Sunny Tan has spent her academic journey learning to adapt. Originally from China, she has lived "all over the place," from Ohio to Florida, and she spent this summer in Houston as a Rice Advanced Materials Institute (RAMI) Research Fellow in the Zhang Lab. This ability to navigate new environments served her well when she packed her bags for Rice University. While browsing the Rice website early in the year, she took a chance and reached out directly to Dr. Yirui (Arlene) Zhang whose electrochemistry work caught her eye.
"I contacted Dr. Zhang first because I found her project to be super interesting and cool," Sunny explains. "We set up a Zoom call that week and we both really enjoyed our conversation. We built a good connection from there, and she recommended that I apply for the RAMI fellowship."
Sunny’s affinity for collaborative science actually goes back to her very first undergraduate research role at the University of Florida. Working in the Moon Lab on polymer membranes for carbon dioxide separation, she spent her first few months being closely guided by Dr. Joshua Moon, a dedicated mentor who took the time to train her until she was ready to work independently in the lab. That formative experience did more than just teach her laboratory protocols; it showed her how human connection and strong mentorship are key to achieving meaningful scientific outcomes.
That foundation allowed Sunny to thrive in the Zhang Lab this summer at Rice. When a project lead in the lab would be out for three weeks, Sunny’s mentors trusted her to step up, take over the project, and work independently. Her summer focus involved testing different liquid environments inside manganese-based batteries to see which ones help them behave more stably. Because manganese is highly abundant and low-cost compared to traditional lithium, it represents a much safer alternative for the real world, if researchers can get it to cycle smoothly. Working alongside her official mentor, postdoctoral researcher Dr. Yiming Sui, she learned to look past individual data points to focus on the bigger picture.
"Yiming has taught me how to make a storyline out of my research for my presentations. He showed me how to pick out the meaningful data and tell a story to help show why this matters to the world. I learned that the way we organize and explain data can change how clearly the audience understands our projects."
Beyond the technical breakthroughs, like the exciting moment her team achieved successful plating and stripping tests, the most impactful part of Sunny's summer was the sense of community she found in the Zhang Lab. From lab group retreats featuring escape rooms and karaoke, to daily lunches driven by a lab mate determined to share 115 campus meal swipes (arguably too many meal swipes), this social dynamic was just as important as the research environment. Even outside her immediate lab, a quick connection at the Rice Summer Research Orientation turned into a great friendship filled with shared grocery shopping trips and constant boba runs.
Reflecting on her journey from high school AP Chemistry to working with high-end potentiostats, Sunny believes that the best way for undergraduates to overcome imposter syndrome and nerves about getting into research is to simply reach out to professors whose work interests you. By building these connections, you can find a project you are truly passionate about. Once inside the lab, she says that progress relies heavily on keeping those lines of communication open: "Just don't be hesitant to ask any questions because that's how you learn."
The RAMI fellowship has ultimately solidified Sunny's confidence as she prepares for her senior year and looks toward the future. Having the space to operate independently in a brand-new area of chemistry has made her long-term career goals feel closer than ever.
"I have known that I wanted to do graduate school to get a Ph.D," she reflects. "And this experience strengthened my mindset. I have gotten used to working in the lab and know what getting a PhD will be like. It feels more real to me that I can do this in the future."
As Sunny heads into her senior year with a strengthened drive for her Ph.D., her summer at Rice University stands as a brilliant reminder that the brightest scientific futures are built on a foundation of curiosity, community, and connection (plus lots of boba).
