Student Comments

Comments from Graduates of the Department of Chemistry at SHSU

"Getting an admission to a University in the United States had been a dream at one stage…I still remember the lucky moment that I saw my admission letter from the graduate school at Sam. It was a milestone of my life.

Being a Bearkat at Sam, I was fortunate to carry out my MS under a highly talented and well-experienced Chemistry faculty. There I gained an immense knowledge in various areas of Chemistry, had a great opportunity to teach Chemistry laboratories as an international student, and carried out research work under a great supervisor whose experiences and guidance were beyond expectation. Even though I already had my BS in the environmental analytical field, my MS research at Sam was mainly focused on Bioanalytical Chemistry in which the concepts were new to me at the beginning. But, owing to the highly appreciable help given by the faculty, along with the excellent research facilities, I was able to master new concepts and applications of this area and was successful in boosting my research to a higher level. This aspect armed me with great confidence that I can work on any field without hesitation. As a consequence, I am proud to mention that today I am carrying out my PhD studies in organic synthesis with a collaboration with the Material Science and Engineering Department at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Having the most friendly faculty that I ever met in a graduate school, and with the help, guidance, and courage given to me by all the professionals and services in that program, my time at SHSU remains the most memorable two years of my life as an international graduate student."
Gayan A.,
M.S. Chemistry
Summer 2013

  "The chemistry program at SHSU helped develop my knowledge, lab skills, and interest in research. The professors went to great lengths to not only teach, but to help students understand the material. They made themselves available to the students and would follow-up on questions. I am thankful for the effort each and every professor made to my learning. Furthermore, I came away with an appreciation for areas of chemistry that I didn't even want to think about when I started. As for the lab skills, chemistry students (undergrad and grad) at Sam have access to instruments (NMR, GC, CE) that were unavailable to me during my undergrad years at Texas A&M. By the time I completed my masters degree, I was prepared to take my education to the next level. My years at Sam helped prepare me to pursue my PhD at Rice University. I simply cannot thank enough the professors and students that I met during my time at Sam. They will remain with me well into the future."
Tricia C.,
M.S. Chemistry
Spring 2009

"I got my start at SHSU Chemistry in the undergraduate research program in an analytical research group. What I learned there gave me the foundation for a wonderfully lucrative career in analytical chemistry. It went beyond that though, and I learned how to manage time, resources and graphical instrumental interfacing and was MORE than well prepared for the real world experiences that lay beyond graduation. I thought I was just an average college student graduating and going out into the field, but the SHSU Dept of Chemistry and my research advisor had given me something I didn't even know I possessed: A thoroughly-grounded knowledge of analytical chemistry and a tool box of knowledge that I STILL use to this day! The innovative techniques I developed in industry have been internationally sought after by PhDs in the Middle East and Africa in the petrochemical field. The instruments I built and programmed are still in use by Exxon Upstream Research. Because I was allowed to learn in a real-world environment through the SHSU undergraduate research program, I have been a VERY successful professional chemist for the past 15 yrs." (posted 2011) 
Alan S.
B.S. Chemistry/Biology Minor
Summer 1997

"The Chemistry Department at Sam Houston is incredible, thanks to the great professors who care about their students. I attended Sam Houston all four years for my undergraduate. I had the opportunity to have GREAT professors that welcomed my questions and always had an open door for me. I can not thank Dr. Chasteen or Dr. Williams enough for all the knowledge and guidance they have given." 
Erica D.
B.S. Forensic Chemistry
B.S. Criminal Justice 
Spring 2010

"At Sam Houston State University Chemistry I received much of the education and training that was necessary to begin work for one of the nation's most successful companies. Entering the work force in a field as diverse as chemistry is an intimidating experience made easy by my years spent at SHSU. The faculty are fair, friendly, and available. The curriculum is challenging, and the access to hands-on experience is unparalleled. I am pleased with how my education from Sam Houston State Chemistry has served me already in my new career, and I am proud to count myself among its alumni. Go Bearkats!"
Karl K.
B.S. Chemistry Spring 2007
M.S. Chemistry Spring 2009

"My experiences at Sam Houston State University’s Department of Chemistry were phenomenal. The faculty and staff were very knowledgeable and dedicated to the preparation of their students. Their expertise and guidance also allowed me to obtain the solid foundation and in-depth understanding I needed to excel in my chemistry courses. Now as a graduate student at IU, my scientific research involves nanomaterials and working on fundamental problems of science. It is a passion I first discovered when I attended SHSU where I realized that chemistry allowed me to make new materials, interact with them via physical measurements and design them for useful applications. These experiences at SHSU not only augmented my appreciation of chemistry, but it also continued to spark curiosity as I endeavored to understand the behavior of materials, and thus expanding my interests in research."
Nancy O.
B.S. Chemistry
B.S. Criminal Justice
Fall 2007

"Sam Houston State University’s Chemistry department is full of great individuals. I graduated in 2008 with a B.S. in environmental science, but the enthusiasm and knowledge of the chemistry department convinced me to add a chemistry major on top of that. The educational and hands-on experience I gained from the chemistry program gave me many options upon graduation. Even though I am currently working in the environmental field, the knowledge and experience I gained from the chemistry program is always being used. It doesn’t matter if you are a lab rat, a hazardous materials handler, an environmental investigator, a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker, a chemistry education is vital to many fields. Chemistry really is the central science."
Lance G.
B.S. Environmental Science
B.S. Chemistry
Spring 2008

"I went directly from my SHSU undergraduate degree to a doctoral program in chemistry. Initially, I had some trepidation about going straight into a PhD program from my undergraduate degree but I soon realized that the quality of education I received at SHSU was an excellent foundation. I have found that I have experience and knowledge that can only come with hands on instrument time that many of my colleagues did not get. All in all, I got a very well rounded, high quality education that has given me a strong foundation in further academic pursuits. I am proud to be an SHSU alumnus. The decision to attend SHSU for my undergraduate in chemistry has turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have made."
Billy H.
B.S. Chemistry 
Spring 2008

"Attending SHSU for both my BS and MS in chemistry, I received a strong academic foundation upon which I am still building today. This was delivered by a faculty that was always available to the students and took a genuine interest in their learning. In addition to that, I also gained a large degree of experience in teaching and research. Now that I have left to pursue a Ph. D., I understand just how valuable that foundation and experience really are. I can say with confidence that it has given me a great advantage during this new phase of my academic career."
James F.
B.S. Chemistry Spring 2006
M.S. Chemistry Summer 2008

"As an undergraduate I was very well prepared coming out of SHSU. I am now a Ph.D. student and feel very confident in my new academic home. The SHSU faculty are knowledgeable and were always available for questions and guidance. Everyone in the department becomes like family after a while, and with such a rigorous course of study, family never hurts."
Bassam A.
B.S. Chemistry
Spring 2006

"During my undergraduate graduation year at SHSU, I visited a major research institution during recruitment weekend for a look at their Ph.D. program in chemistry. I was initially concerned about being ill-prepared for that graduate program. Those fears were quickly put to rest after speaking with some of the other prospective students. Now in my first year of that program, I realize now that I was more than well prepared, and I'm doing quite well on the road to a Ph.D. SHSU chemistry has a solid program, from which I am proud to have received my degree."
Heath H.
B.S. Chemistry
Spring 2006

"The Department of Chemistry at SHSU offers a great program with knowledgeable professors, courses to introduce a student to the different aspects of chemistry, and the opportunity for some to perform new and publishable research at an undergraduate or graduate level. The teaching of new and current chemical principles and instrumentation in this program can prepare a person for a job in industry and graduate school."
Jerry S.
B.S. Chemistry Spring 2003
M.S. Chemistry Summer 2005

"When I first joined the graduate program as a foreign graduate student, the professors showed great patience and consideration for me to adjust to both the academic and daily life. After that, I enjoyed the challenging but beneficial study. The professors were excellent, most of the courses were well-established. My research project was conducted in an environment of enormous freedom, help was easily-acquired from my advisor, and from other professors and graduate fellow students. My experience in the Chemistry department definitely helped my further education and will continue to benefit my future career."
Wei T.
M.S. Chemistry 
Spring 2004

"I began my university career at another college majoring in environmental science and was frustrated with the lack of care or concern as to how well I was understanding the material. It seemed like the professors detested teaching and were there only for the research. When I enrolled at Sam I immediately noticed that the chemistry and environmental science professors supported the students above there required rolls. This is the major reason I enjoyed Sam and succeeded. I now am a professional environmental scientist and I still keep in touch with several of my professors. Anyone serious about a chemistry/environmental career should want to receive the best education for their money and in my opinion the best is at Sam Houston State University.
Laurance G. 
B.S. Environmental Science/Chemistry minor 
Fall 2002

"Pursuing a degree at SHSU was extremely pivotal in improving my choices for different careers related to science.  I have worked in analytical labs using both wet chemistry and lab instruments. So many of the ideas and concepts acquired during my studies at SHSU are still helping me on a daily basis." 
Angelica G. 
B.S. Chemistry/Environmental Science minor 
Spring 1996

Here is Sam Houston State University's Department of Chemistry's first forensic chemistry diploma.
Melissa M.
B.S. Forensic Chemistry 
Fall 2003

"The graduate program in chemistry at Sam Houston gave me the skills I needed to obtain a job in the biotech field even before I graduated.  The hands-on exposure to instrumentation such as GC/MS, HPLC, ICP, AAS and more allowed me to become proficient in both method development and troubleshooting highly technical chemical processes." 
Mary E. 
M.S. Chemistry 
Fall 2001

"Although I was a Biology major, I had no idea my minor field of study (Chemistry) would land me the position I have today.  As an undergraduate who had spent a year at another university, there was no comparison.  I lived closer to the other university, but chose to drive 1 hour to attend SHSU.  My professors were always available to help.....they even knew me by name!!! I wasn't just a number & that was really nice!" 
Melissa B. 
B.S. Biology/Chemistry minor 
Spring 2000

"As a graduate student, you should be able to communicate with your research advisor 24/7 without any appointments.  At the Chemistry department of SHSU, this becomes the reality." 
Eser B. 
M.S. Chemistry 
Spring 1997

"The professors were very accessible in the SHSU Chemistry Department. I could drop by to ask a question about the subject material and actually speak with the professor, oftentimes without an appointment.  Sometimes when my professor was not available, one of the other faculty members was more than willing to help me." 
Jennifer P. 
Chemistry Minor 
Fall 1996

"If you are ready for a scientific challenge, get a head start with your graduate degree from SHSU.  I did..." 
Deger B. 
M.S. Chemistry 
Spring 1997

"I actually owe a lot of my recent job successes to the chemistry department at SHSU, especially for giving me the opportunity to teach the instrumental analysis lab (as a teaching assistant). It gave me the edge to step into the GC work at my last job which prepared me for my present position at NASA--so thank you very much. I also used the knowledge imparted by the linear least squares work in Excel at my last job and was able to actually avoid a mini-crisis when we had a blowout of a graphite furnace AA (which performed analyses by the method of standard additions) and had to switch to using an ICP for low metals detections. The ICP did not have a program to calculate this and I created it externally in Excel (again thanks to SHSU Chemistry) so keep making students learn that. No one else at my lab had a clue on how to set up the spreadsheet and I definitely got brownie points from my boss." 
Marie C. 
B.S. Environmental Science/Chemistry Minor 
Spring 1996

"The smaller class sizes made the lectures more personal and we were always encouraged to ask questions." 
Mary E. 
M.S. Chemistry 
Fall 2001

"Even though chemistry was my minor, the laboratory skills, information I was taught in my chemistry classes, and the opportunity to do undergraduate research has proven to be invaluable in my current career." 
Joann P. 
B.S. Biology Major, Chemistry Minor 
Summer 2002