Her professional accomplishments
“Under the guidance of my PI [Principal Investigator], Dr. Kyoungtae, I have accomplished many things throughout my graduate studies. To this date, I have published four science articles as the first author, of which two are research articles and two are review articles. I have also collaborated with other graduate and undergraduate students on their research projects and co-authored two research papers. Due to these accomplishments, I received admission offers for PhD programs…”
Nhi Le is now pursuing her PhD at John Hopkins University.
Why did Nhi choose her program?
“I have always been interested in biology, especially cell and molecular biology. This interest of mine was nurtured in my undergrad years by the faculties of the biology department through their intriguing lectures. In my junior year of undergrad, I joined Dr. Kyoungtae Kim’s laboratory and fell in love with research. I found it to be both challenging and captivating. As such, I decided to pursue research in biology as a career.”
Why choose MSU for graduate education?
“After I got my bachelor’s degree, I decided to stay at Missouri State University for my master’s degree. This is because I recognize that I still have much to learn from the faculties and the professors in the biology department. I also felt that the biology program offered by Missouri State University was a good fit for me. The structure of the program encourages students to spend time developing their research and critical thinking skills, which eventually guide them to become independent researchers. In addition, the program also provides a wide range of special topic courses that the student can select from according to their interest. Most importantly, Missouri State University and its Biology Department make me feel welcomed and supported, which is essential to my health and well-being through my graduate study.”
Favorite class/professor
“My favorite professor is also my PI, Dr. Kyoungtae Kim. He has trained me from the very beginning. His passion for research is contagious. He always encourages his students to go above and beyond in the research lab and the classroom. On the other hand, he is also very understanding and ensures his students know he is always there to help.”
Overcoming challenges
“The most challenging aspect of the program is to learn how to manage my time wisely. In undergrad, I had a packed schedule, which helped me stay on top of my daily activities. As I transitioned from undergrad to graduate school, I have more flexibility time-wise as my master’s program only requires 6 to 9 credits per semester. Initially, it feels like I have a lot of time. However, there are other areas that I have to invest time in, such as teaching and researching. Thus, I had to learn to rely on self-discipline and self-motivation to prevent procrastination in these areas.”
Memorable experiences at Missouri State
“My most memorable experience as a graduate student was when I traveled with my lab to the Society of Toxicology conference in Utah and presented our data. On this trip, I got to showcase my research to scientists worldwide and, simultaneously, learn about the latest advancements in the field. I learned and gained much insight from this trip.”
Her graduate education is preparing her for her future
“From a girl who didn’t know how to use a micropipette to a master’s student who successfully defended her thesis project, I can confidently say that I have learned a lot throughout my time as a graduate student in the biology department at Missouri State University. I have developed and improved my problem-solving skills, which is much needed in real-world applications. I learned to develop, execute and troubleshoot my experiments, which helped train me to become more independent in research. Most importantly, I learned to collaborate and connect with people from diverse backgrounds and scientific experiences, which I think is the most valuable lesson. In addition to my publications, I have also had the chance to present at many internal, regional and national conferences. All these experiences have shaped me into a more rounded student, which helped me tremendously in applying to PhD programs. Due to the preparation I received at Missouri State University, I obtained admission offers from exceptional PhD programs.”
Advice for upcoming #GradBears
“I think initiating and maintaining clear communication with your mentor is important. Let your mentor know your career goals; from there, plan what you must do to achieve that goal. If you are willing to put in the effort, the faculty will definitely help you as best they can.”