Young Alumni Spotlight – May Cayzer ’25

We recently caught up with recent Cornell Chem graduate May Cayzer, ’25 to find out what she’s up to as a first-year graduate student at Tri-Institutional PhD Program and to get her advice to other undergraduates in the department about the graduate school process.

Tell us a bit about what you’re doing right now:
I started grad school this summer at the Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology (TPCB), a collaboration between Weill Cornell, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Rockefeller University. My research interests center on organic synthesis for drug development. During my first year, I’ll complete three lab rotations to get hands-on experience and figure out which lab is the best fit for me. I’m also taking a total of four graduate-level chemistry and chemical biology courses across the Tri-I and Columbia University, which has been a great way to explore new areas of science and connect with students from different programs.

Considering where you’re at in your professional journey, what are some goals you have for your future?
My main goal right now is to strengthen my biology foundation while continuing to refine my organic synthesis skills. Coming from a primarily chemistry background, I’m excited to learn how biological systems intersect with synthetic design. Long term, I hope to enter the pharmaceutical industry, where I can apply both my chemistry and biology training to developing new therapeutic compounds and translational research projects that can make a real difference in medicine.

Can you share a little about how Chemistry at Cornell impacted or inspired your career path?
Cornell Chemistry completely changed the course of my academic trajectory. I had an incredible TA for CHEM 2080 and 3570 who made me realize how interested I was in chemistry and encouraged me to pursue it more seriously. She was the reason I switched my major to chemistry and got involved in undergraduate research – something I never imagined doing before. Working in my research group after that, especially on synthesis projects, made me realize how much I loved the process of designing and building molecules. That experience was what ultimately led me to pursue a PhD in organic synthesis.

What advice would you give an undergraduate who just joined the Chemistry major at Cornell?
Find your people early. I joined the department in the spring of my sophomore year and didn’t really meet other chemistry majors until my senior year, and I wish I had sooner. Once I did, they became some of my closest friends and best support system I could ask for. Having friends who truly understood the challenges of problem sets, practicals, and cramming for prelims makes a huge difference; studying or commiserating together can actually be a lot of fun.

Do you have any advice for CHEM majors who will be applying to graduate school this year?
Talk to lots of graduate students in the field you’re interested in, even if they’re not in your lab. They can give you honest, first-hand insight into which programs they applied to, which PIs they were interested in, how to approach certain applications, and just general advice about your area of interest. I learned a lot from casual conversations with grad students about their application cycle experiences – everything from how they chose where to apply to what they wish they’d done differently.

Favorite memory from Cornell Chemistry?
The nights spent studying in the Chem Undergrad Lounge with friends and Louie’s crashing out over inorganic problem sets. Somehow even when we had no idea what was going on, those nights were always filled with laughter.

In your opinion, what do future students in Cornell chemistry have to look forward to the most?
The sense of community and quality of mentorship. The faculty and TAs genuinely want you to succeed, and there’s always someone willing to help or explain something again. Beyond that, Cornell Chemistry opens so many doors – you’ll find opportunities to do cutting-edge research, collaborate across disciplines, and grow as both a scientist and as a person.