Mentorship, Outreach, and too much Boba Tea: A chat with Erin Joy Araneta

Erin Joy Araneta (she/her), an undergraduate chemistry major at University of California, Irvine, has many titles to her name. She is the Younger Chemist Chair of the Orange County American Chemical Society, the founder of Theory of Joy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the students and families of Kanaynayan Community Learning Center in the Philippines, and the author of the children's book Chemist Clara Paints the Lake through which she hopes to inspire more children to be curious about the chemical and natural sciences.  At UCI, Erin is an undergraduate research in Professor Jenny Yang's laboratory, where she studies carbon capture with amine molecules. Outside of lab, you can find Erin working with her nonprofit, planning her next vacation, or exploring the outdoors, whether it is hiking, paaddleboarding, or camping. Erin is also one of my dearest friends, and we sat down for a chat over some boba tea after a day in our labs. We talk about the importance of good mentorship, ways undergraduates can get involved in science outreach, and her new Chemist Clara books to be published in the near future! You can learn more about Theory of Joy, Erin's nonprofit here and purchase her Chemist Clara books here. You can also find the link to the ACS Career Consultants website discussed in this episode here. You can follow Erin on twitter and instagram @chemisterinjoy. 

Erin's Recommendations

Best Orange County Hiking Spot: Red Rock Canyon Park Trail (in Lake Forest, CA)

Favorite Study Snack: Peas

What's on your Watchlist?: The Good Place

Post-Exam Celebration: Eating a hearty meal with friends 

Chemistea is a chemistry and science podcast founded by Lucy Yang (she/her), currently a fourth-year undergraduate at UC Irvine, studying chemistry and biological sciences. Some of the most famous scientific collaborations and discoveries were born from a conversation over tea, and on her podcast, Lucy aims to combine her love of talking with her love of sharing and hearing stories—stories about others' passion for science, their journeys, and any and all fun shenanigans in between. You can follow Lucy on twitter @isolucyine. She is also the founder of The Kawaii Chemist, a shop where you can find cute chemistry stickers and merch, where 100% of profit goes to charity. You can check out The Kawaii Chemist here, and you can donate to support Kawaii Chemist and the Chemistea podcast here. Thank you listening!