREER Award (2000), and has been elected a Fellow in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2003).  Recent awards include the Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award (2003), New Jersey’s Outstanding Scientist in Biomedical Research Award (2004), the ACS-sponsored Buck-Whitney Award (2005), and the New York Academy of Sciences Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists Finalist (2007).  A different “honor” that Dr. Uhrich’s research has received includes popular press articles and books that describe her research results including Newsweek, Business Week, New York Times, New Jersey’s The Star-Ledger, and several pages dedicated to her research innovations in the 2004 book entitled Aspirin: The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug.

She is cofounder of Polymerix (2000-08), 2003 recipient of New Jersey's "Best Life Sciences/Healthcare Company”, and currently, she is codirector of an NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship on biointerfaces (2004-08) and on stem cells (2008-12).

Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of biocompatible polymers for medical and dental applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering and her research accomplishments have been recognized and disseminated in hundreds of publications and conference proceedings along with hundreds of invited presentations at local, national, and international levels.  In addition, she currently has over one hundred US and world-wide patents and applications.  Her innovative research in polymer chemistry and biomaterials at Rutgers has trained nearly one hundred graduate and undergraduate students.

The following excerpts are from an interview with Professor Kathryn Uhrich where she shared her personal experience and insights. 

How did you get started in your field?

I started doing research in the summer after my junior year in high school, at a research center in my hometown.  Once I realized that research paid more than babysitting and that asking questions was actually a good thing, I was hooked.

What took you to where you are today?

My enthusiasm for learning and ability to work hard.

How have you changed and/or how has the "work climate" changed since you started?

I’m now more comfortable being one of the few women in the room.  The environment has changed some and for the better, but most of the change has been in my own comfort level.

How do you define being successful?

Doing what you love and love what you’re doing.

Does success require compromise?

Yes, sometimes one spends less time on important things (like relationships) in order to spend time on things that move a career forward (like writing grants).

Did/do you have mentors and how have they helped? (i.e. what was most beneficial to you in a mentor)

I’ve had many mentors in my career- starting with the research supervisor who hired a high school junior.  The common factor amongst my many mentors is confidence; they gave me confidence by having confidence in me.

How do you balance work and life?

I don’t.  I don’t seem to have enough time for either.   My husband, Jeff, is very good at ‘forcing’ me to take vacations as well as scheduling a ‘date night’ once a week.

What do you do outside work for fun?

I love to travel, hike, explore new cultures, snorkel, visit galleries and museums as well as to read.

What worked for you that would be good advice for someone else coming up in her career?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, seek a mentor.  In addition, always make some time for yourself – whether that’s having coffee with a friend or reading a great book.

What do you like best about your current work?

The opportunity to work with intelligent, enthusiastic people is the best.  The freedom to pursue innovative or crazy research ideas is a close second.

Have you faced particular challenges as a woman in the field of chemistry?

A challenge is often being one of the few women, sometimes the only, in a meeting and hearing my colleagues discuss how difficult it is to find other women.  There are plenty of excellent women, yet they are often not noticed.  Women need to network more.

What kind of traits makes a good manager?

Being fair.  Talking to people when they are doing poorly and encouraging them when they are doing well.

What kind of traits makes a good chemist?

Being curious, yet careful.

What kind of traits makes a good leader in a scientific field?

Being able to inspire others and good listening skills.

What about careers in general – what should people look for in a satisfying career?

You should do something that you enjoy.  I’m a strong believer that work shouldn’t be work, it should be an environment that allows you and others to learn and to explore.

What was/is your favorite (work-related) book?

Winning the Games Scientists Play by Carl Sindermann.

Best overall developmental tool?

Time, make time for personal development (e.g., exercise and time with friends) as well as time for professional development (e.g., coffee with your mentors).

Most important skill for advancement?

Do your job well, or as one friend says “make your boss look good”.

What percentage of your time is spent on professional development?

Not enough.  Fortunately, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a four-week leadership program for women this summer (HERS Summer Leadership Institute).  It was a spectacular opportunity to learn from and share with 60 other super-smart women on work/life balance, networking, and the inner workings of administration in higher education.

How in-tune are you to current job market?

Reasonably in tune.

How often do you update your résumé?

Daily.

More information on Professor Kathryn Uhrich and her research can be found on her Rutgers faculty webpage: http://rutchem.rutgers.edu/content_dynamic/faculty/kathryn_uhrich.shtml

-Almudena Prudencio