Episode Highlights:

• Why college freshmen struggle with chemistry (and why it’s not their fault)

• How an unfulfilled childhood career dream can still put you on the right path

• What it’s really like to take an Army ROTC scholarship as a first-generation student

Timestamps:

0:40 - What is a chemist?

2:14 - What does a typical day look like?

3:44 - What do you enjoy?

5:23 - What do you dislike?

23:47 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

30:57 - What were your career milestones?

33:55 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Dr. Colleen Kelley is a chemist, educator, and molecular literacy advocate dedicated to making chemistry fun, accessible, and meaningful for learners of all ages. A retired University of Arizona chemistry professor with over 30 years of teaching experience, Colleen is the creator of a children’s chemistry comic book series designed to build foundational fluency with atoms, molecules, and the periodic table. Her work was featured in the PBS short documentary Comic Book Chemistry, which won an Emmy in 2023, and later inspired her 2025 TEDx talk, Molecular Literacy for Ages 8–108. Colleen holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State University, conducted postdoctoral research in France as a Chateaubriand Fellow under Nobel Laureate Jean-Marie Lehn, and has published four textbooks, more than 30 peer-reviewed articles, and presented her work internationally.

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

• Colleen’s Website - https://kidschemicalsolutions.com/

• Colleen’s TedX Talk - https://youtu.be/OwQfs0pIO-I?si=pbHRmJzppTjWtKtz

Looking for career support?

Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching

Episode Highlights:

• Learn how to think like a consultant starting with the lingo (proactive vs. reactive)

• How changing your major six times can lead to career clarity, not chaos

• What really happens after academic burnout — and how to rebuild a fulfilling career

Timestamps:

0:28 - What is an Ecological & Sustainability Consultant?

1:36 - What does a typical day look like?

16:33 - What do you enjoy?

20:29 - What do you dislike?

23:29 - How does your career compare to your initial aspirations?

35:29 - What were your career milestones?

48:24 - What advice would you give an aspiring professional?

About Our Guest:

Aaron Stoler, Ph.D. is a Managing Scientist in the Ecological and Biological Sciences practice at Exponent, and is based in Philadelphia. With over 20 years of research experience, Dr. Stoler is an applied ecologist who integrates foundational ecological theory, traditional knowledge, and innovative technologies to deliver sustainable solutions across industry, government, and academia. His expertise spans biodiversity monitoring, restoration ecology, life cycle analysis, wetland and forest ecology, and multivariate analysis of complex experimental designs. Dr. Stoler holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh and is a Certified Senior Ecologist. He has previously worked as an associate professor at Stockton University (NJ), as a research scientist for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and as applied ecologist with ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc.

• Extended Interview - ⁠patreon.com/diverseroutes ⁠

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠

Episode Highlights:

• What it really takes to build a biotech startup from scratch

• Why your medical speciality isn’t as fixed as you think

• How to navigate your job search while employed

Timestamps:

Dr. Darrell Marshall

Original episode aired 2/8/2023 (Episode 16)

0:33 - What are you up to now since we last spoke?

6:01 - What drew you to this new opportunity?

9:41 - What does a typical day look like, and how does it compare to your previous role?

19:30 - What’s one lesson from this transition that could help others?

Dr. Anna Buck

Original episode aired 8/9/2022 (Episode 11)

23:44 - What are you up to now since we last spoke?

24:14 - What drew you to this new opportunity?

26:18 - What does a typical day look like, and how does it compare to your previous role?

30:11 - What’s one lesson from this transition that could help others?

Lauren Bretz

Original episode aired 5/10/2023 (Episode 18)

34:40 - What are you up to now since we last spoke?

35:34 - What drew you to this new opportunity?

40:34 - What does a typical day look like, and how does it compare to your previous role?

44:29 - What’s one lesson from this transition that could help others?

About Our Guests:

Dr. Darrell Marshall is CEO and founder of Total Analysis. He holds a PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry, specializing in infectious diseases, ionization product development, and machine learning.

Dr. Anna Buck is a board-certified physician assistant, who has recently transitioned from primary care and orthopedic specialities to dermatology.

Lauren Bretz is a Data Scientist with 9+ years of industry experience and now leads her own team building client-facing algorithms and data-driven optimizations at Stitch Fix.

Prefer to watch your podcasts?

• Watch this episode on patreon.com/diverseroutes

Looking for career support?

• Check out ⁠Success in Science Career Coaching⁠