Chemistry Major Earns STEM Rising Star Award

Julianna Koehl ’21 started her college career three days after her high school graduation. The chemistry major arrived on campus in June to participate in Lebanon Valley College’s Research First program, through which incoming students live on campus for four weeks in the summer and conduct research with faculty and other students.

“You learn so many things about a particular chemistry field and start to develop your lab skills and hands,” said Koehl. “When I entered Freshman Majors’ Lab for chemistry majors that fall, I was already way ahead of the game because of being in the lab that summer.”

That first summer is when Koehl connected with Dr. Elizabeth Sterner, assistant professor of chemistry, who is now her advisor and a key mentor. 

“Dr. Sterner has helped me every step of the way with my development as a scientist and as a professional,” she said. “She is so enthusiastic and dedicated to her students, which makes her such an amazing mentor, and not just an academic advisor. Sometimes she really shocks me with the things she wants me to do, but I have to thank her extensively for always being there for me and pushing me to be better.”

With her growing skills and Sterner’s guidance, Koehl completed the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2018. With a post-graduate associate as her mentor, Koehl had to learn a significant amount of organic chemistry and lab techniques usually introduced at the graduate level, including working in a glove box. Her work culminated in a presentation at a NIST symposium, which Sterner attended.

“This experience increased my confidence in the lab,” said Koehl. “As one of the younger students there with a more challenging project, I realized the kind of college I came from and how experiences like Research First prepared me to be successful.”

Koehl’s research experience came full circle this past summer when she returned to Sterner’s Research First lab, but this time as a mentor to an incoming first-year student. 

“We worked side by side, and I taught her the same way I was taught,” she said. “I really, really loved this. I also worked as a safety steward, which made me responsible for all the chemical waste in the lab, the safety shower and eyewash, and the first contact for any safety concerns and questions. It was fun to continue my research and take on new responsibilities.”

In recognition of her accomplishments, Koehl received a Rising Star Award at the Women in STEM Awards Luncheon hosted by The Whitaker Center in Harrisburg in September. As part of the awards presentation, Sterner praised Koehl’s academic achievements and looks forward to her future.

“She is always quick to offer help and support to her peers,” said Sterner. “Among fellow researchers, she stands out for the clarity of her presentations and her desire to use chemistry to make a difference. Julianna has the potential to make discoveries, effect change, and mentor new Rising Stars. We at Lebanon Valley College could not be prouder of her or more excited to see what she does next.”