Taking on Teeth

With three summers of National Science Foundation research programs and a semester in a Macalester biochemistry lab on his resume, Xu Han ’10 is attending the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.

Each summer, Han participated in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates programs in St. Louis and Beijing, and before his senior year he also worked at the Dortmund University of Technology in Germany.

“My Macalester education really prepared me well for the rigor and expectations in dental school.”

Professors Rebecca Hoye and Liz Jansen helped him explore various dental schools.  Hoye, his advisor, encouraged Han to attend an open house at the University of Minnesota, and Jansen connected him with Twin Cities dentists for his Taylor Fellowship.

“I have always enjoyed research, but I also knew that I liked hands-on work,” Han said.  “The dental profession allows me to treat patients and explore wide-ranging research topics. My Macalester education really prepared me well for the rigor and expectations in dental school.”

Han prepared for the application and interview process by joining a group of 30 seniors last fall for a five-part weekly workshop hosted by the Career Development Center on topics like interviewing, resume-writing, and networking. He also met one-on-one with CDC staff to discuss his dental school application and to rehearse for the interview process.

“Grad school is such a huge goal for so many of our alumni, and we want to broaden awareness that we can help them,” says career counselor Kate Larson. “These services are available to students during their time at Mac, but they don’t go away when the students graduate.”