This Fall will be amazing Pre-Health Titans!

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Carmen Gamlin

It is an honor to serve as the Pre-Health Advisor for the University of Detroit Mercy in my hometown. Working with Pre-Health Titans who will launch their careers in healthcare requires engagement on campus, in our communities, in industry and now more than ever online. Students have returned to campus with their peers and mentors for instruction however, they do need to network and learn effectively in virtual spaces.

Fall 2021 will require a new flexible skill set in all areas. Pre-Health Titans will have

  • in person and online classes
  • shadowing in person and on line
  • student orgs collaborate both in person and online
  • Virtual Fairs and Information Sessions
  • For some hard working Titans, acceptance to graduate schools after a busy online application & interview cycles

I am looking forward to engaging Pre-Health Titans individually, drop-in TEAMS advising, and with with Weekly Wednesday Workshops at 1:00.

  1. September 1st Freshmen and New Student Pre-Health – 5 Things you should know
  2. September 8th Preparing for Virtual Pre-Health Events Freshmen – Alumni – How to engage before and after Virtual Fairs, Info Session etc.
  3. September 15th Transfer Credit for Pre-Health – AP. Dual Enrollment, Early College, Summer courses.
  4. September 22nd How to use Social Media for Pre-Health – Your grad programs have a social media presence
  5. September 29th You will need Letters from Faculty as a Freshman / Sophomore / Junior & Alum – What types of letters are there and how does this work?
  6. October 6th The Benefit of Student Orgs on Graduate School Applications – Why they are helpful and what other options do you have?
  7. October 13th Who Do You Need to Engage? – Stepping out of your comfort zone as a Pre-Health Student
  8. October 20th LinkedIn Profile Creation – Mechanics of a pre-health LinkedIn Profile for Freshmen – Alumni
  9. October 27th Connecting with Titan Alumni in your Career Field with LinkedIn – Connecting for Informational Interviews and virtual shadowing.
  10. November 3rd To Research or not to Research – What is your ideal balance of activities?
  11. November 10 How Minors Impact Graduate School Applications – This reviews how minors can make a huge impact or not at all
  12. November 17 The Art of Thank You Letters for Pre-Health Students – Thank you letters are a smart way of engaging your network

No worries if you miss a workshop. Titans will have recordings on the Sway Newsletters.

Posted in #pre-health | Comments Off on This Fall will be amazing Pre-Health Titans!

DO and DO/PhD with Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

Detroit Mercy Pre-Health Advising Presents:

We need more Physician Scientists!

Information Session with MSUCOM DO and DO/PhD

  • Admission Representative, Craig Boyd from the MSUCOM DMC Site 
  • Hosted by ReBUILDetroit student Adrian Arrington
  • Brian Schutte, PhD Co-Director of MSUCOM DO/PhD Program
  • Michelle Volker, Academic Program Coordinator, CHRS CFMLAS
  • Alex Moauro DO-PhD Class of 2024, Regis University, 2015
  • Erika Arno, DO-PhD Class of 2024, University of Scranton, 2016

Representatives from the MSUCOM DO/PhD program presented on the application process, timeline and support for their bustling Physician Scientist program. The Co-Director and the 2 student DO-PhD representatives were all from Jesuit Colleges and Universities!

Why do we need DO-PhD physician-scientists?

  • The physician-scientist population in the U.S. is smaller and older than it was 25 years ago
  • There is a current critical shortage of physician-scientists
  • The physician-scientist is a vital member of the medical research community
  • The physician-scientist can collaborate with both Ph.D. scientists and health care providers
  • Scientific questions the physician-scientist asks reflect their experiences with patient care.

Incentives to pursue a DO-PhD degree

  • Reward of translating scientific research into patient therapy
  • Finding an answer to a medical puzzle
  • Being on the cutting edge of science in finding new therapies and/or disease cures
  • Receiving stipends and significant tuition reductions

MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine students have three great options for completing their first two years of medical school. Whether you decide to study at the Detroit Medical Center site, on the MSU campus in East Lansing or at the Macomb University Center in Clinton Township, you’ll get the same exceptional preclinical experience. One campus, three sites. Learn more about MSUCOM’s  3 sites: https://youtu.be/CVy6bKVuAg0

If you are in need of pre-health advising and plan to be a University of Detroit Mercy student then schedule an appointment with Carmen Gamlin via https://calendly.com/prehealthadvisor

Posted in MD/PhD or DO/PhD, PhD Biomed, Pre-Med, Uncategorized | Comments Off on DO and DO/PhD with Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

AAMC 2021 Virtual Medical School Fair

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

Attend the AAMC Virtual Fair!

Strategies and Resources for Minority Premeds and Applicants

Tuesday, September 21, 2021
11 A.M. – 4 P.M. ET

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) invites you to attend Strategies and Resources for Minority Premeds and Applicants on Tuesday, September 21st from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. ET.

Aspiring physicians in all stages of their pre-health journey are invited to this virtual fair. Experts will provide tips and resources for attendees who self-identify as racial and/or ethnic minorities, first-generation college students, high school students, or prospective applicants in the current or upcoming admission cycles. Chat with medical school admissions and diversity affairs officers from institutions across the U.S. and Canada to answer your questions.

All aspiring medical students are welcome to participate.

  • Meet admissions and diversity affairs officers from U.S. and Canadian medical schools.
  • Receive 15% off a subscription to the Medical School Admission Requirements™ (MSAR®) website.
  • View live panel discussions and participate in Q&A sessions specially created for racial and ethnic minority audiences.
  • Learn about applying to medical school, the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), MCAT®, and other AAMC services.
  • Chat with current medical students and ask questions in our Medical Student Lounge.

Questions?
Contact virtualfair@aamc.org.

If you are a Pre-Health Titan that needs to prepare for Virtual Events such as Fairs and Information Sessions, then contact Carmen Gamlin, Pre-Health Advisor.

Posted in #pre-health, Allopathic Medicine MD, MD/PhD or DO/PhD, Pre-Med | Comments Off on AAMC 2021 Virtual Medical School Fair

Dr. Stephanie Conant discusses her research and SEA PHAGES, a Freshman research opportunity at the University of Detroit Mercy

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

Students think that research is if you don’t get it right then you’re doing it wrong and that’s absolutely not it. Actually, you have to fail a lot before you get it right. So it’s really about learning how to problem solve and figure out what went wrong so it doesn’t go wrong next time.

Pre-Health Advisor interviewed University of Detroit Mercy Biology Department Chair and Professor Dr. Stephanie Conant to discuss her research and research opportunity for freshman Titans! In addition to being Department Chair, Professor and Advisor, Dr. Conant is also an Immunologist, with an extensive research background in how the immune system works!

 

1. Dr. Conant, you wear a lot of hats here at the University of Detroit Mercy, Professor, Department Chair, Academic Advisor to name a few. However, today I want to ask you about your role as a researcher. Perhaps you could share with our undergraduate Titans what you do in this research lab.

I did really focus on cells of humans and how they react in an immunological way. How do they react to a threat of an infection? What kind of proteins do they make and when do they make those? What kinds of stimulus do they need in order to trigger that?…I’ve migrated into cell regulation fields now, and collaborate  with Dr. Kagey in the department to look more at cancer cell regulation…What happens in cancer cells that triggers them to multiply and divide uncontrollably, which is what happens during a tumor

.

So the focus of my research lab, outside of the classroom is looking at those cell cycle regulators. What proteins are involved in making sure cells quit dividing when they’re suppose to and even die when they’re supposed to…instead of taking off and crowding out other cells or generating cancers, tumors, so we’re looking at some of the proteins involved in that.

2. You not only work with undergraduate student researchers but you have a program specifically for freshmen. Please share. 

We give research experiences in the classroom so that students can learn how to do laboratory techniques, how they can do experiments, how they collect data, and really learn about what we call the research frame of mind which is fail, try again…They learn to be a critical thinker, analyze data, figure out how it fits into the bigger scheme of things and be part of something bigger than just UDM.

It’s a program that’s sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute or HHMI, it’s called SEA Phages which the SEA stands for Science Education Alliance, Phages stands for…phage hunters and genomics; it’s looking at identifying new bacteriophage which are viruses that infect bacteria…looking at their specific genetics, we annotate their genomes.

The coolest thing (I think) about being in a freshman lab when we get to do a research experience like this is no experience is needed…We will teach you everything you need to know to go through this program, to do these experiments and to do this research project.

You come out of it with isolating your own phage that you brought in from a soil sample…You get to name it, upload it to a central database that is a consortium of over 120 different schools around the world… you really get to learn something that you have discovered and have contributed to a bigger story.

3. How should interested students inquire about this potential research opportunity?

The space in the lab is somewhat limited but I have emailed every incoming freshmen and said, if you’re interested in this experience, please let me know…you can also go on the UDM website and search SEA PHAGE, it’ll take you right to the SEA Phage HHMI page for UDM.

 

Learn more about the SEA-PHAGES Courses Dr. Stephanie Conant teach here!

Learn more about Dr. Conant’s Research and Teaching Experience Here!

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Dr. Stokes Baker Discusses His Course, Biostatistics and Research Focus

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

Pre-Health Advisor Carmen Gamlin had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Stokes Baker on his research focus, specific Biology courses he teach as well as his joy for teaching Detroit Mercy Titans! Dr. Stokes Baker has been a Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy for almost 29 years and continues to engage students in teaching as well as research.

  1. Among many subjects that you teach, Dr. Baker, what is Bio-Stats and why is it so common for all Pre-Health students to take? 

If you’re a healthcare provider, we’re expecting you to be able to read the primary literature and to understand experiments and your profession….Now why do we teach our version of statistics in the Biology Department and they call it Bio-Statistics and the reason for that is that Undergraduate statistics you can’t cover everything in the one semester course. And the sort of topics that you would cover in the psychology department or the Business School would be different that what we cover in the sciences.

For example, I talk about a phenomenon known as predictive value, which is how reliable is a diagnostic test. Now that’s not the same thing as sensitivity…You’re asking about the reliability for individual that determines how you present data results to your patients. Do you tell them that if they have a positive test that they’re really sick. Or do you tell them that we have to follow up…To do that with both earnestness and sophistication, (you) have to understand statistics behind the analysis, so that’s why we do Biostatistics.

2. I hear that you have some pretty interesting research that you do. Could you share? 

I’m an unusual Doc in the fact that I’m a Plant Molecular Biologist by training, but I don’t teach botany nor molecular biology. I teach statistics and ecology. So to make my teaching and my research line up, I use molecular tools to ask ecological questions…I do this in a couple of different ways. I teach a course called applied metagenomics where we’re using next generation sequencing technology to ask ecological questions and this is a course where the students actually do real research and then we have the students actually publish their results in peer review literature.

The other area of research I work with is a high yield plant called duckweed. It’s an aquatic plant and tiny…We’re asking how this particular plant is able to remediate water pollution using plant microbe interactions.

3. What do you love about teaching Detroit Mercy Titans?

I purposely decided as a grad student, once I saw they way research universities runs that I want that life. I actually wanted to be around people where I’m helping people, not just banging out research results. (Also) I hate to say it now that I’m over 60 I like being around young people…I’m young at heart so I guess that’s why I teach students first.

 

 

Learn more about Dr. Baker’s research interest and teaching experience here!

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2021 Michigan Medical Education Day-REGISTER TODAY!

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

Pre-Med Students:

Registration for the 2021 Michigan Medical Education Day is NOW OPEN!  Michigan Medical Education is a statewide event designed to educate pre-med students about the medical school application process.  The 2021 event will be held VIRTUALLY on Saturday, September 18th from 10am – 1pm EST.  Please see below for a more detailed schedule.  All sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the MMED website.  The link to register can be found at the bottom of this message.  We hope to see you there.

 

Schedule

10am – Welcome & Medical School Application Overview

11am – Michigan Medical Schools Panel (moderated Q&A panel)

12pm – Breakout Sessions: each student should plan to attend one of the options (descriptions can be found on the registration form linked below)

  1. Virtual Interviews

  2. AAMC Core Competencies

  3. Verified…Now What?

  4. The Pathways to Medical School

 

**Please note: 10 minute breaks will occur in between each session.

Confirmation emails will be sent to students within a few days of completed registration.  Please be sure to enter the correct email address to ensure delivery.  The deadline to register is September 13th, 2021.

2021 MMED Registration Link

If you are a Pre-Health Titan that needs to prepare for Virtual Events such as Fairs and Information Sessions, then contact Carmen Gamlin, Pre-Health Advisor.

Posted in Allopathic Medicine MD, MD/PhD or DO/PhD, Osteopathic Medicine, Pre-Med | Comments Off on 2021 Michigan Medical Education Day-REGISTER TODAY!

Detroit Mercy Alum, Diana McMahon reflects on her time as an undergrad and pre-health journey as a Mercy Volunteer Corps participant

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

There should be no hierarchy in service…You’re along with that person and you have something to learn from that person that you’re helping, and they’re helping you just as much. So I think that was a really key takeaway for me that I really appreciated.

Detroit Mercy Pre-Health Advisor, Carmen Gamlin had the opportunity to interview a recent Alum, Diana McMahon who recalls her time at the University and how that lead her to join the Mercy Volunteer Corp. Here are the highlights from their interview.

1. You were very active as a University of Detroit Mercy undergraduate. What are key activities that you did beyond academics that helped you in your pre-med journey?

One of the first organizations I found on campus was Campus Kitchen…Through that, I really was able to develop leadership skills…I learned about food insecurity and that is an issue that a lot of my future patients will probably face so I think its important to be knowledgeable about that and how we can address that.

Another thing that I did in college was volunteer at Henry Ford Hospital…I started out as a patient ambassador in the transplant units and then I transitioned into helping out the lactation department. With the lactation consultants, I assembled breast feeding kits and made packets for new mothers to learn about breastfeeding and all the benefits as it is so helpful for infants…I think this also helped me learn about cultural competence in medicine.

Probably the biggest highlights I would say of my undergrad career was the ReBuilDetroit Research Program. I was in this all four years and to start college I went through a summer enrichment program through ReBuilDetroit and I got to meet friends and I felt way more comfortable going into college, which I think helped me be more confident in general and then just the research experience itself was so influential. I think the critical thinking skills I came away with were so helpful in looking at my course work and having some contacts. Also, just my mentor, Dr. Finkel, He was just such an advocate for me throughout college.

I was also a RA and this was great. Being RA is a lot of work, but it’ such a great opportunity to get to know people on campus…I felt like I made a family and also learned a lot of life skills. There were definitely some situations that needed sensitive communication and maturity and so I think I definitely developed my interpersonal skills through being an RA.

2. Diana, Do you think your pre-health journey is different because you attended Detroit Mercy which is both a Jesuit and Mercy institution?

I definitely would say so…I’m not Catholic but I really identify with both Jesuit and Mercy values…I didn’t really know anything about Jesuit or Mercy Education before beginning at Detroit Mercy. I really went to Detroit Mercy for the ReBuilDetroit program.

I learned the values that the college has and some of those I found out were the community engagement and involvement.

I think coming away from undergrad I really saw that my values aligned with those and so I wanted to continue that. I think that’s what drew me to the Mercy Volunteer Corp is being able to continue learning about those values.

3. Please share what Mercy Volunteer Corps is and what you have gotten out of it.

It’s an organization through the Sisters of Mercy and it tends to be a gap year for people but people of all ages can totally do it.

Through this year of service you are placed at a placement site…at these placement sites there’s a house there of all other volunteers through MVC and you either are placed in an educational setting, a social service or healthcare depending on your interest.

For me, it was really important that I did something in healthcare related and got some more public health and community health knowledge before starting medical school…I think it can be really helpful and useful and transformative for a lot of people.

4. What is the support like to be in Mercy Volunteer Corps?

This year I have felt so supported in my house in Savannah. I live with two other women who are also Mercy Volunteers…Outside of my home, at my worksite at the clinic, I work with an awesome team of women. It’s all women providers and nurses at the clinic and they have really supported me in my personal life [and professional life].

[As for Financial Support] MVC provides you with a stipend. The stipend is broken up into food, gas ans then personal stipend…The food and gas budgets for each person is [about] $125 per month…The personal stipend is $100 per month.

As for my living situation, MVC provides a house in each city for volunteers to share. So I live in a house and I have my own bedroom, both my roommates have their own room…We have two cars for the three of us to share.

5. Is there anything else that you wish you would have known as an undergrad?

I think a big thing for me when I look back is that starting undergrad, I thought everything needed to be perfectly fit into the box of healthcare; all of my activities and all of my work needed to be aligned with that…You want obviously healthcare experience, but you should definitely pursue other interest and try to make yourself more well rounded.

Posted in #jesuit, #pre-health, Gap Year, Pre-Med, Public health, Titan Alumni | Comments Off on Detroit Mercy Alum, Diana McMahon reflects on her time as an undergrad and pre-health journey as a Mercy Volunteer Corps participant

Mercy Volunteeer Corps Coordinator, Andrea Haller’s Meet & Greet for college graduates seeking a transformational enhancement / gap year

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

Our volunteers approach service from a place of compassion and walking with people in solidarity.

We are so excited to host Andrea Haller today, November 3, 2021 here at the University of Detroit Mercy.  She will be both in person in the Ford Life Science conference room 102 on the McNichols campus as well as on line via zoom from 2:00 – 4:00 pm Eastern.

Topic: Andrea Haller, Mercy Volunteer Corps Meet and Greet
Time: Nov 3, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://udmercy-edu.zoom.us/j/99503810030?pwd=NzA0MVgzR2xRL2piakNhVy9qd1psZz09

Meeting ID: 995 0381 0030
Passcode: 661342

This Meet and Greet will focus on how Mercy Volunteer Corps service:

  • Will position you to make meaningful contributions in community service either locally or abroad
  • Can be a year-long clinical site as a gap/enhancement year
  • Will support you ( housing, food, transportation) as you support others
  • May give pre-health college grads the time to study for national exams and apply to graduate schools in the health professions during  this transformational year of service

It’s so awesome to discover resources! In August, Pre-Health Advisor Carmen Gamlin interviews Andrea Haller who is a Coordinator for Mercy Volunteer Corps. Andrea provides information about the year-long post bachelor service opportunity and how Detroit Mercy recent graduates can apply.

  • Most students and alumni have heard of the Peace Corps where citizens serve a couple of years in another country. However, Mercy Corps is not as well known here at a Mercy Institution. Would you share what Mercy Corp is?

Mercy Volunteer Corp is a year-long service program with the option to do a second year similar to peace corp but this is a faith based program. So we’re really going to dive into those values of spirituality, simplicity, social justice and community.

People serve in all different kinds of areas in 12 different cities throughout the US and South America.

  • I work with Pre-health students here at the University of Detroit Mercy who are both local (metro Detroit) and from all over the country. How does the location and site selection work for volunteers?

We consider it a mutual discernment process…If there’s a particular area that you want to serve, that’s taken into consideration…What’s really important to us is that you find a service site that really matches with your goals and the things you are passionate about.

Say you’re most interested in working with people experiencing homelessness, we’ll say here are some cities where you could do that and work in the healthcare field and then you would tell us which one speaks most to you. Which one are you most interested in? You have the opportunity to talk with the [people] at that service site to see if it really does feel like the right fit, and if not, that’s ok; we can go to another option for you to look into.

  • Is the Mercy Corps Volunteer program limited to Mercy College students? How can someone apply?

It’s not limited to Mercy students that attend Mercy universities. All are welcome as long as they share those common values of social justice, compassionate service, spiritual growth and simple living.

Our volunteer year starts in August so in September our application is released and that includes your transcripts, references and written responses that just tell us a little bit more about you and your commitment to these shared values…we will screen your application between staff and alumni and then after that you would be offered an interview…Depending on if you’re interested in serving internationally or in the US, you would go to discernment weekend…If you’re interested in serving in the US, then at that point you would be accepted as a mercy volunteer and then we will work through that placement process that I talked about earlier.

 

*Bonus* Andrea discusses Detroit Specific Mercy Volunteer Corps Opportunities and Support

We have a variety of needs, some of those right in Detroit we have two free healthcare clinics that our volunteers work in; so there are two positions in Detroit. This is particularly a great opportunity if you’re interested in going into medical school later. We also have a public health physician in Detroit working with Detroit People’s Water Board to ensure that [people] are getting access to clean, affordable water in the city..

Throughout the US there are other clinic positions. There are some working with elderly [people] to provide more of the social work side of the healthcare system. We have another position working in the emergency room to offer support to [those] who aren’t sure where to go.

Now as a volunteer, you might be thinking, well how am I going to afford to live? We’ve got you covered! We provide a monthly stipend for all of our volunteers. One of those stipends covers all your household needs, like food, your toiletries…Then another one that is for your personal use to use however you choose.

We also provide transportation for all of the volunteers. Depending on where you’re living. For example Detroit, you would have a car and we would provide you a gas stipend…Additionally, we also provide the housing for the volunteer. So you’ll live together with other volunteers and then if you have student loans, there are opportunities to defer those student loans so you don’t have to worry about them while you’re serving.

Andrea Haller (she, her, hers)

Community Coordinator

Mercy Volunteer Corps | 215.346.6643

andreahaller@mercyvolunteers.org

Posted in #pre-health, Clinical Experience for Pre-Health Students, Community Service, Gap Year, Mercy, Post Bach, Titan Alumni, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Mercy Volunteeer Corps Coordinator, Andrea Haller’s Meet & Greet for college graduates seeking a transformational enhancement / gap year

Dr. Rachelle Belanger Discusses Her Research and the Role of Undergraduate Students in Relation to Research

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

What an honor to hear from Professor and Researcher Dr. Rachelle Belanger! Dr. Belanger goes into great detail of her research and the significance of research for undergraduate students in this interview with Pre-Health Advisor Carmen Gamlin. Dr. Belanger conducts research all year around and have authored an immense amount of publications with her research students.

 

  1. Here at the University of Detroit Mercy you have a research lab. Please share the focus of your research for undergraduate students.

My research focuses on atrazine…Atrazine is a herbicide that’s liberally applied in the US Midwest, and it’s applied to farm fields…This chemical has been banned actually in Europe but it’s still being used in the United States…This chemical runs off into local streams  and rivers. The target species of this chemical are plants, to get rid of weeds, to increase crop yields but there are non target species that are actually effected by this chemical so we study in my research lab the effects of this chemical on these non target species.

We use crayfish as a model organism to look at what the effects of atrazine are. We study toxicology. We take crayfish out of the field, (we usually collect from Belle Isle) and we bring crayfish back into the lab and we expose them to environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine to look at the side effects that happen.

My students have published a lot out of my lab, and we’ve shown that actually exposure to relevant concentrations effects behavior. It effects neurons, it causes neuron damage and it also causes liver damage.

Right now were looking at DNA damage in the liver…my students collect crayfish, treat them, dissect out the liver, and do a microscope sections of the liver and are looking for these toxicological effects…we’ve seen broad effects across neurons behavior as well as liver enzymes that are being expressed.

2. You have undergraduate students assisting you in your lab. Why is undergraduate research important?

Undergraduate research teaches a lot of things that you can’t get in the classroom, and of those things that it teaches is application of the scientific method.

Students in research labs at Detroit Mercy, including mine, are applying the scientific method from the beginning to the end. They’re exploring and designing experiments there. Seeing through those experiments, doing the physical experiment themselves, collecting data, analyzing data, interpreting the data and presenting it scientifically and publishing.

The other thing that happens with all of this is teamwork. Teamwork is something that individuals need to develop because this is going to happen through the rest of your life, no matter what job you’re in. Teamwork is going to be important. So students in my research lab and in other labs as well across Detroit Mercy are building these really important teamwork skills.

Critical thinking is (something) really important as well that students build from working in a research lab…Right now in my research lab, we’re presented with some results that we really don’t understand right now but we’re working on what does these results mean in light of the scientific literature.

The other thing that students get is really good problem solving skills…students really get first-hand knowledge of the fact that experiments don’t work always the first time and for the most part they don’t work the first time so you’ve got to step back. Look online for other scientists that have advice for you or talk to colleagues around the department to get advice from them on what they would do…Problem solving skills are really important in working in a research lab.

3. What is something that you are looking forward to in the Fall of 2021 as we return to students on campus?

Going back in person in the Fall ’21 is going to be huge because my research lab will be able to collaborate in a way that we used to…So much of this past year in 2020 was working with only a few people at a time…Now that the COVID measures have been relaxed a bit…we can get together as scientists again and junior scientists to discuss then the literature, to look over our data together and to critically think about what it means and then be able to move forward in the research lab.

So much important mentoring happens in the research lab where senior undergraduate students mentor junior undergraduate students in the lab and being able to get together and work collaboratively; it’s going to be so important moving into FA 21

4. What are you teaching Fall 2021?

I am teaching animal behavior…I’m also teaching neurophysiology and neurophysiology is a course I developed when I came to Detroit Mercy. Lastly, I’m teaching Senior Seminar for the first time with Dr. Conant and Dr. Finkel.

Learn more about Dr. Rachelle Belanger’s research focus, teaching experience and more here!

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Dr. Rachelle Belanger Discusses Her Research and the Role of Undergraduate Students in Relation to Research

Professor & Chair Dr. Matthew Mio reflects on his love for science, learning and mentoring

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Lalisha Griffin

By the time I finished elementary school, I’ll tell you right now, I knew I wanted to teach!

Current Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Chair and Professor Dr. Matthew Mio shares memories of being a Chemistry Major at the University of Detroit Mercy as well as success of the Chemistry Club.  Dr. Mio also reflects on how he became the Moderator of one of the longest running radio show/podcasts in the U.S.!

  1. Dr. Mio you are not only in an exciting career as a successful scientist, but you are part of making new scientists here at your alma mater, the University of Detroit Mercy. Looking back at your time on campus as an undergraduate science student please share a fond memory.

There was something about taking some of the knowledge we had learned from class and using it to do something fun. We felt like our lives revolved around it. We were in Chem Club…We were doing chemistry. It kind of was like just a big family.

I was walking to the chemistry building, these two friends of mine were leaving the chemistry building…and I’m like you guys ok? … As I’m looking over my shoulder I see this friend of mine’s backpack is smoking. It’s actually giving off quite a bit of smoke and the bottom line was they had borrowed some of the department’s dry ice and I believe I was slowing them down from whatever interesting buffoonery they were going to get involved in. But the guys backpack as he’s walking is literally smoking…I’ve never forgotten that.

2. You mentor many Titans in and outside of the classroom, but could you share your secret to this amazing Chem Club?

Chem Club is something I’m really proud of…I was president if you can believe it in 1995… Chem Club at this point in Detroit Mercy’s history, for better for worse… (is) Detroit Mercy’s oldest student org. We were founded in 1938

You kind of need to scratch two itches when you get involved in a student org. There’s the pre professional stuff and then the social stuff. There’s a lot of orgs that are only one or the other.  I think that one of the things… that makes Chem Club unique is that it’s both…Were just as easily going to get together and have hot cocoa with the professor as we are going to bring in a resume workshop from the American Chemical Society or an alumni speaker…

The American Chemical Society also expects us to do what I can only describe as a very lengthy annual report every year to maintain our charter… We’re very proud to say for the last 17 years, our Chem Club has been cited as what’s called Excellent, which is only the top 5% in the entire United States. They send us a plaque every year and we put them up in the trophy case in the main lobby and it makes you feel you know important. It makes you feel like you’re a part of something and what more would we want?

There’s no fee to join and you just show up and you try to absorb information and get to know people

3. Could you tell us about your journey from a skill in Chemistry to a professor in Chemistry?

My dad always had an itch for science and he wasn’t really able to go into it. So he gets his degree, has a son. I’m his oldest and he kind of pushed a lot of that love for science on me.

Not only did I get the love of science… but I got a love of learning because by the time I finished elementary school, I’ll tell you right now, I knew I wanted to teach.

By the time I got to graduate school, I knew I was not cut out for the big time, multi $1,000,000 grants…I just wanted to go to a small school which was primarily focused on teaching…and that has been very satisfying for me.

4. What is this “Ask the Professor” show?

So when I was a student back in the 90s, Ask the Professor had been around for a while…it started in the 50s by a professor here at the University of Detroit whose name is Bill Rabie…It was really a show about getting a bunch of Profs together in a circle and people would send in questions and these really smart people will respond.

We get to the 70s, 80s and 90s and I’m a student here and the panel was moderated, (we say the leader) by Ed Dewindt, who is a longtime history Prof here…(later) it was taken over by another history Professor, Kathy Bush, who was also the Associate Dean of Liberal Arts…..I remember I never had Kathy Bush for class as a student, and I’m a professor now, you know can I be on the panel? She’s like we’re recording this Friday at 3:30, be there! (She) Just welcomed me in.

(After) she passed, a lot of people were wondering… what was going to happen to the Podcast? I had no idea that Dr. Vivian who was chair of Communication Studies…wanted me to take over…and I’ve been doing that for the last 10 years.

We definitely morphed from 60 years ago, doing things more like a radio show. Now it’s basically a podcast, and anybody can listen if they just search for Ask The Professor and there is evidence that it’s one of the longest running you know radio show podcasts in the history of the United States.

 

Learn More about Dr. Matt Mio’s area of Teaching and Expertise Here!

Dr. Matt Mio Ted Talk: Learning How to Learn

 

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