Tony Scott (he/him/his) is a 3rd year organic chemistry graduate student and the treasurer of CADI. He grew up in The Bronx, NY and came to MIT in 2017 after receiving his bachelor’s degree from the Yale University. Tony’s research in Professor Mo Movassaghi’s group focuses on stereocontrolled complex alkaloid total synthesis.
We sat down with Tony over Zoom this week and asked him a few questions about his choice to come to MIT, his time here in the chemistry department, and what being part of CADI means to him.
Why did you want to get a graduate degree?
By the end of undergrad I was really interested in chemistry, loved doing research, and felt that I had a lot to learn. I saw graduate school as an apprenticeship of sorts, one that would allow me to train my mind. Organic chemistry doesn’t necessarily come naturally to me, but I knew that it was interesting enough to sustain my excitement and that it would better me in the long run.
Why did you decide to come to MIT?
In the end, my decision mostly came down to location. I wanted an east coast school in a big city, so I could be near family in NYC. I don’t know how to drive so I definitely wasn’t about to make that a central part of my life (ha ha). I was excited about the prospect of working for Mo so in the end the decision was easy.
What have been your favorite parts of Cambridge so far?
I have been tap dancing since I was 10, and as soon as I moved to Boston I was blown away by the concentration of talent. Training and developing my passion for tap dance along-side chemistry has been an amazing opportunity I never expected to have.
I also love rollerblading, and I can actually commute into MIT by rollerblading most days.
What’s been your biggest challenge since coming to MIT?
My biggest challenge has been maintaining a healthy work-life balance (or at least work-not-work balance). When things aren’t working in the lab, especially, it tends to bleed out into other aspects of life, which isn’t great. I’m trying to make sure I’m living a healthy life outside of work.
What’s the most fun thing you’ve done since coming to MIT?
I’ve developed a really good group of friends since coming here. I come into lab every day excited to see my labmates and talk about chemistry and everything else. Honestly, I can’t think of a specific moment that’s better than that (except maybe the bouncy house we had at one of the summer CGSC events).
What is your favorite part of the MIT Chemistry Department?
The DCIF (Department of Chemistry Instrumentation Facility) is pretty cool. They’re super helpful and the whole facility was just upgraded dramatically.
Also, MIT really values its student groups and seems to want to help the students find ways to improve their time here. The coffee hours, pizza nights, and CADI events are all things that are easy to take for granted, but I look forward to them every month.
How did you find out about CADI? Why did you join CADI?
I found out about CADI when it was first advertised by Jesús and just starting out. I didn’t expect there to be a group for people with marginalized identities in chemistry grad school, but it’s a community that everyone should have access to. I joined because I really wanted to see it succeed, and it has become really important to me.
Why is CADI important to you? How has it impacted your life?
CADI is a bunch of thoughtful, funny, fun people and a great community. Having a bunch of POC friends and events that create a welcoming space makes me feel less isolated and improves my day-to-day in a way I never realized I was missing.
We are given a platform to do good things for the campus community, and it feels great that the department appreciates CADI and the impact we can have.
What are you hoping to see from CADI in the next few years?
As the treasurer, I’m hoping to see us spend more money soon. But more importantly, I’m excited to start inviting more speakers to campus as part of the new speaker series we hoped to roll out this spring. Overall, though, I want to see more generations of graduate students get involved and get excited to shape the community. I’m excited to see how CADI evolves.
What are you doing to stay sane in quarantine?
I don’t know if I’m staying sane, but between the long hours of working at home, I’ve been sleeping, reading, and exercising (My roommates and I are using the Wellbeats app, which we get for free from MIT recreation).
The work-from-home period is giving me time to re-imagine what I want to prioritize when I gets back to work. It’s been a good time to reflect about work-life balance.
Have questions/want more CADI?
Please email the CADI board with any questions!