Childhood interests sometimes go unrecognized and life takes another path, sometimes several paths, before those early interests finally rise up and take flight. Such is the story arc of Reed’s newest biochemistry professor, Prof. Kelly Chacón [2015-].
Kelly is currently taking a junior sabbatical break from teaching in order to spend some extra time in her research lab, but she recently spent a few minutes discussing her past, present, and future, with a reporter from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s (ASBMB) Minority Affairs section. The Minority Affairs interview appeared on 1 Sept 2017 under the title, September Research Spotlight on Kelly Chacón, Ph.D..
Among the many things you might learn about Kelly … After dropping out of high-school at 15, she didn’t discover biochemistry until 9 years later when, as a student at a local community college, she read about the Miller-Urey spark chamber experiment … Her road from college to college professor was anything but smooth (Reed students who feel like “imposters” might be reassured to know that the highly trained and well-organized instructor at the front of the class has dealt with those very same fears) … Some favorite pastimes include sewing and steel-tip darts … And the heroine and role model who inspires her, and the app that keeps her focused.
Recent posts about Kelly Chacón:
- Prof. Kelly Chacón “on Tap” with Biochemistry, 6 January 2017
- Grants Support New Faculty Research, 6 June 2016