New Chemical and Bio Sciences Librarian
UH Libraries welcomes Erica Lopez as the new chemical and biological sciences librarian.
The University of Houston Libraries welcomes Erica Lopez as the new chemical and biological sciences librarian.
Please describe your role at UH Libraries and talk about some of your professional goals and/or research areas.
I will be the liaison between the library and faculty, staff, and students in the areas of chemistry, biology, and biochemistry. At my previous job, I committed much of my time to service at the institutional level. I was the library Faculty Senate rep and I participated in several committees for several years! One of my goals is to shift my service involvement so that I contribute more to my profession. I would like to become actively involved with state and national library organizations.
Please share a bit about your background and interests. How do these inspire and shape your approach as a librarian?
I was a career student. I studied music performance, literature, languages, biology, and environmental sciences. One thing that remained constant throughout my journey was an immense anxiety about things like playing concerts and recitals, taking quizzes and tests, making phone calls, and going up to people to ask questions. I’m over that now, but I try to approach my work with the consideration in mind that for some people, asking for help is a big deal. I want to make sure that the experience is as welcoming and positive as possible. If a student needs directions, I don’t want to just point them to a map and send them on their way; I want to walk them to where they need to go and point out helpful resources along the way.
I also wholeheartedly believe in hands-on learning and I enjoy spending quality time with students in their classes. At my last institution I especially loved tagging along with field herp and field botany labs. It really helped me gain a better understanding of what the people in my subject areas were focusing on, and it cemented some of my working relationships with students and faculty.
Please describe your first impressions of the University of Houston.
I love it. UH has been such a supportive environment. I have not had a single negative experience while taking care of all the necessary business of starting at a new place. Everything has been a breeze. Everyone has been approachable. I have been especially impressed with how quickly and efficiently everyone and everything is moving forward in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. I’m looking forward to learning how I might contribute to a positive learning and working environment.
What is your favorite book/movie/cuisine/hobby?
I enjoy reading books and watching movies that force one to consider and appreciate some of the more uncomfortable truths of humanity. My favorite books include The Color Purple and Lolita, and my favorite movies include Sling Blade, The Green Mile, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. My guilty pleasure read is the Outlander series, and when I need a pick-me-up I tend to gravitate toward feel-good movies. My latest go-to is The Switch, with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. It’s a story about love and mistakes and growth.
As for cuisine, I am very much looking forward to discovering the nearest Indian lunch buffet!
Music is very important to me. I appreciate all kinds of music, but not enough to always know who sings what, what the lyrics are, or which album something is on. It drives my friends crazy! One of my all-time favorites is Pink Floyd, but I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately. Currently I’m listening to a lot of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Joy Division.
My hobby right now is challenging myself to be the best mother I can be. I have a 5 year-old and a 15 month-old. We lost someone very important to us recently, so ensuring that my children continue to learn, grow, and remain positive by taking care of myself and offering them the best possible care is my first priority.