Nebraska Women in STEM spoke to Dr. Erin Gross, chemistry faculty member from Creighton University, about her career journey and her passion for empowering students on their paths to a career in STEM.
This year, Dr. Erin Gross will celebrate 20 years as a chemistry faculty member at her alma mater, Creighton University. While academia was not always her aspiration, STEM was, and her knack for teaching was evident throughout her time in school and the chemistry industry.
Having excelled in math and English classes in high school, Gross signed up for similar college courses. After taking chemistry in her sophomore year at Creighton, Gross realized she preferred experimenting in a lab over sitting at a desk doing calculations. “Chemistry was a way to apply math,” Gross said. “You’re in the lab, you stay busy — I like being on my feet and staying busy during the day.”
Settling on chemistry as her career, Gross began applying to various doctorate programs during her senior year of undergraduate study. Ultimately, she continued her education at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.
“Undergrad [is] figuring out what you want to do, and then you go on to grad school, and it’s a new challenge,” Gross said. “Classes are harder, you’re TA-ing [Teaching Assistant], you’re teaching, you’re doing research … In grad school, you’re sort of teaching yourself how to learn more and how to figure things out.”