by Brittany Kunza

Scott Hewitt pursues his lab work and running with devotion every day

As a freshman sitting in a general chemistry class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, chemistry professor Scott Hewitt’s interest was lit up by a laser demonstration.

“I thought the laser was so cool and I just wanted to play with the lasers,” Hewitt said. “I didn’t necessarily want to do research; I don’t think I really knew what research was.”

In high school Hewitt participated in cross country, but because of recurring injuries, he did not think he could continue to pursue running.

“I never thought I could run a marathon because I thought I would get injured first, but I can do it,” Hewitt said. “So long as it is not on concrete.”

Despite his own doubts, Hewitt not only continued running, but became an ultramarathon runner.

“Running on trails versus cement has one main difference, which is that dirt is able to absorb forces from the stride of a runner whereas concrete or cement, instead of absorbing the force, causes the force to be absorbed by the bodies’ lower extremity joints, which may result in stress fractures, shin splints and increased chances of having arthritic changes to, specifically, the knee,” said Matt Danneker, doctor of physical therapy, athletic trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist at the Athletic Rehabilitation Center in West Covina.

Running with this same determination to work with lasers and not willing to take “no” for an answer, Hewitt said, “I just kept on bugging [the professor],” which finally paid off, allowing him a chance to get his hands on the high-tech laser equipment.

“When I was an undergrad, every day I went in the lab was like [it was] Christmas,” Hewitt said. “I felt like a five-year-old kid because you get all these toys to play with.”

Initially, Hewitt did not think he would be able to stick with chemistry.

“If I hadn’t done [research] as an undergrad, then I wouldn’t be here today. No, no way. I told my parents I was quitting chemistry after my first semester,” laughed Hewitt.

Now, with a postdoctoral degree from Cornell University, 27 years of research completed, several articles of published research, a 50-mile ultramarathon under his belt and an educational background that neither he nor his parents expected, Hewitt continues to push.

Hewitt runs on Saturdays in the mountains training for a 100-mile-run in the Angeles Crest National Forest that will take place in September. Hewitt said a 100-mile-run will require the consumption of about 10,000 calories to sustain himself during the race.

This is more difficult for Hewitt due to his hereditary fructose intolerance, which means he cannot break down sucrose or fructose molecules, requiring him to carry snacks with him in a pouch for the duration of the run.

At Cal State Fullerton, Hewitt is situated in a nook in Dan Black Hall with a laser lab worth nearly $1 million. It is, “the essence of a mad scientist lab,” Eric Hargis, a CSUF student and one of Hewitt’s research assistants said.

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