This summer we shared a number of incoming freshmen’s stories with you. In this series we circle back to those students and see how they are doing now.
Maddie Smith
Since being on campus, Maddie Smith, genetics major from Slidell, LS, has thrived both academically and personally.
“I am in love with campus and all of my coursework. My professors have been nothing short of amazing and so willing to help whenever I need!”
She has become involved in organizations such as Alpha Omega Epsilon, a sorority that promotes women in STEM, a bible study through Catholic Tigers, the Genetics and Biochemistry Club and the Swift Society. Maddie is also part of a Creative Inquiry with Dr. Todd Lyda.
“My favorite class so far would have to be my CI research project with Dr. Lyda! We work to isolate Euglena cells in a gel strip using gel electrophoresis to make a reuseable battery. My lab mates and I are super close, and we love getting together outside of the lab for lunches at Schlitter!”
Maddie enjoys all parts of what Clemson has to offer: football games, snow days on Bowman Field, studying in the Harry Potter room on the second floor of the library and consistently making new friends.
“My favorite Clemson moment would have to be the snow day! Being from south Louisiana, I have only ever seen snow once at home! It was so magical and the most amazing welcome back from the holiday break!”
The past academic year at Clemson and in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry has solidified Maddie’s future career goals.
“Since being in the Genetics and Biochemistry department, I have gained confidence in my academic abilities, and I have no doubt I will be prepared to take the MCAT and hopefully be accepted into medical school!”
When asked what her advice for incoming freshman would be, Maddie said to not give up when things get hard.
“It is not easy being in all science classes but finding a group of friends that know what you are going through and will help you succeed will make the world of difference! Shout out to my G&B girls, Kylie Wilson and Muara Korte, for being the best friends and study partners ever!”
Kylie Wilson
When we first met freshman genetics student Kylie Wilson back in the Summer of 2024, she was passionate about Clemson and studying genetics – neither has changed.
“The more time I spend here, the more I keep falling in love with Clemson. I feel like it is the perfect place for me to continue to grow.”
Kylie says her time at Clemson has not only met, but exceeded her expectations in many ways, forging life-long friendships and growing in her independence and self-confidence.
“Everyone who I have met here is so nice and eager to make friends. I feel like I can genuinely talk to and form friendships with everyone, especially people in my classes.”
Speaking of classes, Kylie’s favorite class has been her Biology 1100 lecture.
“I love learning about all the internal processes of the cell, and I am so excited to delve into those processes and the blueprint behind them in my future classes.”
Kylie has become actively involved on campus during her first year at Clemson, being on multiple committees within her sorority, Pi Beta Phi.
“Being in that sisterhood has been tremendously important to my college experience thus far.”
Beyond that, Kylie is involved in the Genetics and Biochemistry Club and the CHANGE Student Ethics Organization. This semester, she also joined Dr. Todd Lyda’s Creative Inquiry Lab, in which they are aiming to create a photosynthetic battery using chlorophyll harvested from Euglena cells.
Kylie has many Clemson moments that she holds close, but her favorite was her first game day. She loved waking up in her dorm and realizing that she was right in the middle of the action!
“I spent the day with friends who I had just met that week, and that day I met so many people who I have grown close with. I sat on The Hill, and the night game atmosphere was unmatched. I quickly learned all the chants and realized why people love the sports here so much – our school spirit is amazing.”
When we originally spoke with Kylie, she said that she wanted to be a genetic counselor. That plan has been solidified since her time in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry.
“In my Careers in Genetics and Biochemistry course, we had a genetic counselor come speak, and that is when I knew that was the career path that I wanted to pursue 100%.”
Kylie’s main piece of advice for incoming freshman is to not be intimidated.
“College is very intimidating at first. It is super exciting, but the process of meeting new people and building those friendships while getting used to college coursework, can be daunting at times. My biggest advice is to challenge that intimidation head on. Work hard for those friendships and work hard to maintain your academics.”
Kylie also notes that you must not get complacent but continue to work hard to excel in every avenue you choose to be involved in.
“All I have to add is that I just absolutely love it here and anyone who is thinking of coming here absolutely should! There are so many opportunities, and it will change your life!”
The Greenville Journal released an article highlighting genetics doctoral student Sriya Pothapragada’s love for both her studies and skydiving.
Sriya arrived at Clemson after in 2023 after majoring in bioengineering at the University of Maryland to study with Dr. James Lewis and obtain her Ph.D. Sriya’s research revolves around evolutionary genetics and biology with the hope of eventually applying it to a career as an astrobiologist.
When she arrived in the Upstate she also had a goal to obtain her first skydiving license.
“I value almost equally the skills you get from stuff like skydiving, especially in flying, like self-accountability, discipline, common sense,” she said. “My reflexes have gotten better. I’m in better physical shape.”
So far, Pothapragada has completed 61 jumps and recently competed in the USPA National Collegiate Skydiving Championships in Zephyrhills, Florida.
Junior genetics major Gwen Schindel’s grandfather suffered from Huntington’s Disease, a rare, genetic neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and causes uncontrolled movements, cognitive decline and psychiatric symptoms.
Gwen’s mother had a 50/50 chance of receiving this gene and had to undergo extensive research to ensure that she did not have it. Fortunately, for Gwen and her mother, she did not carry the gene.
“However, I saw first-hand what this awful disease can do to a patient as well as their families. This inspired me to study Genetics so I can hopefully, in some way, help patients and families who are affected by genetic diseases/disorders!”
Additionally, during her adolescences Gwen was exposed to the field of genetics through her involvement in showing dairy cows. Her grandparents owned a dairy farm, and she began showing at 10 years old and continued for eight years.
“In the dairy show world, farmers will look at the genetics of their cows and breed them specifically to make an ideal cow – one that can produce a lot of milk and one that will catch the eye of a judge.”
Now that she is on campus studying what she loves, Gwen is so excited and grateful to be here, saying that Clemson was just the perfect fit for her.
“I have met so many amazing professors, faculty, and peers who have all guided me through these past two years at Clemson.”
Aside from academics, on campus Gwen is involved in the Clemson Genetics and Biochemistry Club, Clemson’s Fellowship of Christian Atheletes (FCA) and Clemson Hope, specifically in Write for Hope where Clemson students write letters to elementary age students in Title 1 schools.
After graduating, Gwen plans to pursue a master’s degree in genetic counseling or physician assistant studies.
“Our department as a whole has made such an amazing impact on the world already and I cannot wait to see what it does in the future! I know that I will be set up for success upon graduation because of this program.”
Gwen is originally from Ohio, is a biological sciences minor and enjoys spending time with friends, traveling, reading and watching football.
Each week Clemson’s sect of IfYoureReadingThis posts a letter to the community on the topics of mental health and encouraging their peers. Last week’s letter came from senior biochemistry major Kaylee Board.
IfYoureReadingThis.org is a mental health nonprofit that empowers students to build and tap into their support networks by amplifying the faces and voices of the people who want to connect. Students across the nation write letters to their communities and share the responsibility of being vulnerable, closing the gap between students with mental health challenges and the people that care about them. Clemson is one of many colleges and universities that have a IfYoureReadingThis site.
Kaylee’s letter focused on spreading yourself too thin in life – especially during the college years. In her letter, Kaylee reminds readers that success isn’t measured by how filled your calendar is, how many extracurriculars you are a part of or the number of things you say “yes” to. Rather, success is measured by our well-being and happiness.
“Everyone’s path is different, and success isn’t about how many things we can juggle at once or how much we can pack into our schedules. Success is about finding balance and doing things that genuinely matter to us. It’s about knowing when to push forward and when to take a step back and focus on ourselves.”
Kaylee’s letter is a beacon of light for those who sometimes have a hard time saying “no” or defining success.
“Saying no doesn’t mean you’re falling behind—it means you’re setting boundaries. Second, just because someone else appears to be doing more than you, it doesn’t mean they’re more successful. Everyone has a unique path, and our worth isn’t defined by how much we can cram into our schedules.”
Fascinated by the vastness of the universe, as a child senior biochemistry major Adam Gatch was intrigued by how the physics of the very small could be used to explain the astronomically large.
“I’ve always been captivated by the study of life at the molecular level,” said Gatch. “It’s remarkable to learn how disease at the macroscopic level can be understood through the underlying physics and chemistry governing cells and molecules.”
Adam has been awarded the 2025 Churchill Scholarship, which allows students to undertake a one-year master’s program in STEM fields at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
With the scholarship, Adam plans to pursue a master of philosophy in chemistry and work with professor Tuomas Knowles at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Misfolding Diseases, a leading research center dedicated to understanding the abnormal behavior of proteins in the brain in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Adam’s research on campus is began when he approached Dr. Feng Ding from the Department of Physics and Astronomy about joining his biophysics research lab. Adam’s research has mainly focused on understanding the abnormal aggregation of disease-associated proteins and how interactions between different proteins contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Adam has also researched Parkinson’s Disease when he spent the summer before his sophomore year at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), researching how neuroimaging could be used to predict how patients suffering from the disease might respond to a specific drug therapy, a project that was supported by an application Gatch wrote — and won — for a $10,000 National Institutes of Health Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Grant Supplement.
His work has earned him several other scholarships, honors and awards, including a 2024 Goldwater scholarship.
Aside from academics, Adam volunteers at the campus food pantry, serves as a member of the College of Science Student Advisory Board, acts as a tutor at the University’s Academic Success Center, and works as an EMT.
“It’s a great honor to win the Churchill Scholarship. I’m very excited to work with one of the most prominent researchers within my field in the world,” said Gatch. “The Knowles lab is a perfect fit for me, and there is no better environment for my continued growth as a young researcher.”
The Churchill Scholarship is seen as the most prestigious and competitive international science, mathematics and engineering award for post-undergraduate researchers. Adam was one of only 16 students nationwide to receive the award and his award makes Clemson the only university whose students have been awarded a Churchill Scholarship in each of the last three years.
Senior genetics major, Truman and National Scholar Elizabeth Caldwell was invited to give a Ted Talk at TEDxClemsonU’s Innovate to Elevate event on August 24, 2024.
TEDxClemsonU’s Innovate to Elevate event aimed to catalyze a culture of innovation, collaboration, and positive change within the university community, empowering individuals to elevate their ideas, aspirations, and impact on the world.
“Most often my cane is the first thing people notice about me. And once strangers see me with a cane, they immediately begin making assumptions.”
Elizabeth’s talk resonates with both people with and without disabilities. She encourages those listening to rethink the way we view those with disabilities.
“I believe its time to innovate the way we think about disabilities so that we can elevate the entire disability community and make the world more accessible for all.”
When senior biochemistry major Ruxi Xia was shopping for colleges, she began to get worried that she wouldn’t find the place for her because she wasn’t connecting at any of the campuses she toured at. That all changed when she visited Clemson.
“Clemson felt like home as soon as I stepped on the campus.”
Ruxi is an international student from Wuhan, China that came to the US in high school and lived with a host family. After high school Ruxi was excited to learn that Clemson had a robust biochemistry program.
“I wanted a strong biochemistry program to set me up for success in cancer research as it has been my career choice since one of my family members passed from cancer.”
Now that Ruxi is here, she is grateful to have been exposed to many foundational science courses that she says will set her up for success.
“I enjoy my upper-level professors, who are really passionate about science and have made me a much stronger student.”
Ruxi is not only involved in her routine academics on campus; she is a part of many different extracurricular activities including the Clemson Light Imaging Facility (CLIF).
“I have worked on many independent immunofluorescence staining projects, learned to operate wide-field and confocal microscopes, and coordinated an imaging contest that receives entries from all over the world for that past three years.”
Ruxi also works in a bioengineering lab characterizing peptides to deliver siRNA for RNA interference applications in ovarian cancer, as well as using a 3D spheroid model to better study the tumor and has presented her research at five national conferences.
As a co-director for Clemson Paw Pantry since Spring 2023, Ruxi has enjoyed leading the executive team and spreading awareness for the initiative, tripling both the usage of the pantry and the number of volunteers. Ruxi is also a student tutor at the Academic Success Center and mentor for the Clemson College of Science Mentoring and Inclusion Collaborative (COSMIC).
In addition, Ruxi serves as an active member in student government, as the volunteer/community service coordinator for the Clemson Rotaract Club and as the president of the Clemson Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA).
“I have really enjoyed getting to help out the community whether that is helping at the Clemson Community Care, local farms, and other shelters in the community.”
Ruxi went to high school in Virginia and enjoys baking, cooking and spending time with her friends trying new restaurants and coffee shops. After graduation, Ruxi plans to either pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering or pharmaceutical sciences.
When choosing a college, STEM opportunities were important for December genetics graduate Olivia Eierman ’24. Originally from Long Island, NY, Olivia came a long way to make Clemson her home.
“I chose Clemson because of its many opportunities in STEM related fields as well as hometown feel.”
With cluster engineering and biological sciences as her minors, Olivia’s favorite class while she was a student was Engineering Analysis of Physiological Processes (BIOE 3100) with Professor Dr. Heather Dunn. Olivia’s interest in engineering shined through her years at Clemson.
“Throughout Clemson I was involved in Engineers for developing communities where I was the project manager of the Cange Hospital Optimization team.”
In addition, Olivia served as the treasurer of Chaarg a health and wellness organization for girls at Clemson and was a member in Delta Zeta sorority. Chaarg, which stands for Changing Health, Attitudes + Actions to Recreate Girls, provides a holistically healthy + safe community for girls. Olivia also spent a summer studying abroad in Europe.
“My favorite Clemson memory was studying abroad in the summer of 2023 on a faculty directed trip with the bioengineering department watching the Eiffel tower twinkle on the last night of our trip!”
After graduation Olivia plans to go back to Long Island and work in a neuropathology lab and hopes to pursue a master’s or apply for PA school in the future. In her free time, Olivia enjoys taking her puppy on walks at the dykes, enjoying football games with friends and cooking.
On Monday, December 16th, the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry held its semi-annual Research in Progress (RIP) Symposium, where graduate students give a 20-minute presentation on their research. This year’s presenters included Sabrina Pizzaro, Xiaotong Chen, Amara Onoh and Chia-Lun (Allen) Wu.
Titles of Presentations
Sabrina Pizzaro: Putative Sodium/Proton Exchangers in Trypanosoma brucei
Xiaotong Chen: How miR164 fine tuning plant growth to balance abiotic stress response and potential off target activity in DNA recombinase
Amara Onoh: Biochemical Characterization of MEILB2/HSF2BP as a Key Factor in Meiotic Homologous Recombination
Chia-Lun (Allen) Wu: Abnormal Trafficking and Processing of Multiple Matrix Metalloproteinases Drives Cartilage Defects in PMM2-CDG
For the last few years, Bryson Woodard BS ’23, MS ’24 has been a staple around the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry and the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), first working as a lab manager for the Morris lab as a biological sciences undergraduate and then as a graduate student.
Bryson graduates on Thursday with a master’s in biochemistry and molecular biology. With Dr. Meredith Morris as his PI, Bryson’s research focused on assessing glycosomal heterogeneity in the parasitic kinetoplastid Trypanosoma brucei.
“We are interested in the diversity of glycosomes, which are essential metabolic organelles within the Trypanosomes; previous research findings suggest that not all glycosomes are the same.”
To assess this diversity, Bryson and his lab mates use an endogenous tagging technique to attach fluorescent protein tags to essential glycosomal membrane proteins. These tagged membrane proteins allow analyzation of glycosomal diversity using fluorescence expansion microscopy and advanced forms of flow cytometry.
In his free time, Bryson enjoys visiting local coffee shops, hiking, reading, and spending time with friends. His favorite moment while at Clemson was in his undergrad years when it snowed.
“A couple of friends and I went sledding at the dikes and ended up meeting Dabo, such a cool experience!”
After graduation, Bryson plans to work as a phlebotomist while he applies to medical school.
“I would like to thank my lab and everyone in EPIC/B&G for all of their support throughout this process, awesome people have truly made all the difference!”
