Sirinya Matchacheep
Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Related Programs and Courses
- Premedical Program
- CHEM E-17 Principles of Organic Chemistry
- CHEM E-27 Organic Chemistry of Life
Why do you teach at Harvard Extension School?
We are all lifelong learners. Harvard Extension School provides great access to higher education to those who want to continue to explore unfamiliar academic areas and hone new skills.
Many of my students are from all over the country, pursuing a postbaccalaureate to have careers in healthcare/medicine. Their diverse backgrounds, strong work ethics, and desire to help others have made our classroom experience pleasant and unique. I have enjoyed sharing my passion for chemistry with them.
“We strive to provide a supportive learning environment and numerous resources for our students. Many have completed the course with a newfound appreciation for organic chemistry and what it enables them to understand in other subject areas.”
What drew you to the field of chemistry?
I have long been fascinated by nature and the processes that govern life. I was determined to study biology until college when I took my first organic chemistry class and realized how much it enabled me to understand different (biological and chemical) processes in the living system.
What used to be pictures of complicated biological pathways that I had to memorize became chemical reactions that I could draw from scratch. It felt like I had found the missing pieces of the puzzle. This fascination is still a part of my daily life as science is an ongoing process, allowing us to not only discover new answers but also new questions to ask.
What advice would you give to future students interested in taking your courses?
Regardless of your past experience with organic chemistry or what you have heard about the subject, keep an open mind. While it is a challenging subject, you can succeed with the right approach and hard work.
We strive to provide a supportive learning environment and numerous resources for our students. Many have completed the course with a newfound appreciation for organic chemistry and what it enables them to understand in other subject areas.
More About Sirinya
Matchacheep earned her bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology from Cornell University and her PhD in chemistry from Harvard University.
In her doctorate work she performed organic synthesis of a small molecule library and screened it for biological activity. A few of her compounds have been studied for their effectiveness in combating the hepatitis C virus. During her graduate studies, she served as a resident tutor in Dunster House where she discovered her passion for advising undergraduate students.
Prior to her current position overseeing the operation of the chemistry undergraduate labs, she was a premedical/prehealth advisor for Harvard College and Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences students.
In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, traveling, digital photography, playing with her children, and walking her dog, Gaius, whom you may see occasionally in her office and classroom.