Learning the Lab
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of North Carolina
Emily Mick learned the basics of working in a chemistry lab as an undergraduate student at Illinois Tech through a research opportunity.
Emily Mick (CHEM ’10)After graduating from Illinois Tech, Emily Mick (CHEM ’10) worked at Abbott/AbbVie supporting the manufacturing of parenteral products on the market. Mick then received a Pharm.D. from UIC in 2016, and is currently a postdoctoral fellow with UNC and IQVIA in Pharmacokinetics.
“My academic experience at Illinois Tech was exceptional,” Mick says. “Due to the small class sizes, I was able to interact with my professors to get the most out of class material. It was very motivating to know they were there for one-on-one help. “
Mick says the most valuable experience she had at Illinois Tech was working in Professor Joy Chong’s lab. Mick learned not only organic chemistry synthesis skills, but also how to be an active member of a research lab.
“She pushed all her researchers to participate in weekly team meetings to present their progress and to participate in literature circles,” Mick says. “This type of mentorship helped to begin developing my scientific communication skills beyond what could be learned in a typical classroom setting, teaching me to communicate efficiently and effectively to allow my knowledge and results to be useful.”