Analytical chemist and Cliffel Research Group member refuses to accept 鈥渏ust because鈥� as an answer.
Richards鈥� need to know 鈥渨hy鈥� is how she came to love chemistry: Science gave her the answers she needed.
鈥淚 was someone who always asked why, how, when and where. I needed to know all of the details,鈥� Richards said. 鈥淎nd hearing 鈥榡ust because鈥� or 鈥榖ecause I said so鈥� was never enough for me. Science and chemistry addressed that. Chemistry always answers the why.鈥�
Along with the ability to satisfy her natural curiosity, chemistry tapped into Richards鈥� penchant for breaking glass ceilings. Women working in chemistry weren鈥檛 common in the towns she grew up in.
鈥淚 was raised on the outskirts of Nashville, in small country towns with strong gender stereotypes,鈥� said Richards, Class of 2026. 鈥淚 was intrigued by exploring chemistry and science because it broke that norm. No one in my town did that. I liked defying those odds.鈥�
Richards鈥� passion for chemistry and gender equity took her from Austin Peay State University, where she earned a bachelor of science in chemistry with a minor in women鈥檚 and gender studies, to Vanderbilt, where she鈥檚 a Ph.D. student who focuses on analytical chemistry.
Under David Cliffel, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Chemistry and principal investigator at Cliffel Research Group, Richards uses electrochemistry to develop tools that detect and quantify infection-related triggers of preterm birth.
鈥淚鈥檝e always valued diversity and women in STEM, and women鈥檚 health specifically,鈥� Richards said. 鈥淚 wanted to use analytical chemistry for something that鈥檚 very understudied, and the human placenta is the least studied organ.鈥�
Richards鈥� appetite for breaking barriers and pursuing her passions has earned her a seat at the table with science鈥檚 brightest thinkers鈥攁 that provides her with a unique opportunity to bridge disciplines. She is the first student at Vanderbilt to receive such a distinction.
鈥淗annah鈥檚 selection as Vanderbilt鈥檚 first Schmidt Science Fellow is a tremendous honor that underscores our university鈥檚 commitment to nurturing exceptional scholars who will become the next generation of scholars and leaders,鈥� said Andr茅 Christie-Mizell, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School.
鈥淭he Schmidt Science Fellowship recognizes not only Hannah鈥檚 outstanding scientific accomplishment and potential, but also her dedication to bridging disciplines and working at the intersection of two scientific disciplines to generate meaningful, real-world impact.鈥�
As a Schmidt Fellow, Richards will check another lifelong goal off her list鈥攔esearching sea turtle marine biology at the Marine Science Laboratory at Florida Atlantic University.
鈥淥ne thing I鈥檝e always been passionate about is sea turtle health,鈥� Richards said. 鈥淏ut growing up in landlocked Nashville, Tennessee, without oceans and coasts鈥攖hat wasn鈥檛 something I could easily explore.
鈥淚 am so thankful for this opportunity! It鈥檚 one of the most prestigious and competitive fellowships globally, and I get to be mentored by a very elite group of scientists that have gone on to do extraordinary things. It鈥檚 truly an honor.鈥�
To protect leatherback sea turtles from extinction, Richards will investigate sea turtle egg fusariosis鈥攁n invasive fungal infection that impedes hatching success鈥攂ridging her work in Cliffel鈥檚 group with marine conservation research.
鈥淏ecause of the heavily interdisciplinary nature of my research lab, we have students from a lot of different disciplines, and each comes with a unique background and progress from there,鈥� Cliffel said. 鈥淗annah had originally little interest in bioanalytical chemistry, but she has embraced its potential to the fullest in her work in my group.鈥�
鈥淗er future work as a Schmidt Fellow builds on the research abilities she developed in my lab, but it represents a complete shift in application and focus. She has already done that so well in her graduate studies that I am certain she will be successful in the future.鈥�
The advice Richards has for status quo challengers like herself?
鈥淵ou are your limit. Be limitless.鈥�
