University of West Georgia alumna Marissa Keeler ’24 isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. In fact, she thrives on them. 

Juggling an intense courseload, numerous extracurriculars and three part-time jobs, Keeler’s relentless drive and passion for science have set her apart as a scholar destined for success. 

Before graduating summa cum laude in December 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in applied chemistry and a minor in biology, Keller balanced the whirlwind of academic and professional commitments and even presented at over 10 research conferences and excelled in a prestigious research experience at the University of Utah (the U).  

While at UWG, Keeler received various scholarships and awards. She even received the Ingle’s Endowment, Hansen-Suh Endowment and Esslinger Endowment – chemistry specific scholarships from former UWG teachers or alumni – on more than one occasion.  

“They give scholarships depending on the field of chemistry you like or how good your grades are,” said Keeler.  

Further proving her academic prowess, Keeler’s made presentations at a variety of conferences, including ones at the Georgia State Capitol, the American Chemical Society, the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium, the Southeastern Regional Meeting of American Chemical Society and at UWG’s very own Scholar’s Day.  

“I did a lot of independent projects that became oral presentations,” said Keeler. “I’d put together 15 to 20 slideshows, and time myself to make sure I stayed in the allotted time frame.” 

During her visit to the U during last summer, Keeler completed a Research Experience for Undergraduates where she worked in the Armentrout Lab. This lab specialized in creating mass spectrometers – an instrument used to separate and measure spectral components. While there, she got to build these instruments, creating electrical circuits, water lines and air lines. Additionally, she remodeled the systems in which the instruments would run using a software called Gaussian.  

Her primary research focused on peptides involved in Alzheimer’s disease, allowing her to make insightful scientific discoveries.  

“It was interesting to see how closely the theoretical data actually matched the experimental,” said Keeler.  

Keeler’s biggest takeaways from her experiences are time management and mentorship. She encourages students to be good stewards of their time and to utilize opportunities, saying that almost every UWG professor has their own lab and are regularly recruiting students.  

“Get involved in research somehow,” said Keeler. “I had a lot of one-on-one mentorships with Dr. [Farooq] Khan, and he was always willing to go out of his way to make sure I succeeded.”