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Name: Sarah Schoonraad
Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa & Los Angeles, CA
Major: Materials Science & Engineering, PhD Student
Advisor: Stephanie Bryant, Bryant Research Group

I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved to California when I was three-years-old. Honestly, I didn’t know that I wanted to work as a biomaterials scientist until much more recently in life. My earliest recollections of professional interests relate to pediatrics - I wanted to be able to provide medical care to the youngest members of society. Ultimately, through the completion of my bachelor’s degree, I realized that I truly loved understanding and teaching the science behind the medicine, particularly the chemistry, which led me to moving away from pre-med aspirations and towards those related to biomedical research.

My Path to Materials Science & Engineering

While completing my bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara, I was given the opportunity to teach general and organic chemistry classes to supplement the main lectures. It was here that I developed a great passion for teaching and continued to do so for 9 years! Ultimately, I grew a greater and greater desire to engage in the research related to the content I had been teaching and sharing with my students, which meant going to graduate school. 

This realization that graduate school was the next step was a little daunting, as I had not been a student for a while and was definitely older than the average science graduate student. Additionally, I was married and had two kids - the idea of re-entering into this arena seemed unlikely. In spite of  my uncertainty, I began to explore the world of research and found the highly interdisciplinary field of materials science; particularly, biomaterials.

I am now working in the Bryant Research Lab, a biological and chemical engineering laboratory, studying tissue engineering. Specifically, I am researching the growth plate and possible treatment approaches for pediatric injuries to this tissue. Additionally, I have received a traineeship in molecular biophysics to further enhance my ability to examine the various factors that impact my research area.

I love my lab! I have a very supportive and knowledgeable advisor in , and the people that I get to work with on a daily basis are absolutely wonderful. We have a great community of people who readily learn from and collaborate with one another. 

Why CU Boulder?

I chose to come to CU because there were a number of incredible research areas and opportunities. The University has established itself as an epicenter for biomaterials innovation, particularly with respect to tissue engineering. Additionally, I have the opportunity to work in collaboration with  research and clinical groups at the . In this, I have the unique opportunity to use resources, learn experimental procedures and understand the medical context for the materials I am developing. I have also been able to work complete my Master’s degree in education at the CU School of Education. CU has provided the opportunity to pursue my diverse interests in a meaningful way. 

There are so many resources on campus that I love, like CU’s (SASC). The SASC is a fantastic program on campus, and I teach chemistry for them. This program has fostered an incredible community with a dedicated staff and amazing group of students. Also in the realm of teaching: I love the (ITLL)! This is a fun space that offers access to a lot of really cool equipment and the training to effectively use it all. My students also really love getting to explore this space; there are a lot of hands-on opportunities throughout the building.

There are also incredible members of the faculty and staff that I have had the pleasure of getting to work with and know. I have found a great support system on this campus - people who have truly supported my endeavors towards completing my PhD. Before starting here, I was often told to hide the fact that I had kids - I was told it would be difficult to find an advisor willing to take me or it would create issues within my lab. I can honestly say that I have not encountered this in my time at CU - that is something I definitely treasure!