Hello everyone! My name is Kelsie Delaney and I am in my final year (5th year victory lap!) of my degree program in Microbiology. I am originally from Polson, Montana, which is up by Glacier National Park. One of the first things people ask me, especially in Montana, is why I chose to go to school in Wyoming. I had many reasons, but the main motivator for me was the scholarships available. At the time, it was very difficult to leave my beautiful mountains, but in coming to Laramie I have found a new home in the Snowy Mountains and in the community.
I relate this to you because I would like to share one of the amazing opportunities I have had here at UW; one that has allowed me to relate my passion for the outdoors with my infatuation with “germs.” When most people think of bacteria, they think of the nasty pathogens that wave at us from the surface of chicken breasts or hide in those pesky cantaloupe, but most bacteria are extremely beneficial and important in ecological systems. Unlike most microbiology majors, my intent is not to attend medical school. To this end, I was able to design my course work to fit my interests in microbial ecology. Through the great approachability of our professors, I was able to propose my own research project and find funding for an overreaching question I had about water quality in Glacier National Park. I now get to brag that my office this last summer was in the backcountry of Glacier National Park, hiking, bushwhacking, and climbing my way up their streams.
I have included a picture taken by my sister while we were hiking into our base camp. While I was in the Park, I had many strange looks and questions, and I am sure you can understand why. We were hiking around people with eighty pound packs strapped with a bottomless bucket, climbing rope, cooler and bear canister! From this experience came a plethora of hilarious stories with great party-entertainment potential. Beyond the stories, however, comes the opportunity to find my way into the research world and the graduate-level experience before I enter into that world with a project that has great educational and application potential.