Peter Kofinas provided me with valuable mentorship while I was at UMD. My success is his success
Kobe Grismore is a graduate of the bachelor’s of science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Maryland. He is now a doctoral student at the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering Program at the University of Texas, advised by Professor Lydia Contreras. Currently, his research spans RNA modifications, systems biology, protein-metabolite interactions, metabolic engineering and gene regulation. We asked him some questions about his life at UT. These were his responses.
What was your undergraduate research focus, under Professor Peter Kofinas, and how does that tie to your current work?
“My research focus at UMD focused on developing polyurethane foam embedded with iron nanoparticles. The goal of this project was to identify how different concentrations of iron nanoparticles within polyurethane foam alter the polyurethane foam’s compressibility and dielectric constant.
There are no direct ties to my current work as I am now focused on identifying how the oxidized guanine nucleotide and oxidized guanosine triphosphate, affect the purine metabolic pathway within Escherichia Coli.”
As a former member of the Kofinas lab, what learning experiences were transformative for your career in academia?
“One experience that I value in Kofinas lab was the ability to give frequent presentations. I gave several presentations either through group meetings or poster presentations. This practice helped instill confidence in my ability to convey research findings and helped me become a better public speaker.”
How was your UMD advisor key to your undergraduate experience?
“Peter Kofinas was very helpful during my undergraduate studies. He was an excellent professor who showed passion towards the course and towards student success. He was an excellent mentor for my research as well. He was always available to listen to ideas, provide feedback on scientific ideas, and troubleshoot experimental design. I greatly appreciated the mentorship he provided me when I was learning how to give presentations. He would provide advice on how to properly convey scientific material and help me reorganize my talks in a concise manner.”
As a recipient of the NSF graduate research fellowship, how will this award support your doctoral research?
“It provides me the creative flexibility to dive into the research that I am most passionate about so that I can eventually lead a lab of my own one day.”
After being awarded the fellowship, what made you look back to share the news with your UMD advisor?
“Peter Kofinas provided me with valuable mentorship while I was at UMD. My success is his success.”
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