Elle Yormak is a sophomore from New York, N.Y. majoring in finance with a minor in psychology. She is a member of the Case Competition Club, Women in Economics and serves as a virtual tutor. She is also a member of the club squash and club pickleball teams and a member of Delta Zeta. Outside the newsroom, Elle enjoys skiing, going on coffee runs and watching Modern Family.
Not everyone can say that biochemistry and molecular biology are their life’s calling, but Sierra Smith can. Originally from Pennsylvania, Smith’s AP Chemistry class sparked her interest in the unperceivable: molecules. Smith initially planned on being a chemistry major at Wake Forest, but soon found her true joy in the biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) major.
“BMB offered the perfect balance where I could use that chemistry knowledge to explain biological systems,” she said.
In Smith’s first biochemistry class, Professor Lindsay Comstock-Ferguson quickly became Smith’s mentor. Comstock-Ferguson helped her make sense of the complexities of biochemistry without handing her all the answers.
“I really valued… having a professor who challenges you to come to the conclusions yourself and apply your knowledge, rather than just answering it [immediately],” Smith said.
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Smith’s love for the sciences is palpable, and she especially enjoys learning alongside like-minded students who are dedicated, persistent and creative. Smith said BMB allows her to apply her knowledge and solve questions, especially when using a biophysical and biochemical approach in her research on a radical metalloenzyme involved in the synthesis of Vitamin B1. Still, Smith knows she has a lot more to learn.
“The more you take classes in biochemistry, the more you realize you don’t know [much at all],” Smith said.
Smith finds meaning in being able to apply chemistry to biological systems. By learning about biology on a molecular level, Smith contends that one can scale that knowledge to bigger, macro questions and be a part of the scientific cutting edge. To many, not knowing the answers is scary; for Smith, there’s comfort in a challenge.
“What I love about the sciences is that you’ll never fully know everything… things are still being discovered,” Smith said.
Smith’s post-graduate plan reflects her dedication to learning. Graduating a year early, Smith will be attending a master’s program focused on biotechnology at Brown University.
Biotechnology, a constantly evolving field, interfaces with investors pursuing innovative scientific products. Through Brown’s master’s program, Smith hopes to gain further industry experience that can assist in her career trajectory, rather than following the traditional pre-med or PhD track.
Smith is the first in her family to dedicate her education to biochemistry and molecular biology, but she feels prepared to rise to the occasion.
“That’s the fun part… [it’s] more experimental, more applied,” Smith said. “You have to be a little bit more creative with it.”
Beyond BMB, Smith is a mentor and tutor for students in both science and non-science related fields, and is pursuing a yoga certification. Additionally, having recently moved to Puerto Rico with her family, Smith has found joy in learning new languages, including Spanish.
Ultimately, if Smith were able to go back and speak with her freshman-year self, she’d leave this message: “Branch out… and explore.”
In an ever-changing field, Smith remains steadfast in her dedication to learning and confronting any challenges. After all, Smith’s motivation and true curiosity for biochemistry and molecular biology shine through from the molecular to the macro.