… Research helps SDSU senior refine career path When Sioux Falls native Zachary Lehmann came to South Dakota State University , he set his sights on becoming a medical physicist. “In AP physics class (at Washington High School), I was exposed to the field of medical and health physics, such as radiation therapies for cancer. That … it has been Lehmann’s experiences with research at SDSU and the Mayo Clinic that helped refine his career path. During his second semester at State, associate physics professor Parashu Kharel offered Lehmann an opportunity to do research on semiconductor materials. That experience helped him get a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in molecular … going into medical school or graduate work in biomedical engineering or becoming a research scientist at a hospital or national laboratory working with radiation therapy, medical imagery and nuclear medicine. “Undergraduate research requires commitment and motivation to put in the time and effort to do productive research,” Kharel said. “Zach is a highly …