About Dr. Quinton Bruch

Quinton Bruch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Stony Brook. A chemist by training and practice, he grew up west of Atlanta and completed his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Initially drawn to biochemistry through his fascination with metalloenzymes—proteins that use transition metals to drive transformations in the body—he soon realized that he enjoyed working with transition metals themselves even more than studying cells.

Prof. Bruch completed his graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where his research focused on synthetic inorganic chemistry and electrocatalysis to develop renewable fuels. After earning his PhD in 2021, he pursued postdoctoral research at MIT. There, his work centered on renewable and sustainable chemistry, specifically studying how main-group elements such as phosphorus can be made to behave like transition metals.

Prof. Bruch joined Stony Brook in 2023, where he now leads a research group consisting of undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers.

Mentorship Insights

1. What inspired you to become a mentor?

“There are moments where you can see students have their ‘Aha’ moment—when something finally clicks, and that was very satisfying to me. As a graduate student, I mentored several undergraduates and watched them grow from novice chemists into skilled researchers who knew how to solve problems and talk about the technical aspects of their work. That process played a big part in why I stayed in academia and now I have the opportunity to work with trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral level."

2. What mentoring practices or strategies did you find effective or rewarding?

“In chemistry, safety and hands-on development are critical, and part of my role is to teach trainees independence—whether in experimental design, building and completing research projects, or scientific thought and inquiry.

I like to use a technique called ‘scaffolding’. The idea is to build a statue from the bottom up. We start by laying the foundation and then use scaffolding for support during the heavy lifting of the training phase. Once you hit the top of the statue, you've got to start bringing the scaffolding down. The idea is almost like a safety net—as mentees become more independent, we gradually remove the scaffolding, allowing them the freedom to fail safely. The goal is to help them flourish into independent scientists who can drive their own research."

3. Please share a rewarding mentoring story.

“It’s incredibly satisfying to see students and trainees at poster sessions and presentations confidently communicate their science. It shows that they are very comfortable and understand their work so well that they can share it with others.

Another highlight is watching students attain milestones, like passing candidacy exams, where they demonstrate a deep understanding of what they’re doing and why.

And there’s nothing quite like the moment a student surpasses you in problem-solving or proposes a better idea—it’s a sign that mentoring has truly worked."

4. What is one piece of advice for new or aspiring mentors?

“Let your mentees fail. Risk and reward are essential to development. You can't prevent them from failing, but you can teach them to embrace it, learn from it, and move forward gracefully. Failure then becomes a valuable part of learning, not a demotivator. "

5. What Graduate School Resources did you find helpful?

“I completed the Research Mentor Training, and I also use mentoring plans. I tell trainees that I’m not a mind reader, and they aren’t either, so open communication is essential.

Mentoring plans give us a chance to sit down and think about what we're both looking for in this relationship: clarify goals, discuss action items, and ensure alignment. They also help establish that I am here to support their professional development and career choices, whatever they may be. It’s a simple but powerful way to make the mentor-mentee relationship more effective."