In the Kowalski Lab, we are dedicated to academic excellence and foster the open exchange of ideas in an environment grounded in mutual respect. Our community’s diversity, shaped by varied backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives, enriches our scholarship and strengthens our pursuit of excellence. We are equally committed to service within our scientific communities, contributing our time, knowledge, and collaboration to advance the greater good of science.
ADSE Science by the Slice Seminar at LCC
It was great to help kick off the winter term Science by the Slice Seminar series organized by UO graduate students in ADSE (Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering). The seminars are held at Lane County Community College and introduce the LCC students to research taking place at UO and to life as a graduate student or postdoc. My co-presenter and graduate student Sam gave a fantastic talk and science demo with 3D printed neutrophils!
UO Biology Spotlight Seminar 2024
In April 2024, we hosted Dr. Anbuhl for the second annual Spotlight Seminar supported by the UO Biology committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She gave an incredible seminar and inspiring career pathway Q&A! Kelsey is also an alum of the UO Summer Program for Undergraduate Research from 2010 and it was fantastic to have her back in Eugene.
We have secured funding to hold the Spotlight Seminar again in 2025!
2024 Spotlight Seminar committee: Caitlin Kowalski, Killian Campbell, Jarrod Smith, Natanya Villegas
UO Biology Spotlight Seminar 2023
In 2022, we founded the University of Oregon Spotlight Seminar and submitted a proposal to the Biology Department Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee for funding. We were thrilled to have the grant awarded! The aim of the seminar is to bring an exceptional junior scientist (senior grad student or postdoc) to UO to give a research seminar and do a Q&A with UO trainees. The hope is that this seminar, by selecting a speaker from a historically excluded group, will increase peer-level diversity while also supporting the speaker’s science career. Based on community nominations we selected our inaugural candidate who gave the Spotlight Seminar in May 2023! Dr. Stepfanie Aguillon (Stanford) gave an exceptional, inspiring seminar. We are excited to have received funding to hold the event for the second year in spring 2024!
More information on the UO Biology DEI efforts can be found here.
2023 Spotlight Seminar committee: Caitlin Kowalski, T. Jarrod Smith, Julia Ngo, and Killian Campbell
Q?rius Outreach at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC
In November 2023, the L’Oréal fellows and National Museum of Natural History postdoctoral fellows took part in a panel for community middle school students as part of the museum outreach program: Q?rius. After the panel session, we broke into small groups to speak with the students over pizza. We learned about their favorite science classes and what they wanted to be when they grew up. We answered questions about how we saw ourselves in middle school and how we ended up as scientists today. It was a very rewarding experience!
Kowalski Lab 