Chemistry and Engineering Graduate Student

Nicholas V.

Hi! My name is Nicholas. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Chemistry from Cornell University. I am now working on a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering and I was awarded the TA award from my department this past year. I’m working to become a professor in my future career. During my graduate school research, I regularly spend time at Brookhaven National Lab running experiments on the National Synchrotron Light Source II and many of the projects I work on are directly funded by the Department of Energy.

Before starting my PhD, I spent two years in industry working with electrolyzers and green hydrogen production. I ran projects, worked on a team of highly skilled scientists, and set up collaborations with students where I would mentor them through projects on behalf of the company. These projects were wildly successful and culminated in real changes to the electrode materials production lines. This experience was one of the reasons I decided to pursue higher education. In addition to teaching, I hope to become a role model and mentor to students interested in science. I can tutor in several subject areas, but with my diverse experiences, I can also provide perspective on career paths and help establish long term career goals.

During my undergraduate, I was the vice president of the Alpha Chi Sigma professional chemistry fraternity and a tutor for the Chemistry Peer Advisors. These experiences helped shape my approach to leadership and teaching. I have found that students learn best when they have a solid foundation to build upon and when they are exposed to teachers who are passionate about the subject. I have been very fortunate to have such an amazing series of passionate instructors throughout my education and I bring this excitement with me into all of my teaching. I can help build the foundation a student needs to succeed in their classes and I hope to inspire my students to pursue careers in science.