Jaydon Deras | Student Spotlight

Jaydon Deras

BS Candidate
Chemical Engineering

"When I was in high school, I watched the documentary Before the Flood, which introduced me to the urgency of the climate crisis and the potential for science and engineering to address it. That moment sparked my passion for sustainability and renewable energy, which led me to chemistry, biology, and ultimately chemical engineering. As a first-generation, low-income student, I also carried a strong personal drive to become the first engineer in my family and to build a career that would expand what is possible for my community.

Over time, my interests evolved from environmental sustainability into the biological and medical applications of chemical engineering. This shift was deeply influenced by my mom’s love for human anatomy and biology, as well as her breast cancer diagnosis, which made the connection between science and human health deeply personal. I ultimately found my academic home in biological research within chemical engineering, where I can apply transport phenomena and molecular-level understanding to real biomedical challenges.

My experiences at Stanford have reinforced this direction, particularly through my work in the Pinals Lab with Prof. Rebecca Pinals. In my research, I study the mass transport phenomena governing how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) cross the blood-brain barrier and their effects on neurons and endothelial cells. One of my favorite memories was presenting my Honors Thesis project during a lab social event where we watched the documentary Dark Waters. The discussion that followed, over pizza and drinks, made the science feel urgent and real in a different way. I felt proud to contribute to that conversation and to help others understand the scale of the PFAS problem we are trying to address.

After graduation, I plan to pursue a PhD in chemical engineering with a focus on biomedical and environmental health applications. My long-term goal is to become a professor and lead research that bridges chemical engineering and human health, particularly in understanding and mitigating environmental toxins and disease pathways. I also hope to contribute to public health efforts through organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, translating research into real-world impact. Beyond research, I am committed to mentoring students who come from backgrounds like mine and helping them see themselves in science and engineering careers."