On Wednesday, January 29th, the Eckstein Medical Research Building (EMRB) Atrium was abuzz with excitement as the annual Undergraduate Career Panel took place. The event, aimed at providing career and fellowship opportunities for students with a bachelor's degree in microbiology, drew a large crowd of aspiring microbiologists, surpassing last year's attendance! A huge thank you to Gina McGrane, PhD, Al Klingelhutz, PhD, and undergraduate advisor, Bren Linley for their exceptional coordination.
The panel featured some distinguished alumni from the university's undergraduate program, who shared their experiences and insights into various career paths in microbiology. The panelists included:
- Breanna Kramer, Manager of Population Health at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center
- Megan Ahmann, Infectious Disease APHL Fellow at State Hygienic Laboratory
- Lucas Thompson, USDA ARS Postgraduate Fellow in Foodborne Pathogen Research at National Animal Disease Center in Ames
- Holly Becker, Microbiologist at JMI Labs
- Jennifer Devries, Quality Control Microbiologist at Proctor & Gamble
Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, network, and gain valuable advice on navigating their future careers in microbiology.
In addition to the insightful discussions, attendees were treated to pizza. The event was a resounding success, leaving students inspired and better informed about the diverse career opportunities available to them.
For more information or to ask questions about future events, students are encouraged to reach out to the event organizers. The university looks forward to continuing this tradition of connecting students with successful alumni and industry professionals.
