Twins earn PhDs in chemistry through UCSD/SDSU program
Twin molecules of brilliance, Beeta and Bahar Heydari catalyze their mother’s legacy into identical PhDs, bonding family and chemistry in perfect solution.
SAN DIEGO — When Beeta and Bahar Heydari walk across the stage at San Diego State University this weekend, they’ll create a rare scientific equation: identical twins simultaneously earning PhDs in organic chemistry.
The sisters, who have shared nearly every step of their academic journey, both completed their dissertation research on cancer treatment, though focusing on different aspects of the disease.
“I specifically work on synthesizing inhibitors for ovarian cancer,” Beeta Heydari told CBS 8 in a recent interview, while her sister’s research centers on gastrointestinal tumors.
Their parallel paths in chemistry weren’t coincidental, but rather inspired by their mother, who holds her own PhD in organic chemistry and later became a college professor.
“Our inspiration came from her,” Beeta explained. “We wanted to follow in her footsteps and achieve the same milestones that she did.”
Their mother’s scientific journey began in particularly challenging circumstances – starting her doctoral studies in Iran shortly before the 1979 revolution.
“There was quite a shift in Iran when the revolution happened. Science came under attack, and it was a very difficult time,” Beeta said. “She was actually the only woman in her program.”
Eventually escaping the political turmoil, their mother and father relocated to Seattle in the 1990s, where the twins grew up and began their own scientific pursuits, earning biochemistry degrees from the University of Washington before moving to San Diego to complete the UCSD/SDSU chemistry Joint Doctoral Program.
They acknowledge they may soon face their first significant separation, potentially working at different companies or research labs after graduation.
“We don’t know what will happen after we obtain our PhDs,” Bahar said. “We might work in different companies or do a postdoc in different labs.”
Despite potentially diverging professional paths, both sisters remain committed to developing life-saving cancer treatments.
“One of our goals after a PhD is to go into industry where you’re making life-saving medicines that can help millions of people,” Bahar said. “If I can even make a small difference in one person’s life, I think that’s very rewarding.”
The twins will defend their PhDs in the fall. The sisters also shared they are interested in teaching like their mother.
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