Dr. Bia Mizoguchi
PhD of Genetics and Genomics, 2020
Bia Mizoguchi graduated from the Interdepartmental Genetics program with a PhD in 2020. Her dissertation research focused on the effects of temperature on DNA methylation of sex-related genes in turtle sex determination. Bia now works as a clinical assistant professor at Boise State University where her primary focus is on teaching. As a graduate student, she learned that graduate school isn’t solely about research, but about developing as a professional. Bia found that skills like communication, time management, and resilience have been just as valuable as technical expertise. While she is not currently engaged in research, the research skills she developed are broadly applicable and have been essential to her success. Bia has since come to recognize expertise doesn’t mean you need to know everything, and that asking for help is a key part of being successful. She states, “In graduate school, the pressure can make every challenge feel like a failure, but now I see that challenges are just part of the journey, and they don’t define your worth or ability.” Among her favorite memories of grad school are the lifelong friendships she made with her lab mates, who were also key members of her support system while a graduate student. She has fond memories of the EEOB department and is grateful for the time she spent in what she found to be a supportive and nurturing environment stating, “the culture there made a big difference in my growth, both personally and professionally, and I feel lucky to have been part of it.”
Dr. Andrew Kaul
PhD of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2020
Andrew Kaul graduated from the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program with a PhD in 2020. His dissertation research focused on factors affecting plant species diversity in restored tallgrass prairie. Andrew now works as a restoration scientist at the Missouri Botanical Garden. One of the most valuable things he learned as a graduate student was recognizing that your future self is your most frequent collaborator who will be greatly benefited by taking of detailed notes and utilization of an organizational system that works well for you. He has since learned of the value of social networking in finding career opportunities. He says, “Do not be afraid to reach out to other scientists to make connections as a graduate student or postdoc. These conversations can lead to grant-writing collaborations, manuscripts, job offers, advice, and friendships. The EEB world is smaller than you think. It is helpful to get to know your peers and develop relationships with them early on.” Among Andrew’s favorite memories as a graduate student were the large and active social community in the EEOB department. Fond memories include picnics, theatre rentals, bowling, and visiting the Omaha Zoo. One particular highlight was the annual EEB research symposium both to share his own work and to learn about the diverse research of his peers.
Dr. Nate Lawrence
PhD of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2021
Nate Lawrence graduated from the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program with a PhD in 2021. His dissertation research focused on understanding nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate leaching from hydric soils within row crop fields. Nate now works as an ecosystem scientist at the Savanna Institute, a non-profit focused on agroforestry. In graduate school he had the opportunity to work in groups beyond his immediate lab mates, which provided him with skills in interdisciplinary research. He now appreciates how critical that experience is to having an impact. Among his favorite memories from graduate school where times spent with EEB/EEOB friends as those relationships have proven to be incredibly meaningful.
Nick Lyon
MS of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2019
Nick Lyon graduated from the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program with an MS in 2019. Their research focused on grassland restoration with fire and grazing management with particular focus on responses of nectar-producing plants and butterflies. Nick is now a data scientist for the Long Term Ecological Research Network Office. In their work as a data scientist, the skills they developed utilizing GitHub as a graduate student have proven to be quite valuable. Other lessons learned since are the value of developing inclusive facilitation strategies to help promote successful scientific collaborations of highly diverse teams. Among their favorite memories of graduate school were learning new skills with the LunchinatoRs group.