Taking an Unconventional Route?

Abstract

The path to my current position as professor of chemistry at a large public university could be considered to be a conventional one. I became interested in biological and chemical research as an undergraduate college student. I pursued that interest in graduate school and received my PhD in chemistry. I was a postdoctoral fellow in two laboratories (one international and one in the USA) prior to landing my current job. Along the way I got married and had two children. When I embarked on my career 28 years ago, it was less common for women to major in chemistry, and very few moved into an academic position. This was especially true for women with children. When I look at my current working life and my path to it, I feel very fortunate to have landed in such a challenging and interesting job. There is nothing more rewarding than having a family, and there is nothing more enthralling than doing research.

About the Author

Education and Professional Career

1980:

BS Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

1985:

PhD Inorganic Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

1985–1986:

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

1986–1988:

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego, CA

1988–1994:

Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo, NY

1994–2003:

Associate Professor, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY

1996–1997:

Visiting Professor, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

2003–present:

Professor, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY

2005–2015:

Director, research experiences for undergraduates (NSF-REU), Chemistry Department, University of Buffalo

2016–present:

University at Buffalo Distinguished Professor, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY

Honors and Awards (Selected)

2015:

University at Buffalo Exceptional Scholar

2014:

Schoellkopf Medal, American Chemical Society, Western New York Section

2007–2009:

National Science Foundation Special Award for Creativity

1994–1996:

Alfred P. Sloan Fellow

1985–1986:

National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

Janet’s research focuses on the synthesis of inorganic complexes for biomedical diagnostics, sensing, or catalytic applications. She is an associate editor of the ACS journal, Inorganic Chemistry.