Annie Evans

Written by Jane Miller, Ph.D. Ever since I can remember, I have always been curious about what other people were thinking, but it was not until a couple months ago that I realized that curiosity set me up perfectly to become a psychologist. My academic journey began my senior spring… Read More

Written by Karin Steffen, Ph.D. I’m a biologist, a molecular geneticist or bioinformatician. But overarchingly, all my research has linked back to evolution. There are two patterns that emerged in my academic career path so far. One, I’ve always consciously chosen engaging and supportive mentors and PIs. Their passion for… Read More

Written by Douglas DeMoulin, Ph.D. My journey started at Murray State University where I received my BS and MS in Occupational Safety and Health. Following in my father’s footsteps, I wanted to pursue a Ph.D and focus my research efforts on the health and well-being of firefighters. I always had… Read More

Written by Juliet Nyanamba, Ph.D. I think of life as a canvas, initially blank, full of endless possibilities, and over time, together with the people around us, we get to paint a masterpiece. Some paint strokes are also added by environmental factors, experiences, and things beyond our control. As a… Read More

Written by Tor Nasci, Ph.D. When asked what I wanted to be as a child I would always say a “heart doctor” though I never really understood what that could entail. Through my little sister’s health struggles in her early years, I developed a secondary interest in… Read More

Written by Siru Liu, Ph.D. I was born and raised in Chengdu, China—a large city known for its pandas, a chill attitude towards life, spicy cuisine, tea culture, and folk music. In high school, I got involved in biomedical informatics research at West China Hospital, where I witnessed the transformative… Read More

Written by Katie Young, Ph.D. When I was in preschool, I was sent home with a teacher report labeling me as a “happy, busy, and curious” student. While that combination of words seems to describe a handful of a four-year-old, I would say the phrase still does an excellent job… Read More

Written by Matthew Plishka, Ph.D. Every year, over 100 billion bananas are consumed globally. In 2021, the average American ate 26.87 pounds of bananas a year, or roughly 100 bananas. Bananas are everywhere. The vast majority of those bananas, especially in the United States, are Cavendish bananas, which since the… Read More

Written by Bhawik Jain, Ph.D. I grew up in a small town in the northwestern part of India which is surrounded by beautiful hills where we speak mostly regional languages and Hindi. I still remember that during my childhood I always wondered how small living organisms evolved into complex… Read More

Written by Jeanne Ishimwe, Ph.D. I was born and lived in Rwanda for the first 17 years of my life before moving to the United States to pursue a college education. For most of my childhood, I suffered from chronic bronchitis but had limited access to proper medication. As a… Read More