Levi Cherek ‘25 arrived at Notre Dame on the pre-med track. Now, three years later, he has switched majors, discovered a passion for chemistry, and plans to attend graduate school after completing his final year at Notre Dame.
In his sophomore year, Cherek took Introduction to Chemical Principles with Professor Seth Brown. He credits this class with shifting his academic interests.
"Professor Brown was always so passionate about all things chemistry that it made me fall in love with it too," says Cherek. "Everyone came to his office hours, and we got to ask questions, and he made everyone care deeply about the work."
Cherek officially changed his major to biochemistry, added a minor in scientific computing, and began pursuing research at Notre Dame. He joined Professor Vlad Iluc’s lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
The research aims to use safe, common metals like nickel and iron instead of rare and toxic ruthenium for making industrial catalysts. This switch will lower energy use and costs, be less toxic, and provide a cleaner energy future. Read more about the research.
He says his time in the lab truly inspired him to pursue graduate school. He feels the skills he has learned alongside Professor Iluc and the three graduate students have allowed him to explore new areas of chemistry, understand how things work, and given him the excitement to continue researching in the future.
For incoming first-year students who want to get involved in research at Notre Dame, Cherek advises them to start developing connections with faculty they admire from day one.
"My best piece of advice is to ask questions," Cherek says. "That can be intimidating in class, but it shows that you really care about what you’re learning. And go to office hours—it’s a great way to get to know professors better and talk more about their research outside of the classroom."
Cherek was able to secure funding to pursue research through his participation in the Glynn Family Honors Program and was also awarded the Slatt Fellowship through ND Energy. These stipends have allowed Cherek to live in South Bend for two summers to conduct research on campus.
Along the way, Cherek has discovered a deep appreciation for conducting research at the undergraduate level, saying, "I want to be the type of person who figures new things out. In research, you’re on the edge of discovering something new. Everything I’m doing in the lab has only been done once or twice, and sometimes never at all. It’s the ability to push that realm of chemistry forward that motivates me to keep going."