Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

Ayanna Culmer-Gilbert

Ayanna Culmer-Gilbert


My name is Ayanna and I’m from The Bahamas. I got my bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. I am a third-year grad student in the Tait lab. I chose to pursue my PhD in chemistry at Indiana University because the summer before committing to IU, I was able to research in the Skrablab and had an amazing time. The city is quaint and quiet. The department is just the right size for me to get all the support I need, and the environment is not competitive, everyone just wants to do research and enjoy the program. I also chose IU because it was the only school I applied to that offered a multidisciplinary minor in Sustainable Energy Science. I’ve always enjoyed learning about chemistry, and I specifically wanted to know how I could use it to help the environment and IU has allowed me to do that. Being able to have this minor is my favorite part about being at IU. Sitting through my environmental classes and seeing how chemistry can vary in the atmosphere versus other mediums was interesting. I also love all the opportunities for fellowships and research collaborations available at IU. My favorite part about living in Bloomington is the food. There’s such a wide variety of food from around the world and so many options too. I hope to eat at every restaurant before I complete my degree.