Natalie Thompson

Background

I graduated with my B.S. in chemical engineering and a minor in computer science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in 2018. When people ask me, “Why did you become a chemical engineer?”, the easy answer is simply that I was homeschooled, my parents have their doctorates in chemistry, and I loved building things with legos. A more interesting question that I have found is “Why did you STAY in chemical engineering?”. I am a problem solver by nature; in my freetime you can find me putting together 10,000 piece puzzles or looking at broken furniture and trying to fix or repair it. This is one reason why I enjoy doing research in a hard science field. Every project has a problem at its crux, and we don’t yet know how to solve it - a challenge that fascinates me. My other passion is just simply helping people. As scientists, we are dedicated to the betterment of human society, whether that be working to mediate climate change or improve human health through more directed drug targeting. The world is full of problems and people who need to be helped, it’s my life passion to help people by solving problems.

I am currently a PhD Candidate in chemical engineering at PSU, and moving forward I am interested in a career in the pharmaceutical industry with a focus on increasing the efficiency of current processes and pushing the savings onto the consumer.

Departmental Web Page Graduate Student Profile - 2022