by Victoria Pang ‘25
About Kamaya
From a young age, Kamaya knew she wanted to go into science, having her mind set on becoming a cardiac doctor. But an unforgettable moment in elementary school sparked her curiosity in a different direction: there, she watched an elephant’s toothpaste demonstration, which is an experiment where hydrogen peroxide decomposes with the help of a catalyst to create a dramatic foamy reaction. Still, it wasn’t until high school that she seriously began to consider pursuing chemistry as a career. Her high school chemistry teacher served as her greatest inspiration, providing a constant edge into chemistry through encouragement. Additionally, hailing from Los Alamos, NM—also known as the “Oppenheimer Town” due to its role in the Manhattan Project and as the home of the prestigious Los Alamos National Lab—Kamaya had a unique opportunity to complete an internship at LANL as a high schooler. There, she learned the basics of chemistry research such as data analysis and spectroscopy, which only served to further solidify her intent on pursuing a degree in chemistry.
Research under Prof. Dianne Xiao
Currently, as a junior at the University of Washington, Kamaya conducts research with Assistant Professor Dianne Xiao’s group, an inorganic chemistry lab that primarily focuses on chemistry applications for clean energy. Specifically, Kamaya’s own research centers on catalysis using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are materials specifically constructed with metal ions connected to carbon-based backbones. The MOFs Kamaya makes have chemical properties inspired by biological enzymes, which serve to speed up chemical reactions. However, unlike enzymes, MOFs tend to have a broader range of substrates and environmental conditions. These MOFs can then facilitate biomass upgrading, a process of recycling organic waste such as wood waste and logging byproducts into valuable fuel. By breaking down these materials, Kamaya’s research provides a sustainable way to create alternative energy sources.
Most of Kamaya’s time in the lab involves synthesizing these MOFs and their organic components. She mixes metal ions and organic ligands in a controlled setting, letting the reaction run in the necessary timeframe. Then, she purifies the resulting solution to get her product. Throughout the synthesis and at the end, she checks for the purity of her product and the progression of the chemical reaction through utilizing NMR spectroscopy. At first, she tended to rush and be hasty while running her reactions. However, she soon learned that it was important to slow down and focus for her to obtain the best results, and allow her to accomplish challenging tasks such as complex organic syntheses and presenting her work at the undergraduate research symposium.
Research Mentorship
Kamaya works most closely with her graduate mentor Devin, who also happens to be from New Mexico. Initially, Devin’s role was more directly supervising Kamaya’s work, standing over her shoulder as she learned how to complete chemical syntheses. Now, with two years of experience under her belt, she has gained the independence to decide on the day-to-day activities in the lab, while still reaching out to Devin in order to check in on progress and for guidance when learning new techniques.
In addition, Kamaya has quarterly formal meetings with Prof. Xiao. Despite the relative infrequency, Kamaya knows that Prof. Xiao’s door is always open for questions and check-ins if she has any questions. “Dianne always feels available for questions or for me to drop by,” she says, which has allowed her to feel more welcome in the laboratory space. She encourages other professors to put in the effort to reach out to undergraduates, as they can come in a bit timid. “Being a friendly face is a big enough difference for an undergraduate,” notes Kamaya, “just having someone who will smile and say ‘hi’ can make an undergraduate feel much more included in the lab.”
Working Around Research
Outside of her research, Kamaya also works at UW’s NMR facility, where she does routine facility maintenance for these machines such as cryogenic maintenance, where she fills the machines with nitrogen. With the importance of NMR in her own project, understanding the intricacies of the NMR machine through this job has been tremendously helpful in her own research. It has also allowed her to experience research through the lens of management rather than as an academic, and has solidified her intent on pursuing research.
Kamaya also actively participates in chemistry outreach, and is a member of Free Radicals, the undergraduate chemistry club. Through the club, she has participated in numerous outreach activities such as leading chemistry facility tours for high schoolers. Passionate about outreach, she also volunteers with UW Science Explorers, which is an after-school STEM program for elementary school students run by UW graduate students.
Advice and Future Aspirations
For students wanting to start out in undergraduate research, Kamaya suggests narrowing their interests and looking through professors’ faculty profiles, publication titles, and group websites. After deciding on several professors, she advises undergraduates to write specifically to the professor, and to be open and honest about their interest in the professor’s research. Kamaya emphasizes that students may not fully comprehend the research at first. However, when starting out, what matters most is genuine excitement for the work and the motivation to continue improving. “Instead of comparing yourself to other people, compare yourself to how you were last year,” Kamaya says. “It’s the most valuable piece of advice I’ve gotten.”
This mindset has not only shaped Kamaya’s current research journey, but also informs her vision for her future career. Currently, Kamaya hopes to go to graduate school, pursuing a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry. While she admits to still pondering about her final goal after obtaining her Ph.D., she envisions the possibility of becoming a professor in the academic space by conducting research in a university or national lab. Just as she herself has benefitted from mentors and teachers, she hopes to foster more diverse and inclusive spaces in academia, being a positive influence for the next generation of researchers where they can feel supported and empowered to succeed.
To learn more about conducting undergraduate research at the University of Washington, explore the Department of Chemistry’s Undergraduate Research page, meet with an undergraduate adviser, visit the UW Office of Undergraduate Research, or reach out to Free Radicals, the undergraduate student club for chemistry and biochemistry majors.