Name: Ben Hall, PhD
Graduation Year: 2023
PhD Mentor: Tim Donohue
Current Role: Assistant Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Carroll University, Waukesha WI
First Role After Graduation: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Donohue Lab, UW-Madison WI
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Being part of a cohort of passionate, very smart Genetics PhD students that would often hang out early on in graduate school
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: Getting stuck in rabbit holes – it’s easy to get lost without realizing it. Forcing myself to take a step back and look at the big picture every once in a while was a challenge.
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: Don’t overwork yourself; you’ll end up less productive in the long run. There will always be more experiments you could do and more papers to read. Instead of trying to do it all, which is impossible, take the time to prioritize what is most important and focus on that first.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Spending time with family and our dogs, volleyball, skiing, video games
Name: Sarah Leichter, PhD
Graduation Year: 2022
PhD Mentor: Xuehua Zhong lab
Current Role: Postdoc at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, WA
First Role After Graduation: Postdoc at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, WA
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Mentoring undergraduate students. I had the privilege to work with some very talented students who have gone off to have great starts in their careers in academia and the medical sciences. Getting to be their mentor and seeing them succeed was one of my favorite parts of graduate school.
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: Overcoming imposter syndrome. It’s so prevalent among grad students (and postdocs and faculty, I have learned!) to have the voice in your head tell you you aren’t good enough. I had to learn to realize that I was in my position for a reason: I was worthy and qualified. It’s not an easy challenge to overcome, but with positive internal self-talk and external motivation, I made my imposter syndrome far more manageable.
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: Go to seminars that are outside your field of study. You will learn something new and possibly spark inspiration for a new way to conduct your own research.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Running, live music, spending time outside with my dog
Name: Alessandra (Ali) York,PhD
Graduation Year: 2018
PhD Mentor: John Doebley lab
Current Role: Evaluation Specialist, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
First Role After Graduation: Education Specialist, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Hanging out and bonding with my cohort. From retreat to studying for our prelims together, we had a great time getting to know each other and learn together.
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: The unknown of when you will finish.
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: Explore your passions outside of the lab while in grad school– I was really passionate about science education, and by exploring that in a variety of outlets, it led me to my career today where I am able to help STEM faculty improve their courses and become better instructors.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Playing and exploring with my two children, arts and crafts.
Name: Greg Fischer, PhD, FACMG
Graduation Year: 2016
PhD Mentor: Nancy Keller
Current Role: Laboratory Director, PreventionGenetics, Marshfield WI
First Role After Graduation: Human Molecular Geneticist, PreventionGenetics, Marshfield WI
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Being able to see my lab mates every day, which have become lifelong friends outside of Grad school.
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: Balancing the emotional challenges that comes along with doing something no one else has done before.
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: When things get tough, remind yourself of your passion and why you wanted to study science in the first place. Get to know your lab members, who can be the best support network during the rough days.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Gardening, hiking, cross country skiing
Name: Elise Walck-Shannon
Graduation Year: 2015
PhD Mentor: Jeff Hardin
Current Role: Senior Lecturer, Washington University in St. Louis
First Role After Graduation: Post Doctoral Associate, Biocore Program at UW Madison
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Being totally invested in a single project and biking around Madison.
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: Having confidence that it would all work out.
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: Be patient with yourself! Follow the opportunities that present themselves to you.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Parenting, hiking, reading, walking.
Name: Jason Peters
Graduation Year: 2012
PhD Mentor: Bob Landick
Current Role: Assistant Professor, UW-Madison, Madison, WI
First Role After Graduation: Post Doc, University of California at San Francisco
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Custom colloquium posters.
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: RNA falling apart!
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: Keep going! It’s probably just a bump in the road.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: I’m sorry – what? Ha, ha, ha. 🙂
Name: Xinjie Xu
Graduation Year: 2009
PhD Mentor: Aki Ikeda
Current Role: Associate Professor, Consultant, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
First Role After Graduation: Clinical Cytogenetics Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Annual Genetics Retreat
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: Figuring out my career path after Graduate School
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: The most important thing I learned during my PhD is how to be a scientist. That includes how to think scientifically, how to read a paper, how to write a paper and how to give a presentation. These skills have a huge positive impact on me throughout my career.
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Spending time with my family, play piano, play tennis, travel, hiking, biking
Name: Kelley S. Harris
Graduation Year: 2008
PhD Mentor: Xin Sun
Current Role: Director, Cross College Advising, UW-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
First Role After Graduation: Postdoc, Department of Biochemistry, UW-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
Favorite Memory During Graduate School: Hanging out in the old Genetics library on Henry Mall with my classmates doing homework together. We were a close group in our first and second year.
Biggest Challenge in Graduate School: The biggest challenge in graduate school was defining my identity as a scientist and defining success for myself.
Advice for Current and Future PhD Students: Hang in there! Go to lab everyday, do something everyday, and one day it will end! Collect mentors. Create a network of mentors who have used their PhD in different ways. There are soooo many opportunities out there!
Hobbies and Interests Outside of Science: Personal Finance, Retirement Planning, and working on house projects (they never end!)