Musings of an Old Chemist

A Chemist's Perspective on the Habits and Skills STEM Students Need For Success

Month: November 2025

  • Mastering STEM: 3 Keys to Success Beyond ‘Natural Genius’

    Mastering STEM: 3 Keys to Success Beyond ‘Natural Genius’

    There’s a persistent myth in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): that success belongs to the “natural genius,” the person who just “gets it.”

    Here’s the truth: Achieving mastery in challenging STEM fields has little to do with some magical, intrinsic gift. It is 100% based on the application of several advanced intellectual and behavioral strategies. Think of it as a complete operating system upgrade for your brain.

    To move beyond the daily struggles and achieve genuine mastery in STEM, you need to commit to these three non-negotiable principles.

    The Power of Modeling

    Social Learning Theory, pioneered by Albert Bandura, shows that a huge part of human learning happens through observing and imitating others. But success isn’t about emulation (or copying) a single skill; it’s about modeling a complete system.

    To succeed, you must actively observe and adopt the entire package of skills and habits from those who have already achieved high levels of success. For example:

    • Advanced Technical Skills: How do experts and mentors break down a complex problem? Learn their analytical approaches.
    • Powerful Work Ethic: Look at how they meticulously structure their study schedules, their uncompromising standards for quality, and their consistent effort.
    • Powerful, Positive Mindset: How do they view failure? It’s purely objective, instructive data—nothing more.

    Take action, stop focusing solely on the textbook content. Start noting the process of your most successful peers or mentors. How do they organize? When and how do they study? How do they handle a major setback? You want to copy and implement a system, not just learn content knowledge.

    Escaping the “Developmental Trap.”

    A massive barrier to our progress is what is called the “developmental trap.” This is when you inadvertently become rooted in ineffective behavioral patterns that feel comfortable but sabotage your future.

    Are you chronically procrastinating? Do you find fault in everything you do, seeing only the negative outcomes, which paralyzes you from even starting? Are you habitually unclear about your goals and intentions, or vague in your communication with your fellow students/teachers/professors? These are self-sabotaging habits.

    To break free, you must perform a conscious, honest self-assessment and start developing and exercising your self-awareness skills.

    Follow-up on your self-assessment by:

    • Installing these productive habits: Resilience (bouncing back from setbacks with renewed effort) and a rigorous work ethic (getting things done with uncompromising quality and efficiency).
    • Discard low-return behaviors: Self-incrimination, self-doubt, and negativity.

    Over time, your relentless effort will help create a powerful “internal compass.” Your motivation shifts from the temporary need for external validation (a good grade, a compliment) to an intrinsic drive—a non-negotiable, standard you’ve set for quality and thoroughness that you must meet, regardless of what anyone else thinks.

    Prioritize the Process Over the Score

    The final, and perhaps most crucial, mental adjustment is letting go of the destructive notion that you must achieve absolute, flaw-free perfection. That ideal is unattainable and will only lead to burnout.

    The successful STEM student must value the process of learning and discovery over the final numerical score or grade.

    When an experiment fails, a line of code breaks, or you get a subpar result on a quiz, how you react must change. Don’t view it as a “mess-up” or that you don’t have what it takes to “make it.” Instead, you must treat it as a starting point from which you learn and progress.

    This data is essential for:

    1. Precisely identifying your weaknesses.
    2. Fine-tuning your approach to solving the problem or issue.
    3. Educating you for the design of your future, a more refined attempt.

    This mental shift is life-changing. It moves your focus from avoiding mistakes (a fear-based approach) to maximizing learning effectiveness (a growth-based approach.)

    Summary

    In the demanding world of STEM, setbacks—from experimental failures to complex problem-solving roadblocks and challenging coursework—are a daily certainty. Therefore, the single most critical factor for your long-term success and ultimate perseverance is your ability to effectively manage and recalibrate your expectations.

    Really successful STEM students ditch the idea that they have to be absolutely perfect. They focus more on consistently putting in the hard work and sticking closely to the process (understanding the “why” and the “how”), instead of getting hung up on immediate, flawless results. This mindset change is a huge win: it means they stop seeing mistakes as a huge personal flaw and start seeing them as valuable, objective data—the stuff you need for real learning, figuring out new strategies, and improving down the line. In the end, this shift turns anxiety into a powerful tool for growth.

  • Essential Skills for Success in STEM: Initiative, Resolve, Perseverance, Resilience

    Essential Skills for Success in STEM: Initiative, Resolve, Perseverance, Resilience

    You may be doing well in your math and science courses, or perhaps you’re already interested in areas such as computer programming, robotics, or video game design. While a passion for STEM and strong academic performance are certainly vital, true success in these fields requires more than just intelligence.

    The key drivers—the qualities that will propel you through challenging projects, demanding courses, and even career setbacks—are the four absolutely vital tools in your personal growth toolkit for anyone charting a course in STEM: Initiative, Resolve, Perseverance, and Resilience.

    What is Initiative, Resolve, Perseverance, and Resilience? 

    1. Initiative

    What it is: The ability to self-start, take action without being told, and seek out new opportunities or skills.

    Why it matters in STEM: The STEM fields are constantly evolving. What you learn today may be outdated in five years. Initiative is crucial for lifelong learning—the willingness to constantly teach yourself new skills (computer programming, robotics, advanced data analysis, or new analytical instrumentation) to remain current and competitive in the industry.

    When performing research or problem-solving, it takes initiative to troubleshoot errors, design a better experiment, or learn to use a new piece of equipment before it’s required. It’s what drives you to excel.

    Example: Your Chemistry professor assigns an open-ended laboratory project. The explicit expectation is a successful, unique final product. You must show the initiative to search for resources, organize the necessary equipment and reagents, and learn to operate the necessary tools needed to complete the project because the assignment demands it, not just because you feel like it.

    2. Resolve

    What it is: A firm determination to achieve a specific goal, resisting distractions, and maintaining focus even when things get tough. The unwavering focus needed to complete a difficult project, solve a complex equation, or commit to the years of study required for a specialized field of study.

    Why it matters in STEM: STEM fields demand long-term commitment. Resolve is what helps you stay committed to completing that difficult assignment, even when exhaustion hits. Push through a difficult physics derivation, knowing the understanding will unlock new perspectives. See past a frustrating semester or a challenging first-year chemistry, physics, or math course, reminding you of your ultimate career aspirations. It’s the inner conviction that keeps you on track.

    Example: Introductory college courses, such as Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus, are often intentionally challenging to test your preparedness to succeed in upper level courses. When faced with a low grade, resolve is the quality that prevents you from abandoning your major. Initiative is the drive to seek out help by finding a tutor, joining a study group, or meeting with the professor to grasp the material you do not understand, instead of simply giving up.

    3. Perseverance

    What it is: The sustained effort to keep working despite difficulties, serving as the dedication required to solve tough problems through hours of calculations, research, or repeated experiments. It’s the long-term, consistent effort.

    Why it matters in STEM: STEM is rarely a straight line to success. Perseverance means spending countless hours debugging computer programming, even when you’re convinced it’s flawless. Re-running an experiment five times because you’re confident there’s a pattern you’re missing. Staying up late to understand a complex mathematical concept until it finally clicks.

    Example: You struggle with a Chemistry laboratory assignment and are tempted to give up. Your instructor intervenes, not by giving you the answer, but by offering a small suggestion, confirming the difficulty of the task, and requiring you to follow up in an hour. This structured support prevents you from feeling abandoned in your efforts, reinforces the importance of struggle, and teaches you the value of perseverance.

    While the ultimate decision to continue is yours, external factors, the support from your instructor, are essential. The setting of an expectation, the modelling of how to continue in the process, and the structured support act as powerful motivations, transforming your ability to just keep going into an established, automatic behavior (perseverance).

    4. Resilience

    What it is: The capacity to recover quickly from setbacks, disappointments, or outright failures, viewing setbacks not as defining moments but as valuable data and learning opportunities. 

    Why it matters in STEM: Failure isn’t a setback in STEM; it’s a feature. Scientific discovery often involves many “failed” experiments before a breakthrough. Resilience allows you to: bounce back from a low test score, analyze what went wrong, and adjust your study habits.

    Example: It can be challenging for you to picture what “resilience” looks like. Mentors provide a crucial model. When you witness your research advisor’s experiment fail, and instead of getting discouraged, your advisor calmly analyzes the data, identifies the potential sources of error, and immediately starts correcting the issues for the next trial run. These actions model resilience and teaches you how to respond appropriately to setbacks.

    STEM fields are characterized by constant challenges and an emphasis on complex problem-solving. Success relies less on your natural talent and more on your willingness to engage in a productive learning process. And that success rarely comes on the first try. It is common for an experiment to produce unexpected results or a mathematical proof to contain an error. Instead of seeing these setbacks as personal shortcomings, students need the mindsets of resilience and perseverance to see a failure as a starting point.

    Is Initiative, Resolve, Perseverance, and Resilience a Personality Trait or a Learned Skill?

    Initiative, resolve, perseverance, and resilience are generally understood as learned behaviors. Psychologists like Carol Dweck argue that these qualities stem from a Growth Mindset—the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed, rather than a fixed personality trait.  While some people might appear naturally more determined to manage and learn from their struggles, everyone has the capacity to develop these essential skills. 

    Think of initiative, resolve, perseverance, and resilience as learned skills that, when practiced consistently, become an integral, defining part of your character or personality. For a STEM student, it is critical to recognize the value in treating them as skills that require deliberate practice.

    The Power of Role Models, Mentors, and External Expectations

    The skills of initiative, resolve, perseverance, and resilience isn’t something you can achieve entirely on your own, however you can always begin the process. The most effective and the smoothest path to growth in these areas requires external guidance. Role models, mentors, and the right external expectations act as a vital catalyst in forging these qualities.

    How do role models, mentors, and external expectations cultivate these critical skills? Here are four key examples:

    Observation: Professors, Mentors, and Role Models provide critical “how-to” knowledge. Observing an experienced chemist handle an instrument failure calmly or a scientist gracefully accept and learn from a failed experiment offers a real-world demonstration of resilience and perseverance in action.

    Accountability: External expectations, whether it is from a professor, mentor, or a course syllabus, establish defined goals and deadlines that require action. Taking on a challenging project with its external pressures, its deadlines and reporting requirements, serves as a catalyst. It triggers the initiative needed to start and, crucially, builds the internal resolve and strength required for sustained effort toward completion.

    A Defined Strategy for Success: Effective teachers and mentors avoid simply giving answers. Instead, they offer focused, constructive feedback, guide individuals through roadblocks, and recognize small achievements. This strategic support reinforces successful behaviors, driving long-term competence and success.

    Reinforcement and Feedback: These critical skills are only learned effectively when you receive balanced feedback from your professors and mentors, parents as well – positive reinforcement when you suceed and constructive criticism when you fall short. 

    A Strategy for Your Personal Growth and Success

    As you navigate your academic life and plan for a career in science, technology, engineering, or math, your focus must extend beyond formulas and facts. You need to actively look for opportunities to develop your initiative, resolve, perseverance, and resilience. So take action with the following approach:

    1. Embrace the Hard Stuff: Never shy away from difficult assignments or complex projects. Challenges are opportunities in disguise.

    2. Treat Failures as Data: Every setback is not an end, but a valuable data point. Analyze what went wrong and adjust your approach.

    3. Actively Seek Mentors: Find someone whose approach to challenges inspires you, and commit to learning from their wisdom and experience.

    4. Practice Self-Reflection: When things get tough, take a moment to ask yourself: How did I react? What could I do differently next time?

    Conclusion

    These qualities are not just career buzzwords; they are the foundation of personal growth and the essential fuel for scientific discovery and innovation. The combination of strong grades and these four psychological attributes is what ultimately separates a good student from future success in their career path, capable of making a difference in a STEM field. Cultivate them, and you will do more than just succeed in STEM; you will thrive in every aspect of your life.

  • Beyond the Textbook: Why Critical Thinking is Your Ultimate STEM Skill

    Beyond the Textbook: Why Critical Thinking is Your Ultimate STEM Skill

    As a STEM student, you’re constantly immersed in data, complex equations, and technical concepts. You’ve known and mastered the Scientific Method—observing, hypothesizing, experimenting, and concluding—but that structured process is only half the battle. The other, perhaps more crucial, half is Critical Thinking. While the Scientific Method is a rigid framework for inquiry, critical thinking is the flexible process that drives it. It’s the difference between merely memorizing a formula and truly understanding its foundations and limitations. For you, this means going beyond rote learning to actively and skillfully analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the information you encounter in the lab, the lecture hall, and the world around you.

    This analytical mindset comprises several core skills essential to your future, regardless of which career path you choose.. 

    First, you must develop a relentless habit of questioning information. Don’t just question external sources; turn that rigorous examination onto your own work. You must constantly ask: Is this data truly reproducible? Are my initial assumptions that led to this result reliable? This internal skepticism is key. 

    Second, the ability to perform careful error analysis is primary. This means moving past simply reporting a “failed” test and instead recognizing the subtle flaws in your experimental design, data collection methods, or calculations. Master the ability to identify the sources of error in your experiment. This isn’t about placing the blame on yourself or others; it’s about learning and improving. 

    Third, you must effectively evaluate information sources. When researching a project, learn to distinguish sound, evidence-based conclusions from claims based upon false assumptions or bias. This skill is vital when designing an experiment or reading specialized technical literature.

    Real-world Example: Evaluating an Information Source

    A thoughtful, analytical evaluation of an Information source serves as an excellent example of applying this critical evaluation skill—essential for navigating the complex media environment today. All too frequently, we accept what we encounter online or on message boards as fact. Regardless of whether we agree with the content or not, we rarely take the time to determine its validity. This requires a rigorous assessment of the information’s credibility, accuracy, and fairness. 

    Your process begins with understanding who the source is; this means performing quick additional research to assess who created the content, including the purpose behind the creation of the content and any editorial bias, while verifying the author’s expertise. Highly sensational headlines or anonymity should immediately raise your suspicion. 

    Next, shift your focus to fact-checking the content itself. Examine the quality of evidence, looking specifically for hard data, statistics with cited methodologies, and primary sources, while simultaneously checking the language for emotional arguments or wording that signals an intent to persuade or distract you intentionally, versus simply reporting objectively. 

    Finally, your evaluation must thoroughly assess the argument’s fairness and completeness. This means checking that the source acknowledges and fairly represents opposing viewpoints, offers criticized parties a chance to respond or rebut the information or opinion, and avoids relying on unstated, implied assumptions.

    Ultimately, this comprehensive process moves you beyond merely accepting the Information as fact, leading you to an informed decision about the material’s actual validity and practical usefulness.

    Conclusion

    Critical thinking is the key factor that elevates a capable STEM student into an innovative and successful scientist or engineer. It’s the powerful mechanism that allows you to process complex, unstructured data, recognize underlying patterns, and formulate valid logical conclusions where standard solutions may not exist. This skill deepens comprehension and improves retention, translating theoretical concepts into practical, usable knowledge for your future development.

    I strongly urge you to cultivate your expertise in challenging assumptions, analyzing evidence, and applying logical reasoning now. By doing so, you position yourself as an active contributor in your field, not merely a passive learner and recipient of information. As the volume of data and pace of technology accelerate, remember this lasting truth: your most indispensable tool for lifelong learning and effective problem-solving isn’t the newest gadget or a sophisticated piece of machinery. It is your inherent capacity to think in an evidence-based, exact, and open-minded manner. 

  • Creative Problem-Solving: Answering the Question “What if?: Curiosity, Imagination, and Thinking Outside the Box (Divergent Thinking)

    Creative Problem-Solving: Answering the Question “What if?: Curiosity, Imagination, and Thinking Outside the Box (Divergent Thinking)

    To have a great idea, have a lot of them.

    – Thomas A. Edison

    The Three Components of Creative Problem-Solving

    What truly distinguishes exceptional STEM students? It’s not just intelligence. To be a truly innovative and successful STEM student, you need to cultivate three interconnected and critical elements: curiosity, imagination, and thinking outside the box (divergent thinking). While distinct, these form a dynamic trio essential for creative problem-solving. 

    Creative problem-solving relies on these three key components. One (curiosity) is a fundamental personality trait, while the other two (imagination and thinking outside the box) are powerful, learnable abilities built upon that foundation.

    Curiosity

    Average vs Exceptional

    The average student often limits their academic efforts to merely meeting teacher requirements: learning formulas, adhering to instructions, and practicing assigned problems to achieve satisfactory grades. Their involvement typically ceases once an assignment is submitted, a behavior frequently termed “memorization and regurgitation.” This refers to the practice of recalling and repeating information without true comprehension or lasting retention.

    Exceptional students are driven by curiosity; they focus on comprehension, asking “why” and “what if” questions. They seek to understand the mechanics of a formula, its interconnections with other scientific fields of study, and the outcomes that happen when they change the variables.

    Curiosity is the internal drive or impulse that initiates our creative process. It is our most fundamental and inherent trait—as an aspect of our personality often linked to being open to new ideas and experiences. It’s the desire to know how and why things work, to seek innovation, and to identify gaps in our current understanding, prompting questions like “Why?” and “What if?”  When confronted with a problem, curiosity pushes you beyond simple, established answers, providing the motivation to engage and explore the unknown.

     This pursuit isn’t solely about “acing” tests; it’s a genuine desire for comprehension, which makes learning both exciting and increases retention of information. Grades are valuable, but curiosity impacts your future to a greater extent. Curiosity transforms learning into an intrinsic process, making it far more powerful and sustainable than the extrinsic motivation of grades. It compels you to explore beyond textbooks and to persevere with complex problems long after average students have given up.

    Imagination 

    Imagination acts as the link, connecting your curiosity to your ability to think outside the box. It is your brain’s internal workshop – a powerful and developable skill where you generate ideas, concepts, or scenarios that don’t yet exist. This is where you start generating possibilities. You take what you already know and combine or recombine elements in new ways. 

    While the capacity for imagination is intrinsic, its quality and effectiveness are developed through learning, experience, and practice. As we accumulate knowledge, our imagination becomes richer, enabling us to combine elements in more complex and novel ways. It helps you answer: “What could a solution look like?” Imagination visualizes the innovative, non-standard goals that lead to breakthroughs.

    Think of it like this: If you were inventing a new gadget, imagination is you mentally seeing that gadget in action, picturing its features, or even spotting potential improvements before you even sketch it out. It’s when your “What if?” question truly starts to take shape! It is the mental simulation that allows you to see the product in use, predict how it might break, or envision a better design before a single piece of metal is cut. It is the “What if?” realized.

    Thinking Outside the Box (Divergent Thinking)

    Convergent vs Divergent Thinking

    Convergent thinking is crucial for problem-solving; it’s about finding that single correct answer, often by following established steps. However, to truly innovate and push the boundaries of knowledge, divergent thinking is essential. 

    Divergent thinking, often called “thinking outside the box,” is a vital and learnable skill for creative problem-solving. It involves systematically moving beyond a single imaginative possibility to generate many varied and often unconventional solutions. For instance, while imagination might foresee a car that runs on water, divergent thinking would brainstorm 50 different mechanisms—such as electrolysis, hydrogen capture, or steam power—that could potentially make that vision a reality.

    While the average student excels at convergent thinking (finding the single correct answer using established methods), the exceptional student leverages divergent thinking to address unfamiliar problems, hypothesize new connections, and push the boundaries of knowledge. This is where innovation happens.

    Thinking Outside the Box (divergent thinking) is a skill you can learn. It’s all about being creative in your thinking and getting in some practice, like trying brainstorming. This helps you to develop a system where you come up with tons of different, new solutions – showing off your content mastery, flexibility, and originality. Try thinking of every problem as a puzzle to solve. It’s essentially asking, “How many different ways can we make this work?” and then quickly generating a bunch of diverse, unconventional, and possible options. Finally, you try to implement those imaginative ideas and turn them into solid steps or solutions for testing or implementing your ideas.

    Personal Commentary: Two Real-life examples

    Since retiring, I’ve dedicated myself to two main passions: gardening and assisting family members with their electronic devices, whether it’s installing new televisions or troubleshooting computer issues.

    When it comes to gardening, I’ve noticed that many gardeners simply follow seed packet instructions and use the same soil mix year after year. If a plant doesn’t thrive, they often blame a “brown thumb” or the weather, sticking to conventional methods.

    However, my goal is to become a master gardener. I’m deeply committed to researching soil science, meticulously tracking the microclimates within my raised beds, and experimenting with companion planting. I view a struggling plant as a puzzle to solve. I’ll test and adjust the soil composition, fine-tune its pH, or even construct a custom cold frame. By leveraging research and divergent thinking, I’ll integrate chemistry and construction to boost my garden’s yield and deepen my understanding.

    When my family and friends encounter issues with their electronic devices, I’ve observed a common tendency: they often consult installation instructions and rarely attempt to troubleshoot problems independently or consider unconventional solutions. While they can resolve straightforward issues, they tend to give up when standard steps prove ineffective.

    In contrast, when faced with a computer or electronic device problem, my curiosity drives me to delve into user forums and perform internet searches. I’m not just seeking a solution; I’m driven to understand the root cause of the issue and how to prevent it. My approach goes beyond merely fixing the problem; I want to comprehend why the failure occurred. This involves using divergent thinking to connect various hardware failures and device programming issues I’ve seen in the past, and asking the question “What if?”, to devise and implement a solution. By making the extra effort to learn and understand an issue, I can effectively explain the solution to my family, teach them how to recognize the problem should it arise again, and enable them to either avoid it or, in a worst-case scenario, correct it themselves without my help in the future.

    Conclusion

    These three components—curiosity, imagination, and thinking outside the box—are the driving force behind answering the question “What if?” Curiosity motivates you to investigate, imagination reveals what’s possible, and divergent thinking equips you with the methods to bring those possibilities to fruition.

    Curiosity compels you to challenge the status quo, prompting the question: “What if we tried something different?” Imagination then allows you to envision: “That ‘something different’ could look like this.” Finally, divergent thinking offers the various approaches: “Here are fifty different ways to achieve that ‘something different.’”

    For high school STEM students, developing curiosity, fostering imagination, and practicing divergent thinking are crucial skills. These are the foundations that will enable you to become the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. 

  • Weekly Quotation: November, 7, 2025: Life is More Than This Moment

    Weekly Quotation: November, 7, 2025: Life is More Than This Moment

    For your consideration:

    Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.

    – Richard L. Evans

    In 1988, I made a difficult decision to leave a job I loved as a Technical Support Engineer for Hewlett-Packard Co.’s Advanced Chemical Systems R&D group in Avondale, PA. My wife and her family wanted us to return to Louisville, KY, and I complied, despite having no job lined up and feeling utterly defeated. My work at H.P. was not only my passion but also a significant part of my self-worth.

    Eventually, I found employment in Louisville as a GC/MS chemist in LabCorp’s toxicology department. Over time, I rediscovered my passion in a completely different area of chemistry. My perspective on life shifted from second-guessing my decision to leave H.P. to a renewed sense of belonging and purpose, albeit in a new environment.

    My journey through multiple career changes, though often painful, has been a significant part of my growth. Now, at 67, I see these experiences as instrumental in shaping me into the person I am meant to be, right here, right now.

    We all share in the experience of personal growth. Life is a journey that extends beyond any single moment. We will inevitably face decisions or setbacks that affect us emotionally, socially, or professionally. Through these obstacles and mistakes, we learn to persevere. Every experience, good or bad, contributes to our future selves. We can choose to regret the past, or we can recognize that those decisions have shaped who we are today.