Tag: STEM

Sophomore and Honors College student Ciara Alderman initially chose to major in biochemistry because her career plan was to attend medical school. Though her aspirations have changed, her love her biochemistry has only grown.

“I love challenging myself and learning about the biochemical processes that affects every living organism.”

When looking for colleges, Ciara was looking for a place that was welcoming, student-centered and somewhere that she knew she could succeed.

“Allowing undergraduates to participate in research and projects the way Clemson does is unheard of. I knew that Clemson would provide me with the resources and experiences I need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

Now that Ciara has been on campus for a while, she has found a community in the Genetics and Biochemistry department, with both students and faculty.

“I think we have the best faculty and staff of any department!”

Aside from the departmental community, Ciara has become involved in several extracurricular activities on campus. One is working for Clemson Home as a Residential Community Mentor (RCM) helping students navigate their freshman year at Clemson.

“The most fulfilling part of my job is being a mentor to my residents. Being an RCM fills me with unexplainable joy as I help foster an inclusive community that creates an environment for students to succeed.”

Ciara is also a member of Clemson’s Xi Chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon (A.O.E), a professional and social sorority for women in engineering and science focused on friendship, leadership and professionalism. Being a member of A.O.E has given Ciara the opportunity to connect with women in all STEM fields as well as other Genetics and Biochemistry majors.

“Through A.O.E, I have made lifelong friends, developed my professional skills and made a positive impact in my community.”

This semester Ciara joined a Creative Inquiry (CI) project focused on running standardized national STEM competitions for K-12 students.

“I am passionate about providing students with the opportunity to develop their STEM knowledge, skills and experiences before entering college, and this CI gives me the chance.”

In her free time, Ciara enjoys playing sports like volleyball, spikeball, football and pickleball with her friends. She is a huge fan of Clemson sports attends all the games she can. She also loves the outdoors, taking advantage of Clemson’s location in the upstate by hiking and kayaking on Lake Hartwell, walking at the Dikes and camping in the Blue Ridge. On days when she wants to relax, Ciara loves to read anything from short memoirs and essay collections to historical fiction and mysteries.

“A fun fact about me is that I have a black belt in Karate!”

Ciara’s aspirations grew and changed as she delved into the world of biochemistry. No longer was medical school at the forefront of her brain. After graduation, Ciara aspires to go on to Physical Therapy school and get her DPT.

“It is my dream to be able to work for a sports team as a Physical Therapist to help athletes get back on their feet and back to the sport they love.”

If you are looking for senior genetics major Kate Miller, you may find her in the classroom, sports concession stands, Dr. Powder’s lab or on Wednesdays, you’ll see her taking advantage of the $5 sushi deal at Publix.

Both Kate’s focus on community and STEM brought her to Clemson University.

“I came to Clemson because my first visit in middle school caused me to absolutely fall in love with Clemson’s tight-knit community and its emphasis on STEM programs.”

Kate chose her genetics major and her biological sciences minor because she wanted the ability to study both biology and chemistry on a deeper level. Kate says she hopes both her major and minor help in her pursuit of going to Pathologist Assistant school.

“The best part of being in the G&B department has been the personalized support from my mentors and advisors. As a smaller department, I have a strong network with the faculty who make me feel comfortable and supported with my academic and career questions.”

Outside of classes, Kate is involved in extracurriculars but the most important to her is working as a student researcher in Dr. Kara Powder’s lab with the Clemson Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research program. In Dr. Powder’s lab she studies craniofacial development of cichlid fishes.

Kate loves working with the fish and notes that this opportunity has greatly enhanced her laboratory skills. Kate’s personal project from this summer explores the developmental effects of estrogen on facial structure.

“Endocrine disruptors such as estrogen have been found in the environment due to pollution, and this research will show what may happen to the facial development of humans if exposed, especially in utero.”

In addition to undergraduate research, Kate is a member and leader of BeakerBox, a CI project where we develop interactive lesson plans for middle school science classrooms in South Carolina. BeakerBox aims to engage 6th-8th graders in the life sciences by keeping science fun and interesting.

“After graduation I plan on going back to school to become a pathologist assistant. My favorite classes right now are Toxicology and Anatomy, which are both fascinating and helping to lay a solid foundation for my future career!”

Senior biochemistry student Ryan Mehlem was part of a group that won the Pay it Forward competition, sponsored by South Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

The Pay it Forward competition challenges students at Clemson University, South Carolina State University or the University of South Carolina to propose solutions to pressing social and economic problems in rural areas. Students work as teams to create a solution to a long-standing issue, presented as a research paper and video.

Other students in the winning group include Mercy Crapps and Natalia Nortz, both biological sciences majors. The group received $1,000 for their design for a mobile STEM academy toolkit that provides resources, volunteer support and community outreach to students in rural South Carolina schools. The STEM education toolkit helps teachers provide their students with an experiential learning approach that can complement textbook learning or computer simulations in the classroom.

“I remember from my middle school experience, I was able to do some molecular biology practices and techniques which was exciting and interesting,” said Mehlem. “And now I work with those in my own research, pretty much every day.”

When building their STEM education project proposal, the team’s research focused mostly on middle schools, talking to staff at several rural schools throughout the state before developing their initiative.

The trio plans to start with fewer than 10 schools before refining their toolkit and expanding to other locations.