Vivian Feng: I consider myself always a learner, learning new things always excite me. I am really at the bench learning with my students because we're doing things that I don't have the right answer for and I'm reading papers together with them. I hope that by coming through my classes, my students would actually have a newfound curiosity to the natural world.

Paul Pribbenow: Augsburg University educate students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers and responsible leaders. I'm Paul Pribbenow, the President of Augsburg University, and it's my great privilege to present the Augsburg Podcast, one way you can get to know some of the faculty and staff I'm honored to work with every day.

Catherine Day: I'm Catherine Reid Day, host of the Augsburg Podcast. And today I'm speaking with Vivian Feng, associate professor of chemistry and we're going to be talking a bit about the impact and importance of both research and experiential learning in the field of chemistry. Welcome, Vivian.

Vivian Feng: Thank you, Catherine.

Catherine Day: So happy you could make time for us today. Let's start by finding out a little bit about where you discovered your passion for the subject, the field of chemistry.

Vivian Feng: I actually wasn't one of those kids that had identified a passion in the natural sciences at a young age. Actually, in fact, I was more drawn to the liberal arts, to history, geography, arts and music. I grew up in China and studied the sciences and math when we separated in different branches in high school. Simply because my parents are both engineers, and then they basically convinced me that I'd have more options in career options down the world. So I was branched into the sciences and math and engineering branch.

The most transforming experience I've had in those days was when I was selected to go to the international school called the United World College of the Adriatic in Italy, when I was a junior year in high school.