Aggies Are Talking
Alumni from all over Utah, the United States, and the world, chose to make Utah State University their home away from home. Here is what they have to say about their experience while attending, as well as their experiences after graduating USU.
Kevin Cope
Promoting the Sustainable Production of Crops for Food, Feed, Fiber, and Fuel
Kevin Cope, ’13, B.S. in Plant Science and Biology. During my time at USU, I was fortunate to participate in the Undergraduate Research Fellows program, which allowed me to immerse myself in research beginning my freshman year. My mentors and the research outcomes they helped me achieve changed my life by helping me qualify to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Thanks in large part to my excellent undergraduate research experience at USU, as a graduate student at UW–Madison I was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship that funded my doctoral research on the molecular mechanisms regulating the symbiotic association of ectomycorrhizal fungi with poplar trees. This fellowship provided me with the financial freedom to focus on my research and contribute to six publications in high-impact journals like The Plant Cell and Nature Plants. After earning my Ph.D., I continued my research on beneficial plant-microbe interactions as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at South Dakota State University, but I transitioned to studying legume-tripartite interactions with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Now, at ORNL, I am refining my technical skills and finalizing my formal training to become an independent scientist that leads a research team focused on integrating crop biotechnology and plant-microbe interactions to promote the sustainable production of crops for food, feed, fiber, and fuel."
Emily Turner
A Career in National Security
Emily Turner, ’18, "My experiences and education at Utah State University helped me to launch a career in national security as a civil servant in the U.S. government. I’ve had the chance to work on nuclear defense, security, and nonproliferation issues and conduct foreign policy analysis focused on U.S.-China relations and Asia Pacific security. I currently serve in the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration and previously served in roles throughout the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Energy.I completed my master's degree in Political Science and Anticipatory Intelligence at Utah State University, where I previously graduated with four Bachelor of Arts degrees in four years in International Business, Economics, Political Science, and Asian Studies. I discovered my passion for national security through my interdisciplinary undergraduate education and received the training necessary to launch a successful career in the field as a graduate student with the support of the USU Center for Anticipatory Intelligence. No matter where life takes me, I will always be an Aggie!”
Katie Harris
The Deputy Legislative Director for a National Environmental Nonprofit
Katie Harris, ’09, graduated from Utah State University with a B.S. in Anthropology. In addition to being part of the Honors Program, I was also an Undergraduate Research Fellow. These programs prepared me to pursue a master's and Ph.D. During graduate school, my research focused on stone tool technology and how people in the past dealt with changing climates and economies. As a professional archaeologist, I also managed natural and cultural resources on public lands. After earning my Ph.D. at Washington State University, I chose to leave academia and apply my expertise on Capitol Hill as a Congressional Science & Technology Policy Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science on the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee. I now work as a Deputy Legislative Director for a national environmental nonprofit, the BlueGreen Alliance, where I use my eclectic background to contribute to federal policy on energy and the environment. My undergraduate research experience at USU taught me how to ask the right questions, developed my ability to work independently, and honed my problem-solving skills. This foundation of skills and experience helped make me successful as a Ph.D. researcher and are still crucial for my current work in policy.
Sachin Pavithran
Executive Director for U.S. Access Board
Sachin Pavithran, M.R.C. ’08, Ph.D. ‘17, accepted a position with the U.S. Access Board as the executive director. The U.S. Access Board is the leading group for making public spaces in the U.S. more accessible for persons with disabilities. The board developes standards for buildings, sidewalks, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, medical diagnostic equipment and information techncology.
Matthew Fifield
The Life of an Aerospace Test Engineer
Matthew Fifield, '08, a test manager at Honeybee Robotics in Longmont, Co., develops aerospace products for NASA, SpaceX, and Amazon. Fifield's team designed, built, and tested components on the Perseverance rover that landed on Mars in Feb. 2021.
Kolbie Blume
USU English Alum Mastered Pres. Obama's Voice
Kolbie Blume, ’14, served as the director of writing for sampled correspondence for the Office of Presidential Communication during U.S. President Barack Obama’s second term, where she responded to letters from Americans in the president’s voice.