Dr. Ritu Gurung is the head of the Chemistry department and a professor at St. Ambrose University. She was nominated and chosen to be one of the speakers at our annual Women’s History Month Speaker Panel. The theme for this year’s speaker panel is “Creating a Legacy” and we truly believe that she embodies this theme. She is an inspiration to all not only because she is an amazing professor and person but also due to the many barriers she had to overcome as a woman in STEM and being an immigrant from Nepal.
At St. Ambrose, Dr. Gurung teaches nursing chemistry and biochemistry. I took the nursing chemistry class my first semester freshman year, which was taught by Dr. Gurung. Her passion and enthusiasm made me fall in love with chemistry again and she convinced me to add a chemistry minor. When I decided to switch my major it was my reignited passion for chemistry that made me switch to being a chemistry and education major so that I can share that passion with others as Dr. Gurung did for me, (Amber).
My experience with Dr. Gurung as a biochemistry professor was nothing short of phenomenal. I was very hesitant to take the class because I am purely a chemistry major and hadn’t taken a biology class since my sophomore year in high school. Dr. Gurung’s belief is that you don’t need to take a biology class in order to understand biochemistry. To her, biology is just a tool that you need to understand some of the vocabulary that is needed for the class. She made sure to specifically point out some of the biology terms to me in class since I had never been exposed to them before. She made a big point about checking up on how I was doing throughout the semester due to the insecurity I felt about not having taken a biology class, (Maddie).
Dr. Gurung makes her office a welcoming place where people can be unafraid to talk about anything, whether it be problems in class, problems with people on campus, or just problems they are dealing with in their personal lives. Dr. Gurung is always there to lend an ear if you need, (Maddie).
Throughout my time as a chemistry major Dr. Gurung has been a key mentor to me. The first semester of my senior year I worked as her biochemistry lab prep student and getting to work one on one with her was an incredible experience. She was not only amazing at teaching me new skills but also educating me as her employee and encouraging me when I didn’t feel the most confident. Dr. Gurung has inspired me in the way that I want to teach others. I have definitely spent time in her office talking with her about both academic and personal issues. Her office is always a very welcoming and safe environment, especially with the aromas of her fantastic meals (her office always smells really good!) (Amber).
One of the most inspiring parts about Dr. Gurung is her ability to balance being both a professor and a mother. It is very apparent that her family is a top priority to her as a wife and a mother of two young daughters. She shows that you don’t have to choose between having a successful career and being a mother; you can do both.
We asked our fellow chemistry majors about Dr. Gurung. Sophomore Kirti Mann said “She has created a legacy that she has established herself as a woman in STEM not just as a researcher but also in her job and in her life as a mother. She’s not just present but she is also always there for you. I aspire to be like her, being able to balance both aspects of her life. Not only that, but she creates a legacy by inspiring her students to pursue their goals.”
Dr. Ritu Gurung has been and will continue to be a mentor and inspiration to many young men and women who go through the St. Ambrose Chemistry department. Her presence could not be replaced without feeling a major loss at the university.