Big Shoes to Fill

Susan Brooks, PhD

Graduate Chair & Professor, Molecular & Integrative Physiology

After several years in the co-pilot seat, observing as Dan Michele expertly and effectively steered the ship of our MIP PhD program, I took over as Graduate Program Director on January 1, 2021. I want to take this opportunity to recognize Dan’s exceptional dedication to our program. Importantly, I must acknowledge his unequivocal commitment to and advocacy for our students. I am continually awed at his ability to balance the needs and concerns of individual students with the best interests of the group and the greater good of the Program and Department. The integrity, sincerity, and grace with which Dan addresses head on the many challenges experienced by students, mentors and colleagues while also never missing an opportunity to celebrate their successes, big and small, provide an example that we should all strive to emulate. I know that I will, as I attempt to fill his very big shoes.

The personal, academic, and professional trials brought to bear by the many tumultuous events of the past year have demanded that we employ great creativity to maintain the quality of our instruction and mentorship, the productivity and well-being of our current students, and our historically enviable record recruiting outstanding new students. Under unprecedented conditions, I believe that collectively we have demonstrated spectacular success. Despite the requirement for only remote interactions, all eight of our first year students were advanced to candidacy, and we welcomed seven new PIBS students with a primary interest in MIP who have been engaged in the virtual classroom and in both virtual and in-person research rotations. Although disappointed by our inability to offer customary celebratory events that are so well deserved, seven students virtually defended their PhD dissertations and have moved on to post-graduate opportunities. We have maintained our traditions of candidate seminars and held our annual Research Symposium that included an absolutely exceptional slate of Davenport Research Award presentations that would rival anything one might see at a national or international meeting. Finally, we executed two recruitment weekend “visits” with applicants from every corner of the country. We are still awaiting the results of our efforts in terms of acceptances of our offers, but I believe we did a Zoomtacular job of displaying the collegiality and concern of our Michigan MIP family. Regardless of what the future holds for reestablishing more “normal” day-to-day lives, I remain committed to maintaining our family feel, while also striving for a climate of inclusiveness and equity for all our students.

A year ago, I could not have imagined that today we would still be working from home, teaching remotely, staffing labs at limited capacity, and unable to gather as a Department, graduate program or even as a lab group. While we are still facing a long road back to a new normal, we have emerged from the darkest, coldest days of this winter, and we have done so with a greater appreciation for the importance of sharing a smile and a story and supporting each other. I look forward to a beautiful Michigan spring and summer filled with increased opportunities for engagement and excellence in research training along with some long-awaited and well-deserved face time (not FaceTime). Additional unforeseen challenges will undoubtedly come our way, and I am reassured knowing that Dan, with his vast experience and insight, is only a phone call away and will always have my back. I hope our students will learn to trust that I have theirs, and if I can in even a small way foster an MIP PhD experience for them in which memories of celebrating shared accomplishments and gratitude for our caring community outweigh the difficulties and trials, I will consider it job well done. •