Dr. Paul Goetsch received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2012. He moved to the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2013 to work as a Postdoctoral Researcher with Dr. Susan Strome where he received fellowships from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine and American Cancer Society for his work on DREAM complex function. His work focuses on understanding cell identity, especially in relation to cancer biology, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system and functional genomics techniques that integrate CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools, next-gen sequencing analysis, genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology.Dr. Goetsch started as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Michigan Tech in August, 2018.
Dr. Caryn L. Heldt is the James and Lorna Mack Chair in Bioengineering, Acting Director of the Health Research Institute, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Biological Sciences at Michigan Technological University. She received her B.S. in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 2001. She worked for two years at BASF Corporation before commencing her Ph.D. studies. Upon receiving her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University in 2008 under the guidance of Dr. Ruben Carbonell, she joined Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for her 2-year postdoctoral training under the guidance of Dr. Georges Belfort. In 2010, Dr. Heldt began as an Assistant Professor at Michigan Technological University and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015. In 2015, Dr. Heldt was awarded an NSF CAREER award to study virus surface chemistry. Her lab is focused on the purification, removal, inactivation and detection of viruses and manufacturing of viral gene therapies.
Dr. Alexandra Morrison is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Michigan Technological University. Her main research areas include 20th Century Phenomenological Thought, Social and Political Philosophy, Feminist Philosophy, the Philosophy of Technology and Engineering Ethics. She is currently working on a manuscript that addresses the role of mood/ affect in identity formation and critical ethical engagement. She is also working on an interdisciplinary project in engineering ethics that aims to incorporate insights from the Philosophy of Technology, Phenomenology, and Science and Technology Studies to help elucidate the ways in which technological involvement transforms our agency, including our moral agency.