Learn more about the professors who will be part of this session.
Josh Bailey
Associate Professor, Department of Movement Sciences, University of Idaho
- How I got into research: INBRE fellowship and undergraduate research experience
- Career paths in academia: Tenure versus clinical, research scientist
- Collaborating with students: “A mutually beneficial process of project development, data collection, and dissemination.“
Ann Brown
Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Director of the Human Performance Laboratory, University of Idaho
- My current research project(s): Impacts of suboptimal muscle mass on female physiology.
- My experiences in graduate school: Florida State University.
- Collaborating with students: “Passionate about graduate student experience and success.“
Mariana Dobre
Research Assistant Professor, Soil and Water Systems, University of Idaho
- My current research project(s): Using hydrologic models and decision-support tools to evaluate wildfire effects on the environment.
- How I got into research: “My journey from a first-generation high school and college student in Romania, to a M.S student in Italy, a PhD student at Washington State University, and now a research professor at the University of Idaho.”
Eric Jankowski
Professor and Director, Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University
- My current research project(s): Using supercomputers to predict the structure of plastic solar panels or aerospace composites
- My experience in graduate school: PhD at Michigan, Postdoc at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Challenges and failures in research: “I was in my 4th year of grad school before I published my first paper.“
Nancy Johnston
Professor of Chemistry, Lewis-Clark State College
- My current research project(s): “I am an atmospheric chemist who studies environmental issues such as air toxics.”
- More about me: “I paused my career early on to have a family and have learned to balance life with work, family and fun.”
Leigh Latta
Associate Professor, Lewis-Clark State College
- My current research project(s): Evolution Under Genetic Drift
- How I got into research: Whales
- Research methods or process: Quantitative Genetics
Joshua Pak
Professor, Department of Chemistry, Idaho State University
- My current research project(s): Mechanistic and Kinetic Analysis of Polymer Deconstruction.
- My experiences in graduate school:
- Ph.D. University of Oregon
- Postdoc at UC Irvine
- Collaborating with students: “You probably have a lot of
great ideas.”
Elizabeth Redd
Associate Professor and Director of American Indian Studies, Idaho State University
- My current research project(s):
- Exploring motivations of Indigenous and non-Indigenous language learners.
- Evaluating Large Language Models for critical discourse analysis related to community engagement in water-energy systems.
- More about me: “I am a first-gen, non-traditional, and neurospicy professor who worked my way out of poverty while a single mom of 4.”
Moji Sadegh
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, Boise State University
- Career paths in academia: “Anything but linear—marked by a significant shift in my research focus…new methods, tools, and collaborations from scratch.“
- Challenges and failures in research: “While the journey has been difficult, it has also been deeply rewarding; strengthened my resilience and broadened my expertise.“
- Collaborating with students: “Helping them grow and succeed.“
Kavita Sharma
Assistant Professor, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Idaho State University
- My current research project(s): Metabolic profiling in aging and Alzheimer’s disease, and the study of natural product chemistry.
- Career paths in academia: Both teaching and research.
- Collaborating with students: “Involving them in every stage of the research process—from experimental design to data analysis and manuscript preparation.”
Michal Temkin Martinez
Professor and Chair Linguistics, Boise State University
- Applying to, & experiences in graduate school: University of Southern California
- Career paths in academia: Being able to incorporate fulfilling work into all areas, and integrating them to create a fulfilling career.
- Challenges and failures in research: “Mostly, adapting your research to where you are, both physically and in your career.“
Kristopher Waynant
Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Idaho
- About me: My wife and I are both in academia, and I can discuss the dreaded “two-body problem.”