“Chemistry is all sorts of things you don’t think of,” says Professor Jerry Tsai, co-chair of the chemistry department at University of the Pacific.
Chemical reactions take place when we do things like make scrambled eggs for breakfast or wash our hands and are key to making most things we use on a day-to-day basis. And biochemical reactions constantly take place inside of each of us and other living things. Chemists and biochemists analyze rocket fuel, study insecticides and compounds that prevent plant illness, work in pharmacology to create new medicines and therapies, investigate ways to improve foods and more.
Biochemistry vs chemistry
Chemistry is the study of matter, its elements and structures (atoms, protons, neutrons, and more) and the ways in which types of matter interact with each other. Biochemistry deals specifically with living matter and processes that occur within living things.
Along with gaining fundamental knowledge of subjects including organic, inorganic and analytical chemistry, biochemistry and chemistry students learn specialized skills, such as mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, how to purify proteins and ways to synthesize organic molecules.
Students also gain less-tangible skills; Tsai highlights resilience and confidence. “There are always those times when the research doesn’t go well, and you have to problem solve,” he says. Students with degrees in chemistry or biochemistry are well prepared for any related field.
Chemistry internships for undergraduates
Internships provide students with valuable hands-on experience and broaden their understanding of their fields. Additionally, internships are valuable networking opportunities and sometimes lead to employment with the company offering the internship.
Pacific chemistry students have interned at industry leaders such as Agilent Technologies, Gilead Sciences, Genentech, MasSpec Lab, Thermo Fisher Scientific, E. & J. Gallo Winery and Minex Company, among others.
Careers with a degree in chemistry
Graduates with bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry or chemistry typically choose one of two paths after graduation: They go on to graduate or professional school or, less commonly, they take entry-level jobs.
Entry-level jobs in the chemical sciences
Graduates with degrees in biochemistry or chemistry can work as lab techs or in other roles that would be categorized as being a “bench scientist,” in biotechnology or health care:
- Lab techs in health care work in hospitals and urgent care clinics; diagnostic, forensic and public health laboratories; blood blanks; and pharmaceutical companies. They run tests on blood, tissue and urine samples to assist in diagnosing diseases or assessing the success of treatments. Their work supports doctors and others in the medical field, helping them to provide personalized care for their patients.
- Lab techs in industry might work at biotechnology companies, in the energy sector or the food or beverage industry, or for chemical manufacturing or cosmetics companies. They analyze materials and products under development to ensure they meet the necessary health, safety or other specifications, providing quality control and enabling technological advances.
Jobs where scientific literacy is important
- Science teacher: Science teachers introduce students to science for the first time, playing an important role in increasing scientific literacy and encouraging careers in the sciences. Science teachers with a background in chemistry might teach chemistry, environmental science or forensic science, depending on the needs of their schools. (Usually, a teaching credential or a master’s degree is required for teaching science in elementary, middle or high schools.)
- Pacific’s PacNoyce Scholars Program provides scholarships for college and graduate students in the STEM disciplines who commit to teaching for two years in high-need school districts.
- Science writer: Science writers explain the significance of scientific discoveries and innovations and the intricacies of natural phenomena to the public. They write for print and online publications focused on science and mainstream publications with a broader audience, telling stories and making informed arguments for policy changes.
- Working in government or industry: Scientific literacy is important for working in many scientific companies, even if the day-to-day work (in operations or marketing or government relations) isn’t in a scientific field. Similarly, having a scientific background is useful in many government roles, including analyst positions in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) or other federal or state agencies.
Graduate and professional schools
Students go to graduate school for biochemistry or chemistry or to professional school for dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, medicine or veterinary medicine.
Many colleges, including University of the Pacific, have pre-health pathways to help students meet the course requirements for graduate school in the health professions.
Why study biochemistry at Pacific?
“Because we’re not so huge, we get more one-on-one time with students, and they get more hands-on experience working side-by-side with faculty members,” says Tsai. Andrew Parkins, who received his PhD in biochemistry from Pacific this year, echoed this, saying professors “allow you to stand out by being curious, asking good questions and wanting to learn more.”
Opportunities for research
“Pacific offers signature research activities for undergrads, which gives them skills that they can use directly,” says Jianhua Ren, chemistry department co-chair. Some of the projects that Pacific chemistry and biochemistry students have contributed to have included synthesizing proteins; making peptides, which can be used to deliver drugs to specific targets; and cancer research involving chemokines, proteins that facilitate the movement of white blood cells.
“I think it’s easier to find research opportunities [at Pacific] because it’s a small school and a very small chemistry and biochemistry department. You get to know the professors pretty quickly and then you just find your niche,” said Sonderegger, who participated in Pacific’s Stauffer Grant program.
Each year in the Stauffer Grant program, students apply to participate in cutting-edge research with faculty members. Eight to 10 students are selected and each receives an $8,000 stipend. Their work culminates in a presentation in August. Students are sometimes co-authors on publications, which allows them to further demonstrate their experience on graduate school applications and resumes.
Career development and opportunities for networking
“Something unique about Pacific is that we have a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance machine and the mass spectrometry lab,” Sonderegger added. “Having that kind of very advanced equipment and people who know how to use it and are willing to train you is a huge advantage.”
Faculty take students to national meetings of professional associations where they can network and broaden their understandings of work being done in the field. And Pacific’s location in California means that students have easy access to biotech companies in the Silicon Valley and nearby for internships and future employment.
The result of these advantages is that Pacific biochemistry and chemistry students have great success in graduate and professional school placements.
Still have questions?
Learn more about studying chemistry at Pacific.