Chris Kalnmals is Making a Difference in the World of Science! Read below to see how St. John's has impacted his life and what he is up to today.How many years did you attend St. John's? "Ten years, from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade." What is a favorite memory from your time at St. John's? "I have many fond memories from my time at St. John's, but if I had to pick just one, it would probably be band classes with Mr. Kinzie. He was an excellent teacher and made learning how to play an instrument fun. Over the years, I've taught myself to play a number of different instruments - including guitar, mandolin, and harmonica - and I was only able to do that because of the fundamental skills that Mr. Kinzie taught me." How did St. John's prepare you for high school and beyond? "The education I received at St. John's was absolutely top-notch and it laid an excellent foundation for all of my future academic endeavors. My teachers were all outstanding and the curriculum was balanced, rigorous, and very thorough. All throughout high school, I never encountered a class for which I felt unprepared, which is a testament to the quality instruction I received at St. John's." What is your current job and what does it entail? "I work as a Research Investigator at Corteva Agriscience, specifically in Small Molecule Discovery & Development. My department works on improving yields of globally important crops like corn, rice, soybeans and wheat by developing products that can selectively control unwanted pests - like weeds and harmful insects - without harming crops or the environment. My role in this process involves designing and making new molecules, then determining how small structural changes to those molecules affects their biological properties." What do you like about your career/job? "One of the things I like most about working at Corteva Agriscience is that I have the ability to make the world a better place through chemistry. Because I help develop products that enable farmers to get the most out of their crops, every experiment I run is a small step towards ending global food shortages, and that's extremely rewarding. On a more fundamental level, I find research in and of itself very satisfying as well. Although it's often challenging, the exhilaration of making new discoveries more than makes up for that, and having those "Eureka!" moments are my favorite part of being a research scientist." What are some interests you have outside of work? "Ever since taking my first clarinet lesson with Mr. Kinzie at St. John's in third or fourth grade, music has been both a passion and a hobby. Although I haven't played the clarinet for many years, I still play guitar and mandolin and also love listening to classical music, particularly from the middle and late Baroque periods. When the weather is nice, I spend most of my free time fishing, and I enjoy camping and hiking as well." What are some achievements/life events that you are proud of since attending St. John's? "In 2019, I graduated from Stanford University with my PhD in chemistry, and I think that's my most significant achievement to date. Getting my doctorate was an incredible amount of work, but it was also an extremely enriching experience - both intellectually and personally - and I have many fond memories of my time at Stanford. Over the course of my research career, I've published about a dozen articles in scientific journals, and I'm very proud of those publications as well." What are some plans and/or hopes you have for the future? "I'd like to get married, have some kids, and start a family of my own. Also, I'm currently saving to buy a house - hopefully a nice, quiet place in the woods. Although I grew up in Chicago, I've always been a country boy at heart!" We are proud of Chris and all that he has accomplished
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