Abra Dadum

It’s About Chemistry

One of the biggest benefits of joining the Undergraduate Summer Opportunity for Applying Research (U-SOAR) at IUP is that it takes the traditional faculty-student relationship and refashions it as peer-to-peer.

Students get to conduct research projects while getting all the guidance and attention they need from a faculty member, and that relationship helps them do research and make breakthroughs that can change the world.

“Abra is motivated, dedicated, driven, and ambitious...She has a desire to learn, and she understands that the more time, energy, and understanding she puts in, the more doors will open for her in the future.”
-Justin Fair

Although Abra Dadum, a chemistry major from Pittsburgh, learned a lot in her summer in U-SOAR as she worked on her research project, “Selective Oxidation of Alcohols in the Presence of Amines,” she says one of the best parts was working with her faculty mentor, Justin Fair.

“He has been a wonderful mentor throughout the course of my research,” Abra says. “He has provided me many additional resources, insightful input on my work, and an undying guidance. Dr. Fair has challenged me to expand both my chemical knowledge and my critical thinking skills.”

Abra hasn’t yet earned her bachelor’s degree, but she’s already been accepted into to PhD programs, and both of which come with free tuition and a large stipend.

But Justin says it’s only the beginning for one of his star pupils.

“Abra is motivated, dedicated, driven, and ambitious,” he says. “She has a desire to learn, and she  understands that the more time, energy, and understanding she puts in, the more doors will open for her in the future.”