Profiles by Sanjay Adhikary
GSA would like to highlight the achievements of all UAMS graduates, current and former, to show you just how diverse career paths can be and how you can get to where you want to be! This edition, we are featuring Carol Morris, B.S., who is finishing up her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences in the lab of Abdelrahman Fouda, B.Pharm., Ph.D., as well as Katie Deck, B.S., a current student working in the lab of Shengyu Mu, M.D., Ph.D.,
Hometown: Wichita, Kansas
College Major: Biology major and chemistry minor
Hobbies: Hiking, kayaking, and dabbling in arts like painting, crocheting, knitting and more
Graduate School department: GPiBS, Pharmacology and Toxicology
What interested you about pursuing a graduate degree?
Beyond the typical answer of enjoying science and the exploration this degree affords that excites me in a career, I would say that I wanted to challenge and push myself to see how much I could continue to improve my overall skills in areas like public speaking or writing.
What do you want to do in the future, after your degree?
I hope to have a career within academia to continue to develop research. Outside of my career, I also have dreams of mastering a new instrument.
What advice would you give to new grad students?
First would be to choose a great mentor over anything else when deciding on a lab, as it has made all the difference for me. Second would be to push yourself wisely and say “yes” to the things that will give you the most options in the future.
What’s your favorite thing about your lab or department?
I’m very grateful for the incredible friendship and inspiration everyone in the lab has been whether in science, career, or in life.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently in grad school?
No, although that is not to say everything has gone smoothly without hitch, but I feel like those instances were valuable learning opportunities.
Last one; time for a fun question: Who inspires you?
My parents, as they have modelled what a good life looks like and have also instilled in my siblings and I a love for learning and chasing a career that inspires us!