Carson Moen

• B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Saginaw Valley State University
• Currently a first-year student in MGG PhD program

I received my B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Saginaw Valley State University. During my time as an undergrad, I had the opportunity to partake in several research projects. My first project entailed comparing the effect that stocking walleye from the Muskegon river into the Saginaw Bay for the past 40 years had on the genetic distance between the two populations. It was during this project that I fell in love with genetics and strove to pursue a future in it. Other projects during my undergrad include monitoring public beaches for E. coli contamination, quantifying COVID-19 in high risk areas using sewer discharge, and lastly, exploring the effects of microplastic phagocytosis on T. pyriformis.

Once I graduated from Saginaw Valley, I started working as a microbiologist doing food pathogen quantification. It was during this time I learned about the CMMG program. I was amazed at the research that was being done here and wanted to join. I am extremely happy to be part of this program and to become a better scientist.