Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate Programs

Anastasia Yesnik

Class of 2011
Chemistry B.A. & Spanish B.A.

"My career goal is to become a cardiothoracic surgeon and volunteer in Spanish-speaking countries with the Doctors without Borders Program. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into IU's Integrated Freshman Learning Experience program the summer before the start of my freshman year, which enabled me to begin full-time research in the Department of Chemistry's Center for Cell and Virus Theory (CCVT) under my mentor, distinguished professor Dr. Peter Ortoleva. Because of this and my recent acceptance into the Science, Technology, and Research Scholars program, I will be able to continue the research I began as a freshman throughout my entire undergraduate career.

As a researcher in the CCVT, my main goal is to uncover how differences in gene expression by the atypical regulatory binding of transcription factors to the promoter region of DNA can lead to carcinogenesis. By understanding how gene expression transforms because of the protein interaction changes during cancer onset and progression, I aim to develop therapeutic strategies for prevention."

Our department offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in both Biochemistry and Chemistry, as well as a minor in Chemistry. Both the BS degrees are certified by the American Chemical Society. Each year, our graduating seniors in chemistry and biochemistry go on to the best graduate schools in the nation, including Caltech, Stanford, California-Berkeley, MIT, Harvard, Yale, Columbia and all of the Big-10 universities. Close to one-third of our seniors go immediately into industrial jobs. Our department facilitates the job searches of students by providing a placement service, in which industrial recruiters hold on-campus interviews within the chemistry building. Many of our graduating seniors are accepted into medical and dental schools, and a small number of students pursue combined M.D.-Ph.D. degrees in biochemistry and medicine.

Our faculty members show a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching by opening their laboratories for Undergraduate Research. Recently, a team of faculty has redesigned our first-year chemistry courses to emphasize more current topics, such as biochemistry and polymers, that will better prepare our students for further study in modern laboratories and medical technologies. Developments in the curriculum and in teaching facilities are continuing on a regular basis.

Announcements

New IU program offers fast track to teaching for math, science majors
Chemistry and math majors now have a more efficient path to earning both a master's degree in education and teacher licensure under a new agreement between the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education.