Emily Chaisson and the Science of Curiosity

Contact: Rhonda Jessup, Director of Public Relations

Emily Chaisson never set out to become “just” a scientist. She set out to ask questions, solve puzzles, and have fun doing it. That curiosity, paired with a strong foundation built at the University of Mount Olive, has carried the 2020 alumna from a small-town upbringing in North Carolina to earning a doctorate and contributing to cutting-edge scientific research.

Chaisson graduated from UMO in the spring of 2020, completing a double major in chemistry and mathematics at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The path to two degrees was not originally part of her plan. A lifelong love of math, combined with extra credits from high school and a desire to play softball for four years, led her to explore her options. A pivotal conversation with faculty members, including Dr. Jason Pajski, helped her recognize chemistry as the perfect complement to her strengths in mathematics. “He helped me make the right decision by adding a chemistry major,” she said. That decision proved formative, shaping how she would approach scientific questions for years to come.

Drawn to Mount Olive for its softball program, small class sizes, and academic flexibility, Chaisson found an environment that allowed her to thrive both on the field and in the classroom. Raised in Stokesdale, North Carolina, she credits her family for nurturing a mindset where effort mattered more than expectations. “I grew up in a family where making good grades wasn’t an expectation, but trying your best was,” she said. Her father’s love of math and puzzles, her mother’s nightly reading routines, and her sister’s insistence on having fun created an early understanding that learning and enjoyment could coexist. That belief stayed with her through college and beyond.

At UMO, Chaisson found more than coursework. She found mentors. Faculty members provided transparency about what graduate school truly involves, from the rigor of advanced study to the independence required in research. Advisors thoughtfully helped her understand how to select programs and mentors, long before she began applying. That preparation, along with the discipline she developed balancing athletics and academics, gave her a head start in graduate school that many of her peers did not have. “The time management skills I developed as an undergraduate helped me thrive in graduate school and maintain a healthy work-life balance that many students found difficult,” she said.

Classes such as physical chemistry, linear algebra, and modern algebra helped cement her interest in the overlap between mathematics and science. Under the guidance of professors who encouraged creative freedom, difficult concepts became engaging challenges rather than obstacles. Undergraduate research opportunities and attendance at American Chemical Society conferences exposed her to the interdisciplinary nature of modern science and clarified her desire to pursue a Ph.D.

Chaisson chose the University of Tennessee for her doctoral studies, drawn by the opportunity to work with a research advisor whose approach aligned with her interests in both computational and experimental biophysics. That choice paid off. During her doctoral work, she contributed to nearly five first-author publications, exploring how fats within cell membranes behave and interact on an extremely small scale. While highly technical in practice, her research has broad implications, informing areas such as cancer biology, drug design, membrane regeneration, and cholesterol behavior.

For Chaisson, earning a doctorate has been both rewarding and humbling. The title carries weight, but she is quick to point out that the true value lies in learning how to think critically, ask better questions, and communicate complex ideas clearly. She credits her success to celebrating small wins, staying connected with mentors from Mount Olive, and surrounding herself with a supportive research group, friends, and family.

Today, Chaisson lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she works as a Global Graduate with Scientific Research and Development at Reynolds American through British American Tobacco. Her work focuses on understanding membrane interactions and improving access to clear, interpretable scientific information. Looking ahead, she also hopes to teach as an adjunct professor, a passion that began while tutoring during her undergraduate years at UMO.

Despite her accomplishments, Chaisson remains grounded in the belief that science is for everyone. She sees her role not only as a researcher, but as a translator, someone who helps break down barriers and make science approachable and even enjoyable. That philosophy echoes the lessons she learned early in life and refined at Mount Olive.

When asked what advice she would give current UMO students considering graduate school in STEM fields, her response is practical and candid, “Choose your mentor wisely, she said.  “Graduate school is demanding.  Having the right advisor and research group can make all the difference.”

As she reflects on her journey, Chaisson credits the University of Mount Olive for giving her more than an education. It gave her confidence, community, and a sense of balance. “UMO gave me so many memories, not just in the classroom or on the field,” she said. “It made me more than Emily the scientist or Emily the softball player. It made me Emily the person.”   

About the University of Mount Olive
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University was founded by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists. For more information, visit www.umo.edu.