How earning a student scholarship allowed Slava Cherempei to focus on his research.
It took Slava Cherempei just two weeks at UW-Madison when he knew that doing research in a chemistry lab was where he wanted to be. He had arrived on campus from Germany and was getting acquainted with his new surroundings when a chance encounter with a stranger led him to explore research opportunities. Although thinking he may not have much of a chance of landing an opportunity, he emailed professors whom he thought were doing interesting work. He heard back from Professor Jennifer Schomaker of the Department of Chemistry and was able to join her lab. His first experiences in the Schomaker lab with his mentor primarily revolved around learning proper lab techniques and understanding the basics of laboratory operations. “It was a very nice introduction to how everything worked,” Slava explained. After learning proper lab safety protocols and techniques, he began making substrates – small organic molecules – to use for testing the reaction they were developing. This work was a perfect fit for the synthetic organic chemistry that he was hoping to do. It started him on a path to what he hopes will be a career in the drug development industry or academia.
Slava was awarded the Department of Chemistry Scholarship for both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years, which he says has made a big difference in his experience in the lab. He explained that given the financial pressures that most students face, “these awards have enabled me to focus on my work.” “The two scholarships will make grad school and internship applications more competitive, which will have a significant influence on my future career”, mentions Slava.
Slava is pursuing a chemistry major and will be applying to Ph.D. programs in the U.S. and abroad. He says he’s proud to say that many of his group members have been accepted to prestigious schools for their next step, and it’s encouraging him to aim high with his applications when the time comes. He is eager to continue his work in organic synthesis and methodology development, hoping to enhance his skills in graduate school.