Emily: A Husky for the Summer
Emily Ray, a fourth-year pharmacy student at Trinity College in Dublin, had the opportunity of a lifetime this summer – shopping at Walmart for the first time! Calling Ireland her home, Emily had yet to see a yellow school bus or work with the advanced pharmaceutical technology UConn’s Pharmacy School has to offer. And the perfect place for Emily to experience a New England quintessential small-town while furthering her pharmaceutical passions? UConn, of course!
Nearing the end of her college career, Emily has developed a deep passion for community pharmacy. While open to new possibilities, she has most enjoyed her experiences as a pharmacy retail assistant and a dispensary assistant, where she combines attention-to-detail and customer service to foster connection within her community.
Outside of the classroom, you can find Emily practicing with the Ladies Gaelic Football team (in hopes of winning their fourth Leinster Title), volunteering to play violin at local community events, and getting some animal-love on her family farm. If you were to look up in the sky, you might even catch her working toward attaining her private pilot license!
Dedicated to her studies but caring for those around her, Emily exemplifies an excellent pharmacist-in-the-making. Not to mention, she also epitomizes the fun-loving nature of Husky Nation – a role she got to experience first-hand this past summer!
When planning her capstone research project at Trinity College last year, Emily heard of a summer study abroad opportunity that would allow her to fulfill this requirement while taking on a new adventure. Looking through a list of colleges in Europe, the United States, Australia, and even Japan, Emily eventually chose UConn’s School of Pharmacy for its perfect location between Boston and New York City and the familiarity of having a few friends nearby!
Once at UConn, Emily dove into her research project on liver pharmacology and toxicology through the effect of paracetamol on the liver. She was guided by Dr. José Manautou (Ph.D.), professor of pharmacology and toxicology and department head of pharmaceutical sciences and Ankit Laddha (Ph.D.), an experienced researcher specializing in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies and post-doc student at UConn. These individuals emphasized their expectations of the project while helping Emily with any questions she had along the way. Throughout the eight-week research project, Emily worked closely with the postdoc student while experimenting with advanced technology she didn’t have access to in Ireland.
Reflecting on all she accomplished thanks to the support she received from her team, Emily tested out new pharmaceutical equipment, grew her own cells, and learned new techniques she’s excited to apply to her career aspirations.
“I met some good people, and it was just cool to see the American way of things as well, like yellow school buses.”
When she wasn’t in the lab this past summer, Emily was found eating lunch with her friend’s downtown, getting a sweet treat at UConn’s Dairy Bar, working out at the Rec, and taking the occasional trip to Boston to explore the city. She even got to experience the Basketball Capital of the World, as she lived in the same dorm as the basketball team!
Each day of her summer at UConn brought something new, described by Emily as both a challenge and an opportunity. But given her great support system, Emily thrived in the face of any hurdles in and out of the lab.
“It was a big change. But I feel like you don’t achieve anything without challenging yourself.”
When asked about the lessons she gained during her School of Pharmacy experience, Emily emphasizes how important new experiences outside of one’s comfort zone can be for personal growth. A little sad that she may never have a similar opportunity again, Emily remains grateful for all that she learned at UConn.
Although she may be back in Ireland, Emily Ray will always be a Husky!
Emma: Going Back to Her Irish Roots
From Braintree, Massachusetts, Emma Lopes recently graduated from UConn Pharmacy in May of 2025. Wanting a big campus with electric school spirit and passionate about pharmacy after shadowing a pharmacist in high school at the hospital her mom worked at, Emma’s Husky experience gave her the mix of academics and community she was looking for.
Now an alum of the School, studying for her boards and applying to fellowships, Emma is grateful for her dedicated involvement during her time at UConn. An active member of the American Pharmacists Association (APHA) for four years, she served as the communications vice president and operations heart chair. Additionally, Emma served as the communications chair in the American Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) and was involved in the Student Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (SPAG). Wanting to give back to her UConn community, Emma was the APHA liaison for School’s student government and active in the pharmacy learning community. Outside of pharmacy, Emma was also a proud member of Alpha Omicron Pi.
Going into her 6th and final year in the School, Emma was looking for a challenging and rewarding new experience. With family in Ireland and having visited twice before, Emma realized studying abroad was the perfect mix of comfort and challenge she was looking for!
After careful coordination with the School of Pharmacy and Trinity College in Ireland, Emma received confirmation that she could finish her last rotation – research – at Trinity College.
Upon arrival at Trinity College in May, Emma started her research rotation while living in an apartment close to campus. She assisted Ph.D. students in a systematic review of medication errors causing hospitalizations, focusing on abstract and title screenings. Never having done research at her time at UConn, she found this experience especially rewarding and was thankful this experience fit with her interest in regulatory affairs.
Hiking cliffs, exploring Dublin, and taking a trip to London one weekend, are among some of Emma’s favorite memories of her month in Ireland. She also enjoyed getting to know the Ph.D. students she worked with, as many worked in community pharmacies and shared their professional experiences with her. Taking a trip to see her family in Galway during Easter weekend and seeing a friend from high school who moved to Ireland were also special moments for Emma.
Already having skills in analyzing and interpreting articles from her time at the School, Emma felt well prepared to take on the new challenge of research. Additionally, the School of Pharmacy’s emphasis on professionalism enabled Emma to talk about pharmaceutical topics with ease and confidence.
Reflecting on the experience, Emma advises current and future pharmacy students to seek out new and rewarding opportunities. Taking advantage of everything and anything, Emma emphasizes how important exploration is, especially for such a versatile field like pharmacy.
“Find things that interest you. And if that means going abroad, I absolutely recommend it. I loved it.”
As an advocate for her own experiences, Emma went above and beyond to ensure her outside-of-the-classroom (and outside of the US) experiences combined with her passion for pharmacy to create an incredible month full of memories.
By trading campuses and embracing new adventures, Emily and Emma exemplified how far – even across the Atlantic – a passion for pharmacy can go!
