Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jaime Mueller

Dr. Mueller has just completed her first year teaching Chemistry at SMU. She taught Organic Chemistry and General Chemistry classes and labs. One of our students had a chance to catch up with her and find a little bit more about her...

Where were you born?
Blue Earth, MN

Where did you grow up?
Brainerd, MN

Where did you go to school?
K-12 --Brainerd, MN
B.S degree--University of Wisconsin—Green Bay, WI
Northern Michigan University
Ph. D. University of Utah
Postdoctoral Work-The University of Chicago

What were your favorite subjects in high school and college?
It is difficult choosing a favorite subject—there are so many! Overall, I have always loved going to school and learning. I particularly loved the challenge of chemistry and calculus.

What led you to become an organic chemist?
I was introduced to physical organic chemistry by Dr. Frankie Ann McCormack in her Advanced Organic Chemistry class when I was training for the U.S. Biathlon team. I liked the practical aspect of investigating how a chemical reaction works to improve it. I actually started out as an Inorganic student, but switched to Organic chemistry by joining a research group that allowed me to combine metals and organic chemistry by studying organometallic reactions.

What fascinates or interests you in the field of organic chemistry?
What doesn’t? I am always amazed by how ubiquitous it is. Many of our everyday problems and future problems have organic chemistry roots. I believe a lot of our solutions lie in those fundamentals as well.

How have you found Winona so far?
Friendly, relaxed and far less traffic.

What do you love most about Saint Mary’s?
I love the emphasis on the importance of the student-teacher relationship and the close-knit academic community; however, I cannot forget the lovely, formidable cross country ski trails.


It is my understanding that you have a dog named Sandy, what can you tell us about her and any other pets you may have?
Sandy is our 13 year-old yellow Labrador; she adopted us when she was 8 years old. She was born in Utah, lived on the Chicago Southside for 3 years and has since retired to Southeastern MN. She enjoys walking to the radio towers up on Garvin Heights, eating dirt and sleeping on her futon. While hiking in Utah, she saved my husband Chris and me from a charging bull moose.

If you had not become a chemist what was or what do you believe could have been an alternative?
I believe the sky is the limit with a degree in chemistry. An alternative was a professional biathlete. Biathlon is the winter sport of target shooting and cross-country skiing. I considered joining the military and becoming part of their World Class Athlete Program. Another alternative was working for Google as part of their business strategy group.

What sports have you been, or still are, involved with?
In high school, I was a three sport athlete: cross country running, nordic skiing and track. I earned a NCAA Div I scholarship for Nordic Skiing all four years of undergraduate studies. I learned to target shoot my last year of college and began competing in biathlon when my college eligibility was up. I spent one year after college on the Olympic Development Team, but ultimately went back to graduate school to earn my doctorate. I now coach the high school Nordic team as a volunteer.


Any advice to incoming organic chemistry students?
Be prepared. Be prepared for the introduction to a vast field of knowledge, for the challenge of problem solving up to the highest levels, to work hard and to be surprised.



Any words of wisdom about life?
Change is inevitable; just go with it. The best laid plans can fall through so easily, it is better to just be prepared for anything and to be thrilled by the challenges that life presents.

Favorite… joke—see Dr. Vogel, food—anything ethnic, place—the highest rainforest in the world—Kauai, Hawaii, color--blue, dessert—How can I pick just one?, season—spring (good skiing, my birthday and warmth) and football team (Utah Utes—college, and the Green Bay Packers?

What have you enjoyed most in the chemistry department so far?
I really enjoyed the Organic II Multistep synthesis projects. I love watching developing chemists take their own first steps into ingenuity and passion about chemistry.