Scientist Spotlight

Gregor Mendel: The Father of Genetics

Nov 10, 2020

By Madison Williams Do you ever wonder how scientists can predict that parents will pass a disease on to their children? Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, began this process of understanding genetic traits in the 1800s using pea plants. In this article, you will learn about his life and what led him to making […]

Scientist Spotlight: Alexis Stutzman

Oct 19, 2020

By Riya Gohil Alex Stutzman is a third year Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Genetics and Molecular Biology Department. Alex is dedicated to her research in the Dowen and McKay labs at UNC, and also to engaging diverse scientists to address the racial injustices that exist in […]

Hidden Figures in Physics – Carolyn Parker

Jul 14, 2020

By Zoe Terwilliger Carolyn Parker was the first African American woman to receive a graduate degree in physics. Carolyn Parker was born on November 18, 1917 in Gainesville, Florida. She was born into a family of other incredible scientists. Her father, Julius A. Parker was a medical doctor, who was the second African American to […]

Meet Dr. Mae Jemison!

Jun 23, 2020

By Carolina Herrera Doctor, engineer, and NASA astronaut, Dr. Mae Jemison has always reached for the stars. Dr. Jemison became the first black American woman to be admitted into NASA’s astronaut training program and to travel into space aboard the Endeavor space shuttle on mission STS47 on September 12, 1992. Her path to becoming an astronaut, […]

Percy Julian

Jun 10, 2020

By Jenna Beam When I started researching Percy Julian for this article, I was amazed by all the information I found. Dr. Julian was a member of the National Academy of Science, has been listed on “Inventors Who Changed the World” by DePauw University, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He […]

Ambassador Spotlight: Matt Niederhuber

Mar 15, 2018 From Matt Niederhuber

By Julia DiFiore Matt Niederhuber is a second year graduate student in the Curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In his research, he uses fruit flies at a model organism to study how genes are turned on or off during development in Dan McKay’s lab. While […]

Ambassador Spotlight: Adelaide Tovar

Feb 22, 2018

By Julia DiFiore Adelaide Tovar is a third year graduate student in the Curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She works in Samir Kelada’s lab studying how genetic variation in a specific type of white blood cell impacts the response to acute ozone exposure. Before coming […]

Ambassador Spotlight: Anna Chiarella

Nov 20, 2017 Courtesy of Anna Chiarella

By Temperance Rowell Anna Chiarella is a third-year graduate student in the curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC Chapel Hill. There she studies how certain proteins, called histone tail modifying proteins, affect DNA packing inside of cells. She works in the laboratory of Nate Hathaway. Anna first became involved in the CONNECT program […]

Ambassador Spotlight: Michelle Engle

Oct 26, 2017

By Temperance Rowell Michelle Engle is a fifth-year graduate student in the curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC Chapel Hill where she works in the laboratory of Claire Doerschuk. Michelle studies the lung, trying to understand how it responds to cigarette smoke by changing the expression of different genes. Specifically, she is interested […]

Lab Life

Jun 01, 2017 From Kelsey Gray

By Kelsey Gray I was 16 years old the first time I stepped into a research lab. I was in awe of the equipment, the chemical solutions, and the scientific books and notebooks that surrounded me. After taking science classes all my life, it was surreal to be in a place where real discoveries were […]

A graduate student evening: weirdness in Death Valley

May 11, 2017 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Racetrack_playa_2013-12-20.jpg

By Mike Pablo I’m a Chemistry PhD student studying the biochemistry of a type of immune cell, but sometimes it’s fun to learn about a totally different field of science. With that in mind one recent Wednesday evening, I went with a friend to the Carolina Science Café, an event connected with the NC Science […]

Ambassador Spotlight: Kelsey Gray

Oct 24, 2016

By Temperance Rowell Kelsey Gray is a graduate student in the curriculum of Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC Chapel Hill where she works in the laboratory of Greg Matera. There she studies the disease spinal muscular atrophy, which is similar to the well-known disease ALS, but mainly affects children rather than adults. Even though […]

CONNECT AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: Temperance Rowell

Mar 31, 2016

Temperance is a graduate student in the department of cell biology and physiology at UNC Chapel Hill. She works in the lab of Rob Tarran, characterizing the effects of increasingly popular flavored e-cigarette products on lung epithelia.     Temperance has always been captivated by science, especially anatomy and physiology. “For me, it’s all about […]