Joseph Strukl is passionate about a lot of things — training for and competing in triathlons, for example. But since his grandmother died of cancer in 2003, Strukl has focused much of his energy on cancer research.
“When somebody you know is touched by cancer, there is a feeling of helplessness on your part because it is a very destructive disease, and there really is very little you can do,” he said. “I was ready to do anything and everything I could to help out in the fight against cancer.”
A senior at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in chemistry and minoring in physics and applied mathematics, Strukl is active in many extracurricular activities. He is president of the Society of Physics, a social group within the Department of Physics. When he’s not busy with school, Strukl is usually training for a triathlon, in which athletes compete by swimming, biking and running without stopping between each leg of the race.
“I’ve always enjoyed exercising and staying in shape, and triathlons are certainly a good way to do it,” Strukl said.
But Strukl spends the majority of his time outside the classroom working in the research lab of Nicholas Farrell, Ph.D. Farrell is a distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and a forerunner in cancer-treatment research. In Farrell’s lab, researchers develop and study platinum-based anti-cancer drugs.
When he first decided to work as a student assistant in a research lab, Strukl was merely hoping to build his resume for graduate school. But he felt a personal calling toward the work when he learned that anti-cancer drugs were the topic of Farrell’s research.
“I knew it was where I needed to be,” Strukl said.
Strukl fights cancer on a daily basis working in Farrell’s lab, but he has also dedicated his free time to the cause. In 2006, Strukl founded and co-chaired VCU’s first Relay for Life. Relay for Life is an American Cancer Society event, planned and implemented within the community to honor survivors, remember victims and raise money for the fight against cancer.
Scott Beasley (B.S. ’07), Strukl’s friend and chemistry 101 lab partner, asked if he was interested in helping to organize a Relay for Life event on campus. With the memory of his grandmother’s death fresh in his mind, Strukl jumped on board.
Beasley had previously been involved in the Relay for Life in Norfolk, Va. When he found out there wasn’t a similar event at VCU he contacted the American Cancer Society and got the ball rolling on holding a Relay for Life at VCU. He says it was difficult planning such a large event that first year.
“There was a lot of planning that had to go into the event and had it not been for Joe helping me every step of the way it would have never happened,” Beasley said.
That year, they pulled the event together in a matter of months, enlisting the help of many local businesses, bands, restaurants and students. The event was a success, and in the end, it generated nearly $25,000 for cancer research. Strukl also helped organize the VCU Relay for Life in 2007 raising $28,000.
“We were very excited to see so many people show up and raise so much money for a good cause,” he said.
In spring 2007, Strukl received the David F. Ingraham Scholarship in Chemistry. The scholarship was established in 1995 by the Richmond Chromatology Discussion Group in the memory of one of its members, David F. Ingraham, an analytical chemist.
“Science is a lot of fun, but it’s very hard,” Strukl said. “Scientific research is even harder because you’re charting unknown territory. Receiving a scholarship is a huge motivator because it says that somebody knows you’re working hard and wants to recognize you.”
Strukl appreciates the assistance he has received and knows that it has helped make his college career a little easier. He looks forward to graduation this coming May and hopes to enter a Ph.D. program in chemistry somewhere on the East Coast this fall. He would eventually like to find work doing research in the health-sciences field.
But after years of hard work, Strukl has earned the right to take a break, and he plans to.
“I think I might take a month off after graduation to ride my bike across the state or something fun like that,” he said.
