At the annual Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB) Summer Reception, held this year on Thursday, June 11, students, faculty, and staff celebrated three graduate students who were recognized for excellence in mentorship. Learn more about the mentorship awards and this year’s recipients below.
Denton Award for Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring
The Denton Award for Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring went to Corinne Moss, a graduate student in the Coon Lab, and Matthew Kim, a graduate student in the Chaudhari Lab. The award, made possible by the generosity of Arnold E. and Catherine M. Denton, honors IPiB students who provide exceptional commitment, guidance, and scientific training in mentoring and teaching undergraduate students.
Matthew Kim
Kim studies folate metabolism and how folate metabolites impact cell signaling in adipose tissue (a type of connective tissue primarily composed of fat cells).
“I am really delighted and happy to receive this award,” says Kim. “As a Korean immigrant, I thought that communication in English was not one of my strengths. But, I received good evaluations from the students in my class, as well as from my mentees in the lab. I know how to listen to what students need and I have grown in knowing how to provide them with what they are telling me they need.”
Kim plans to pursue a career in academia, and emphasizes that teaching will be central to his career. As an undergraduate student, Kim took classes in education to learn best practices and effective communication techniques. As an IPiB student, Kim has actively sought opportunities to teach and mentor. He served as a teaching assistant for Biochem 508 two semesters and mentored students in his lab.
“I see myself as a source of information to the students I’m teaching and mentoring,” Kim reflects. “But, it’s not just about a transfer of information. Teaching, and especially mentoring, requires a personal connection. I want to be a role model for the students I work with. I’m not just helping them become good scientists. I’m helping them become model citizens in the lab.”
Corinne Moss
Moss, who defended her doctoral work in May, explored new ways to use technology to study metabolites (small molecules such as vitamins and amino acids produced through metabolic processes) in urine. Her research catalogued metabolites in urine by pairing mass spectrometry with capillary electrophoresis to capture small, scarce molecules often missed using mass spectrometry alone. Moss will soon start a new position teaching chemistry as an assistant teaching professor at Boise State University.
“I’m honored to be recognized by the department for my teaching experience and abilities. Working as an instructor, teaching assistant, and research mentor to undergraduates has been such an important part of my graduate experience and I hope that I have been able to make a positive impact in the program,” says Moss.
Through the Scientific Teaching Fellows program at the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE), Moss discovered a passion for teaching. Through the year-long program, Moss learned about teaching techniques and course development. She applied her training to developing an introductory biology course that explored Wisconsin ecosystems through ecology, virology, and agricultural sciences, incorporating her passions for biochemical sciences and the outdoors.
“One of my favorite things about teaching is helping students gain confidence in their own abilities and understand how material relates to them and their own interests,” says Moss. “In chemistry or biochemistry, a lot of students initially find the material unapproachable, and I find it so exciting when you can break down those barriers to help students.”
Sigrid Leirmo Memorial Award in Biochemistry
Fong Ning Liew
Fong Ning Liew, a graduate student in the lab of Brian Fox, earned this year’s Sigrid Leirmo Memorial Award in Biochemistry, which is awarded annually to a graduate student or postdoc. Awardees exemplify the spirit of Sigrid Leirmo, who received her Ph.D. from the Department of Biochemistry in 1989. Leirmo was widely recognized among her peers and colleagues as a devoted researcher, friend, and mentor.
Liew’s research aims to identify biochemical pathways and engineer enzymes that can convert aromatic rings from plant biomass into plastic precursors for industrial use. She has also mentored undergraduate and high school students in the lab. In her mentoring roles, Liew aims to support students in pursing their own interests.
“Mentoring is a big responsibility. My relationship with younger students can really influence their future trajectory. I never want someone to pigeonhole themselves just because they worked with me and now that’s the research they know. My research is what interests me, but there is so much more to biochemistry or science that they m ay find more interesting. I seek to provide what guidance I can to help them chart their own paths for their careers,” says Liew, who hopes that her own science will be a positive contribution to society.
In addition to her work in the lab, Liew has served three years as a chapter officer for the Madison chapter of Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) as social chair, treasurer, and now as the outgoing president. “GWIS helps to provide community and resources for women in STEM fields. We participate in outreach to help lower the barrier for women to enter STEM fields,” says Liew. “There are still many careers and fields where women are underrepresented. When that happens, women may look at a field and think that it’s not for them. GWIS also provides a community for women in research to be able to come together to support each other in many ways, including providing fellowships and scholarships.”
For Liew, receiving the Leirmo Award is especially meaningful because of the time her own mentors took to support her nomination. “I am so grateful to my advisor [Brian Fox] for nominating me and to all of the people who took the time to write the letters of recommendation. The positive response that I got from all of them means a lot to me,” says Liew.
Written by Renata Solan.