Brenden Youtsler

Currently I am a senior at Washington State University. In fall 2011, I was a freshman attending Carroll College with plans of earning a degree in biology and eventually becoming an orthodontist. Prior to my freshman year, the only exposure to chemistry was a high school level class, which did not catch my interest. My professor at Carroll College, Dr. Caroline Pharr, introduced me to the idea that chemistry can be far more interesting than just balancing equations on a worksheet. Initially she would explain basic chemical concepts like heat and pressure. Next, she would demonstrate a real world application, such as boiling water at a low pressure, while providing a chemical explanation for what was occurring. Now, this sounds like the standard for any entry-level chemistry class, however, it was Dr. Pharr’s energy for the discipline that resonated with me. At the end of every class, Dr. Pharr would announce her office hours and encourage us to stop by if we had any questions. I would usually end up stopping by with homework questions, not necessarily because I couldn’t figure it out, but because I wanted to learn the chemical explanation behind it. At the end of her office hours, I would leave with all my questions answered, but with countless more to ask at a later date. At the end of the semester, chemistry had peaked my interest and I aspired to continue learning more.
During the first semester of my sophomore year, I officially changed my major to chemistry and pursued a growing interest in joining the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, (ROTC). Unfortunately, Carroll College did not have an Air Force ROTC program so I began the process of transferring to Washington State University.
In the fall of 2013, I started attending Washington State University and began pursuing a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. Due to major government cutbacks in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps I was not able to continue in the program; however, my time at the detachment taught me to continue developing my interests. My training officers highly commended my abilities and recommended that I continue my military training after college; however, I feel the pinnacle of my interest in chemistry may be better attained through the civilian sector. In a college course, a professor may teach a topic and expect students to have a basic understanding of it. I want to acquire a thorough knowledge of the topic and understand how it contributes to various important chemical processes through a hands-on approach. I am passionate about chemistry and have a continuing desire to know more than just the basics. I want to dig deep into a subject and push myself to improve my ability to think chemically, critically, and gain additional experience. I strive to advance toward my career goals because I have a great interest in conducting chemical research.
A few years ago, an energetic professor introduced chemistry to me in a manner that I had never experienced before, and I was captivated. Since then, my passion and interest for the discipline has continued to grow to the point where I want my full-time profession to involve conducting chemical research.