Lisa Nieman
B.S. ’25
Chemical Engineering
What have you been up to since Stanford?
After completing my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Stanford, I started pursuing a Ph.D. in chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University in Professors Muzhou Wang’s and Danielle Tullman-Ercek’s research groups. My proposed research project explores the design and high-throughput testing of bulk material properties in protein-based biomaterials, such as optical properties or resilience under repetitive deformation. Outside of research, I have started learning film photography and ice skating and enjoy exploring the different neighborhoods of Chicago. The campus is absolutely beautiful, and I especially love walking along the lake and seeing how different it looks as the seasons change.
What’s your fondest memory about your time at Stanford?
In the Chemical Engineering Laboratory B class, I got to work with some amazing friends on a project investigating the antioxidants and sensory profile of homebrewed kombucha. A highlight was brainstorming fruit flavor combinations and coordinating our final presentation outfits to match our creations. I learned a lot, from brewing kombucha to designing a sensory test, and it was exciting to use the lab skills we developed over the years to study a drink we enjoy in our daily life. Presenting our findings with classmates was very rewarding and I am so thankful for the friends, taste testers, and colleagues from outside the class that came to listen. I am excited for the next steps of this project, which will hopefully include sharing a version in writing!
Can you share any advice with our current students or postdocs?
Though it hasn’t been long since I graduated, the best advice I can share is that, if you can, investing your time in something you genuinely find interesting and enjoyable is almost always worth it. Planning to reach certain places can be great, but the people who you end up working with can have just as much impact on your experience. Follow your curiosity, and sometimes things do not turn out as expected, but that keeps life interesting and can result in pleasant surprises. So far, things that I learned in my undergrad have come in use in unexpected ways, but at the same time there is so much left to learn. Other advice would be to enjoy spending time with classmates, and to keep in touch. It is really nice to call with people from undergrad to hear what they are up to and reminisce.
