We should be opening Matthew’s story with a joke. A fan of stand-up comedy, he’s in the midst of writing some bits for an open mike night at a local comedy club. “I’m working on some jokes, but they’re not funny yet.” Hopefully he’s having more success in the lab as a...
“I wasn’t a typical grad student.” While Martha lived in Ann Arbor for only two years, she accomplished a significant amount in that short time frame. She recalls, “People were surprised I was in and out as quickly as I was. Most students in anthropology seemed to...
It is prestigious to be a part of one of the best graduate programs in your field, and there’s a lot of privilege that comes with the ability to attend a university like ours. Becky Christensen has a more holistic view on the privilege we have, and during her time at...
Chris is a local kid. That doesn’t mean he always knew his way around campus, however. He’s figured it out by now, after a few years of grad school under his belt, but he was a student in a new town just like most new graduate students, regardless of the fact that his...
“I found what I love and I’m running with that. When you find something you love, it will chase you; you don’t have to chase it. Opportunities come to people who put themselves in the position to receive them.” Brandon has perspective that has been hard earned during...
“I have absolutely fallen in love with teaching.” And she’s good at it, too. One of ten Outstanding Graduate Student Instructors in 2015, Veronica excels at engaging students in the classroom. She credits her undergraduate women’s studies class with pulling her into...
“I’ve always been interested in psychology. Since I was young I had self-help and pop psychology books all over my house.” From Singapore, Patricia came to U-M for her undergraduate degree and continued for graduate school. She says, “My decision to come here was to...
Hugh Kendrick was chased by a lion twice when on foot, found a home away from home via a ship from England, and spent his career hiring and being hired by U-M alumni. Rackham alum Hugh Kendrick is preparing for a reunion trip with a group he and his wife Wendy met on...
“All the grad students seemed normal, like they enjoyed being in grad school.” That was Ishita’s first impression when she interviewed at U-M with PIBS (the Program in Biomedical Sciences). She explains, “The Michigan environment was so welcoming. It stood out a lot...
Imagine buying solar cells for your home at Target. The research Eli Fahrenkrug is developing could make that a reality. His dissertation research has developed a process that could lead to mass produced, affordable solar energy, reducing the cost of manufacturing to...
