From the September 2023 edition of the Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA) Student Spotlight
About: I am pursuing a Master of Science degree in ESGP (Environmental Science Graduate Program) while working in Dr. Peter Piermarini’s mosquito lab. I was born and raised in South Korea until I went to the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) as an undergraduate. In there, I got dual degrees in Bachelor of Science (Ecology and evolutionary biology) and Art (Art and design). Even today, I enjoy drawing in my free time!
Research: I am studying whether mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) become less repelled by insect repellents when the temperature is high. Many known repellents (e.g., citronellal) affect mosquitoes by opening ion channels called TRPA1. Interestingly, mosquito TRPA1 can also open when exposed to high heat above 37°C. By using voltage clamp technique, I am examining whether heat desensitizes mosquito TRPA1 and lowers the potency of widely used repellents.
Get to know!
1. What story does your family always tell about you?
y mom always tells me that I barely talked as a preschooler, so she was so surprised when I guessed right names of fishes whenever we watched marine life documentaries or when I recited all the Pokémons’ names.
2. Favorite quote from book/TV/game/movie?
“Knowing leads to loving” is my favorite quote from a renowned biologist and author Choe Jaechun. This quote can be found in many of his books, where he emphasizes how learning about life feeds our curiosity and motivates us to love and appreciate it. This saying always resonates with me because it reminds me that I should not build hatred on others before I take a chance to learn about them.
3. If you were a mythical creature, what would you be and why?
I don’t know if aliens count as a mythical creature, but I think it will be fun to be an alien. I would love to see what technologies they got and see how they can travel across space
