Shruti Hariyani

Attending the University of Houston

I chose to study at the University of Houston due to its excellent solid-state chemistry program. When obtaining my undergraduate degree in chemistry at UH, I took Dr. Jakoah Brgoch’s Inorganic Chemistry I class. His passion and enthusiasm for inorganic chemistry made me really interested in the subject.

While conducting research in his lab, I learned about the basics of solid-state chemistry and phosphor materials. I was instantly hooked and wanted to learn as much as possible. My experience and success as an undergraduate researcher compelled me to apply for graduate programs. I ultimately decided to continue my graduate education at UH so that I could build on the research I had conducted as an undergraduate.

The Benefits of Receiving a Scholarship

As a fourth-year graduate student, my research is focused on the synthesis of luminescent materials called phosphors which can be used with LED chips in energy-efficient LED light bulbs. I was awarded the C. W. Chu Endowed Scholarship from the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH. It was such an honor to win the award and to be recognized for the research I had conducted. The award gave me an opportunity to present my research at the Texas Center for Superconductivity Scholarship Symposium.

Campus Life

I am the president of the Chemistry Graduate Student Council. I plan events where students can network with industry members and present their research at poster sessions. In addition, I help plan recruitment events to encourage students to choose UH as their graduate institution. I really enjoy getting to work closely with the professors in my department and meeting so many wonderful students.

UH Experiences

One thing I really love about UH is the collaboration within the chemistry department. In my inorganic chemistry cohort, we all work together to help each other understand difficult concepts. This allowed us to become really close friends, and we still rely on each other to this day. I am incredibly grateful for them and their support.

Academic Achievements

One of my most important academic achievements was winning the 2021 Chemistry of Materials Lectureship and Best Paper Award. As a result, Dr. Brgoch and I were invited to present our research at the 2020 Fall American Chemical Society National Meeting in Georgia. I met and networked with amazing scientists in my field and gained invaluable experiences.

Overall, I have learned how to effectively communicate science and developed the perseverance and persistence needed when performing research. I have also become more confident in myself as a person and researcher.