Scholar Profile

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Bernadette Hernandez-Sanchez

Voted Most Likely To:
Reach the top shelf of the glovebox!

Graduated:
New Mexico Insitute of Mining and Technology (NMTech), Class of 1999
Colorado State Univeristy, Ph.D.

Currently Working As:
Prinicpal Member of Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories

What do you love about your job?
I love being able to learn about different subject areas and apply chemistry to help answer a question or solve a problem.

What has been the most exciting part of your career so far?
Growing crystals! From nano to bulk materials. I have had fun learning about crystal growth. I have always enjoyed looking at crystals as a kid and have maintained my curiosity about crystals as a professional chemist. Being able to study nanomaterials has allowed me to observe crystals at the nanoscale and determine what kind of differences they have to crystals found in nature or that are synthetic.

What would you tell yourself at age 18?
Sometimes you will fail or not do the best. It is OK! Learn from the experience and see what you can do differently or better in order to achieve. Every epic journey has trials, tribulations, and triumphs. When times get hard, remember what inspired you to take this journey and use it as your guiding light.

How has ACS Scholars impacted your life and career?
Yes, through the ACS Scholars Program I was able to gain valuable mentoring which helped me navigate how to get through undergrad and prepare for graduate school. This was important as my family did not know how to guide me. It was also instrumental in my introduction to the ACS national meetings and the larger community of chemists outside my hometown.