Hi! My name is Hope Welhaven and I am a first year PhD student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. I recently graduated from Carroll College in Helena, MT with two degrees in Health Sciences and Public Health and a minor in Biology. During my time at Carroll I was on the track and field team and threw the javelin, was involved in student government, and most importantly, I was a student advocate and ally for sexual assault prevention and awareness.
As a first-year PhD student, I am still somewhat unsure of what I would like to do as a career. There are days where I would love to teach, join the field of industry, work for the government, open my own biotech company, or do something I haven’t even thought of yet. Overall, my dream is to make an impact on people and although I don’t know what that looks like right now, I am excited to see this dream come to fruition.
Always a STEM Girl at Heart
Ever since I was a young girl I dreamed of being an astronaut. I continued to tell my mom, my family, and everyone around me that I was going to go to the moon someday! As I got older I never counted out the idea of being an astronaut but maybe thought medicine was for me. After my brother was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, seeing him in the hospital, adjusting our family life around him, I realized that I wanted to be a doctor like the doctors that helped my brother.
Fast forward to my first year of college, I was deemed a “pre-med” student and took classes like biology, chemistry, and calculus. Being the type A person I am, I decided to add a public health major to really have a good outlook on medicine and to better my application. I took this one step further and became a certified nursing assistant (CNA) to obtain hands on medical experience. As I was taking all the right classes, double-majoring, gaining hours as a CNA, and volunteering I thought “What else can I add to my resume to better my application for medical school?” The obvious answer was research! Once I made the decision to join an undergraduate research lab, my life hasn’t been the same since.
Finding My Home in Research
I joined Dr. Alyssa Hahn’s lab where I studied osteoarthritis, learned metabolomics, and performed research that had never been done, let alone by an undergraduate researcher. This allowed me to apply for grant funding, attend international conferences where I presented my groundbreaking work, network with many individuals from all over the world, and gave me a stellar publication (and one more to come). Most importantly, through joining the Hahn lab and having a female mentor, conducting profound research, exposing myself to all aspects of science, I quickly realized research is where I am meant to be. Since then I haven’t looked back!
While I was in the Hahn lab I found a love for orthopedic research. Here I focused on the effects of mechanical loading on joint diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Young me who aspired to be an astronaut would have been very proud of me today because I was fortunate enough to receive grant funding from NASA! While I conducted research on behalf of NASA, I focused on the effects mechanical loading and gravity on on tissues like bone and cartilage. While osteoarthritis effects many of those on earth, it also impacts astronauts in space because they aren’t placing loads on their joints. Overall, my job was to learn more about the aberrant nature of osteoarthritis here on earth and in space to ultimately better the health of astronauts before, during, and after space flight. This experience was a one in a lifetime opportunity and my love for orthopedics has only grown which is why I continue to do the same research today!
Finding the Right Mentor
Beyond the nitty gritty science, I was very fortunate enough to have Dr. Alyssa Hahn as my PI and mentor. Having an empowered female scientist as my role model and advocate was crucial for my development as a scientist. There were countless days where I would email her in a panic, run to her office and sit there for hours bouncing ideas off each other, and spent many conversations over coffee simply discussing life. Dr. Hahn never failed to tell me things I may not have wanted to hear, pushed me as a scientist, revised my personal statement numerous times, and always assured me that I am smart enough and deserved everything that I had worked for and received.
There was a pivotal moment where I realized how grateful I was to have such an empowering and brilliant female mentor. We were preparing weeks before the International Orthopedic Society General Assembly where I had been selected for a podium presentation following the keynote speaker of the conference. As the brown-eyed blonde-haired woman I am, I asked, “Do you think I should dye my hair brown instead of having my blonde hair so people take me more seriously?” Dr. Hahn immediately responded, “No, you have a groundbreaking message to share. It doesn’t matter what your hair color is, what matters is your hard work and your findings.” She may have been biased as a blonde woman herself, but I will remember this forever.
Next Steps in my Career
As I head into the next few years of graduate school in pursuit of a PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry I hope to obtain two certificates offered through my university: statistics and teaching. Additionally, I hope to attend and present at many conferences (both virtually and in person), publish papers, and add to the general knowledge of the field of orthopedics and science as a whole. Although I don’t have a defined plan, I look forward to the future and making a difference in the field of science and beyond.
Advice to Anyone Interested in Science
My best advice to anyone interested in science, whether that is at the undergraduate or graduate level, always say yes to the next right thing. This can be a scary thing to do, but if you continue to say yes and put your best effort into those things, you’ll be surprised by the opportunities you get, people you meet, and you’ll meet your goals, surpass them, or realize that your goals before didn’t suit you. I continued to say yes by pursuing two degrees, becoming a CNA, then doing research and I believe if I hadn’t done all those things I wouldn’t be where I am today, I wouldn’t I be the scientist I am today, or if at all.
This may look different to everyone. You may be faced with trying a new skill in the lab and it could lead to an unexpected discovery. You may be randomly paired with someone in a class and they could end as your best friend. You may be asked to help with an experiment even though you are swamped, but in the end, you got to co-author the paper. When you say yes, put in your best effort, and maintain a good attitude the negative things that may occur aren’t your fault. As scientists it is important to be okay with failure. Experiments don’t always go as planned, results aren’t statistically significant, and sometimes you spend months on something that just simply doesn’t work. At the end of the day, if you tried your hardest, applied yourself, and learned from the experience, then you are a scientist.
If you have any questions about orthopedic research, metabolomics, or about grad school including applications, interviews, and what it is like to be a grad student feel free to email me at hwelhaven@gmail.com and I will be happy to talk to you! My instagram handle is @thehopefulscientist if you’d like to follow along on my journey. Also, feel free to add me on LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-w-55aa5211b/
