Graduate Student Spotlight: Seth Furniss

Originally from Rugby, England. Seth Furniss joined the Department of Chemistry in 2023, where he is a graduate student in Professor Xiao Wang’s lab. There, his research focuses on unraveling the role of RNA in gene expression, particularly during the translation of RNA into proteins. In this process, RNAs adopt three-dimensional shapes whose role remains a mystery. Studying this has necessitated the use of cutting-edge optical microscopy techniques which are capable of imaging RNA at nanometer resolution. Seth anticipates that the super-resolution methods being developed through his research will have far-reaching applications in physical chemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology.

“I was drawn to a PhD in chemistry because of the field’s remarkable versatility as the central science,” said Seth. “I continue to enjoy how chemistry’s interdisciplinary nature has allowed me to seamlessly transition between topics, collaborate with physicists and biologists, and explore both theoretical and experimental research. For my PhD, I chose this project for several reasons. On one level, I wanted to make a direct and tangible impact on advancing chemical biology. On a broader level, I was motivated by the accelerating need for scientific research and advocacy to address current and future challenges in global health. And on a personal level, because it’s simply a lot of fun.”

As the subject of this Graduate Student Spotlight, Seth reveals the inconsequential superpower he’d love to have, the food he craves most often, the house he’d build with unlimited funds, and more.

1. What is special about the place you grew up?
   I was born in Rugby, the town that gave its name to the sport, and later grew up in Southampton, the city where the Titanic set sail from.
2. If you could pick any career other than the one you’ve chosen, what would it be?
   An engineer or an inventor.
3. What is something that a ton of people are obsessed with but you just don’t get the point of?
   Coffee. I think it’s a little overpriced.
4. What’s worth spending more on to get the best?
   This ties into the saying ‘spend cheap, pay dearly,’ which I’ve always found true. For me, though, having somewhere nice to live has been the most important area to prioritize.
5. If you suddenly became a master at woodworking, what would you make?
   I would be inspired by Stradivari’s violins and make some beautiful, ornate pieces.
6. What invention doesn’t get a lot of love, but has greatly improved the world?
   Soap—and more recently, liquid soap. We are so much better off for it.
7. What movie, picture, or video always makes you laugh no matter how often you watch it?
   The Grand Budapest Hotel, the Wes Anderson film. I think the whole movie is absolutely hilarious.
8. If money and practicality weren’t a problem, what would be the most interesting way to get around town?
   Having multiple copies of myself so I can be at many places at once.
9. What food do you crave most often?
   Dark chocolate.
10. What’s the funniest TV show you’ve ever seen?
    Recently, I’ve been enjoying Key and Peele.
11. What are you most looking forward to in the next decade?
    For me, it’s the simple things in life: getting older, becoming secure in my career and relationships, and having a family of my own.
12. An epic feast is held in your honor, what’s on the table?
    Eggs Benedict, Ratatouille cooked to perfection, Lobster Thermidor, and finally, Rôti sans pareil.
13. What is the darkest movie you’ve ever seen?
    The Banshees of Inisherin (2022).
14. What job doesn’t exist now but will exist in the future?
    Dyson Sphere technician.
15. If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
    It would have to be a château with a vineyard by a lake.
16. What bends your mind every time you think about it?
    Honestly, the properties of light are fascinating. It’s amazing that something so simple and everyday can have such intricate and profound characteristics. The fact that photons, the particles of light, exist in a realm where time doesn’t really apply is mind-bending. It’s such a great reminder of how much mystery still surrounds even the most familiar parts of our world.
17. What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue?
    If I had the time and money, I would double down on science as a hobby and pursue a grand challenge with all these hypothetical resources. But since that’s sort of a cop-out answer for a PhD student, since I’m hopefully going to do this in my career, I’d say art collecting. I’d love to immerse myself in creativity and history.
18. What would be the best thing you could reasonably expect to find in a cave?
    The best thing would be discovering an ancient underground city.
19. What inconsequential super power would you like to have?
    Food would taste really, really good. There’d be absolutely no practical benefit, but I’d have a great time.
20. Where was the most amazing sunset you have ever seen?
    Does a total solar eclipse count as a sunset? It went dark for a few minutes, and I could see the stars. I think it counts.