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.
Pictured: the EMGS travel grant awardees. Josh Turner is second from top right.
5th year Ph.D. student in Dr. Jennifer Mason’s lab Josh Turner was recently awarded an Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS) $500 travel grant to attend the EMGS annual meeting in Palm Springs, CA.
EMGS provides a forum for the establishment and support of scientists in the field of environmental mutagenesis. The society seeks to understand and mitigate the impacts of environmental exposures on the genome to protect human health through diverse and inclusive leadership in research, professional development, and collaboration.
The Travel award was a $500 award to students and new investigators given by the society to promote new PI and trainee attendance.
“It has been really exciting to get this award for the past two years because EMGS is the most inviting and engaging conference I’ve ever been to. I’ve been able to troubleshoot experiments, gain collaborators on really exciting projects that I can’t wait to start soon, and even sit down and have a drink with top investigators at prestigious institutions.”
Jessica Aycock is a second year Ph.D. student in Dr. Stephen Dolan’s lab housed in the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) at Clemson University. This fall she had the opportunity to intern at IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, AK.
The IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics Internship program is designed to provide a unique opportunity for the next generation of scientists to explore an alternative career option in biomedical research by gaining experience in a national resource and core facility environment. Interns are encouraged to bring proteomics samples related to their project, enabling them to work on their own research while they are interning.
Jessica spent two weeks at IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics gaining a unique hands-on research experience which included managing the entire behind the scenes proteomics workflow – sample prep, mass spectrometry and downstream bioinformatics processing – on her own Ph.D. research samples.
“Not only did I deepen my understanding of my own research, but the experience also broadened my perspective of career opportunities beyond traditional paths.”
In addition, Jessica learned the ins and outs of mass spectrometers including instrumentation, operation and contribution to data acquisition. She also had the chance to explore career options outside of industry and academia, learning how a national core facility functions.
“Learning the intricacies of proteomics through participating in the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics internship was an amazing, eye-opening experience. Moving forward, I plan to use these insights to advance my research in the Dolan Lab and explore new directions in the field of proteomics!”
IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics provides unmatched and cost-effective access to state-of-the-art quantitative proteomics platforms and education, outreach and training opportunities that will increase the capacity of National Institutes of Health-funded investigators to perform cutting-edge biomedical research.
