[fblike]Can you describe your experience at the Gatton Academy?
I was a member of the first class to graduate from the Academy in 2008. I’m sure that things were a lot different when I was enrolled, but I personally had a great time being a “guinea pig”. I struggled through Computational Problem Solving but enjoyed my Biology and Chemistry classes. The research I was able to do with Dr. Jacobshagen prepared me for later research projects and internships. I made a number of great friends that year with whom I still keep in regular contact—in fact, I went on a road trip with four of them just this summer.
How have your experiences at the Gatton Academy helped you in your adult life?
Attending the Academy prepared me to succeed in college and graduate school, but it also did wonders for my social development. Living 24/7 with three people in my suite, twenty on my hall and one hundred and twenty in the whole building was an intensive course in human behavior and sociology. I learned how to treat people well and to rationalize issues rather than blowing up about them. Sometimes I learned these things the hard way, but I’m glad I learned them. On another note, I learned very quickly that all-nighters are not the way to do well on tests or to learn material.
Since the Academy, what have you been up to?
I majored in Molecular Biology and German at Vanderbilt University studying abroad in Germany my junior year. Now I’m in my first semester of a Ph.D. program in Genetics at the University of Georgia. Recently, I submitted a National Science Foundation grant for a project on plant biomass breakdown by thermophilic bacteria, a process which has applications for the development of plants as a bioenergy source.
What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
I hope to receive a Ph.D. in about 5 years and to continue doing research in a bioenergy-focused laboratory. Eventually I want to lead a research team either at a university or a research institute.
What was your favorite memory from your time at the Gatton Academy?
The “Pop, Lock & Drop It” song was pretty popular at the time, and I distinctly remember participating in a few lobby dance parties at night before curfew. Also, lunches and dinners with friends at Garrett and DUC were always a lot of fun.
We would like to thank Joseph for taking time out of his busy semester to be interviewed.
If you are alumni or know of an alumni that would make a great spotlight please contact Chad Phillips, Asst. Director of Admissions and External Relations, at chad.phillips@wku.edu. We look forward to spotlighting even more alumni in the Spring term.
