Each year, the American Chemical Society honors 15 undergraduate ACS student members with the ACS Student Leadership Award. This year, UO Chemistry major Caitlyn Hazlett is among the recipients. The award recognizes emerging leaders in the ACS student affiliates chapter network, and helps them prepare for leadership opportunities at volunteer organizations, such as ACS, and in their professional career.
Students selected for the award have the unique privilege of learning new leadership skills and the opportunity to network with local section and division leaders, national committee chairs, and younger chemists at the annual ACS Leadership Institute. The award covers travel, accommodation, and registration expenses. The 2014 ACS Leadership Institute will be held January 24-26, 2014, in Dallas, TX.
Caitlyn, a Chemistry major with a minor in Classics, is a junior from Milwaukie, Oregon. She currently serves as President of the UO Student Affiliates of the American Chemistry Society (SAACS), and enjoys planning events that are beneficial to students and build community for chemistry and biochemistry majors. Another interest is teaching, and she has taken advantage of opportunities to work as a SPICE camp instructor, participate in the Science Literacy Program, and tutor for Chemistry 111. This coming winter term, Caitlyn will tutor local high school students in chemistry and biology.
Caitlyn’s current coursework includes research in the Darren Johnson Lab under grad student Anna Oliveri, working with nanolaminates and thin films characterization for devices. Future plans include pursuing a Ph.D., possibly after participating in the Masters Internship Program here at the UO. Eventually, she would like to combine her interests in teaching and chemistry research as a professor and PI in her own lab.
Caitlyn is my granddaughter. From an early age Caitlyn presented a curiosity of life that included sciences and creativity in other areas. She is a wonderful person who exhibits concern for others, accepts people at face value and defends those who may seem out of place in a society that depends upon that which is “normal”. Caitlyn is anything but normal. She is exceptional and wherever she lands following her educational goals will be a place where others count. My hope is that when we are in her presence that we will recognize her with our acceptance for the person she is and the potential contribution to our lives without requirement of reciprocity.