Consultant Spotlight - August 2020

How long have you been with miLEAD? 

I joined miLEAD in August of 2019, so exactly 1 year.

What is the focus of your research?

My PhD work is focused on assessing how we can target two proteins, the immune receptor Dectin-1 and the ubiquitous phosphatase Fig4, to promote neuroregeneration and remyelination following injury to the central nervous system.

What are your career goals? 

I have had the wonderful opportunity to engage in many spaces throughout my time at U of M, including miLEAD, the Ginsberg Center, CRLT, and numerous STEM outreach organizations. Through these experiences I have gained many insights and increased my interest in areas of consulting (both biomedical and pedagogical), community outreach/engagement, and research administration. I am currently pursuing vocational opportunities in each of these spaces.

What roles have you played on projects? 

I have had the good fortune of occupying multiple positions within miLEAD, each of which have allowed me to grow as an individual and as a professional. I consulted on two different projects with drastically different structures and foci which allowed me to build my basic consulting skills. More recently, I had the opportunity to lead two different teams as a project manager, which has taught me a lot about team stewardship and leadership. In the future, I am hoping to gain a position on the miLEAD Board of Directors to further increase my contribution to the organization.

What led you to seek out milead?

I originally heard about miLEAD a few years ago through some of my neuroscience colleagues and thought it might be a good experience for developing some business acumen. As I progressed through my PhD, I found that traditional wet-bench research didn't hold my interest or inspire as much passion as many of my extracurricular engagements. Thus, to facilitate the expansion of my professional expertise, explore careers outside of academia, and help build my interpersonal network, I joined miLEAD!

Since joining miLEAD, what skills have you been able to develop?

So many skills! Even if a miLEAD consultant does not end up pursuing consulting as a career, the personal development and experiences they gain are indispensable. As a consultant, I reinforced my abilities as a researcher but in completely different fields from my own. Through primary/secondary market research and competitive/partner landscape evaluations, I exponentially developed my usage of diverse resources, enhanced my presentation skills, and became familiar with important business language. As a project manager, I have gained invaluable experience in leadership, interpersonal communication, maintaining perspective, problem-solving, strategic thinking, delegation, and mentoring.

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences thus far working with miLEAD? 

Working with the individuals from each of my teams has been one of the most rewarding experiences from my time with miLEAD. Getting the opportunity to bond, collaborate with, and mentor such a diverse array of students and post-docs from so many backgrounds, all while working toward a common goal, has been deeply gratifying. Additionally, the plethora of social and professional development opportunities offered by miLEAD have led to plenty of engaging conversations and meaningful networking that I wouldn't have been able to experience anywhere else!