Postdoc Profile: Marlene Velazco Medel
National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) celebrates the significant contributions postdocs make to research and discovery, both university and nationwide. This Postdoc Profile is a part of a series to commemorate NPAW which takes place from September 15 to 23, 2022.
Q: What is your name?
Marlene Velazco Medel
Q: Where are you from?
Colima, México
Q: Where do you work at ASU?
School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy
Q: Where did you earn your doctorate?
PhD in Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Q: What does your research focus on?
I am working on polymer chemistry in Matt Green's Lab at Engineering Research Center. We are making efforts to synthesize novel biodegradable and sustainable polymers useful for recycling.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born in Guadalajara and grew up in Colima, Mexico. I got my bachelor's at Universidad de Colima and did my graduate studies at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City. I have been a swimmer since I was a kid and enjoy swimming in all the places I go.
Q: What are your career goals?
I am interested in becoming a professor and would like to be a scientist with my own research line and group.
More stories from the Graduate Insider
Graduate education is an adventure
About eighteen months ago, I set out on a journey walking the islands of the Dodecanese during a sailing trip in Türkiye and Greece with several friends. Along the way, I found winding paths, timeless villages and breathtaking views of sea and sky. That experience got me thinking about how adventure shows up in other parts of life, especially in learning.
From practice to presentation: How to deliver a winning faculty job talk
Giving a job talk can feel like the most high-stakes presentation of your academic job search. It’s not just a research seminar—it’s your opportunity to demonstrate vision, communication skills, and fit within a department. In a recent Lunch and Learn, faculty members Associate Professor in School of International Letters and Cultures, Anita Huizar-Hernandez, Professor in School of Life Sciences Jeffrey Jensen, and Professor in Department of Physics Patricia Rankin shared concrete strategies to help graduate students and postdocs succeed as future faculty candidates.
Mentoring matters: Mentoring students through impostor syndrome
Graduate education can be an exhilarating journey — but for many students, it also brings moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. In our recent Mentoring Matters panel, “Mentoring Students Through Impostor Syndrome,” Graduate College Senior Associate Dean Dr. Lisa Anderson sat down with Dr. Rebecca Wachs, Associate Professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, and Dr.