When students walk into their BIO 173 labs, they might find any number of things waiting for them: soil, potatoes, chicken broth, all ready for the week’s experiments. Making it all happen behind the scenes is Katie Grzymkowski, Lab Coordinator for the Program in Biology.  Katie has set up the labs for almost every course taught in PiB, and BIO 173 - Introductory Biology Laboratory always keeps her on her toes. “I've learned that I really like to plan and organize,” Katie said on a recent afternoon, while preparing microbiome media for a lab planned by Dr. Eric Martens in Michigan Medicine. The particular experiment is new to the course this year, and allows students to test which bacteria favor certain carbohydrates. As she stacked plates and plates of media, she explained this was one of the easy ones. “For the first lab of the semester, they wanted soil, so I hauled in 17 bags of soil.” 


Katie’s interest in science bloomed after she left traditional high school for an online program. “I convinced my mom,” she said, “and once I switched, I realized I actually really loved to learn, and it was a lot of fun.” She spent her free time reading books about science, and did a deep dive into neurobiology. While she considered studying neuroscience, she also knew that her ravenous curiosity might not be satisfied by any one field. She majored in biology at Bowling Green State University, never choosing a particular niche, and instead following her interests to a variety of biological topics.

Out of college, Katie got a job in a microbiology lab, testing products for FDA approval. “It was very cold. It felt like it just took all the fun out of curiosity,” she said. When she saw a posting for a lab tech position in PiB, she knew it would be a great place to build her skills. She fit right in on the team. “I love everybody here,” she said. “This year, the leaves are taking a while to change. We all have our hypotheses about why that might be. If I see a cool spider, well, we all have to get up to see what species that spider is.” Katie was quickly promoted to her current position, and her past experience in microbiology still comes in handy for keeping things sterile and tidy. “I probably use more ethanol than anybody I've ever seen in the lab.”


Katie’s interests continue to evolve, and she recently decided to enroll in the Conservation Stewards Program at Michigan State University, focusing on conservation efforts in Wayne County. “Sibley Prairie, in Wayne County, is one of the rarest ecosystems on Earth,” Katie explained. “It's a tallgrass prairie. In the U.S. more than 99% of all tallgrass prairies have been repurposed for industrialization, agriculture, or residential development.” Katie is working with a coalition to preserve and protect the prairie–an important venue for carbon sequestration–and to ensure its legacy for the people of Wayne County. The program has given Katie renewed optimism for the future. “You know when you get to the part of the nature documentary that’s a big bummer? I can listen to those parts now and think, we can do something about it. I hear an opportunity for us to put our best foot forward.”


Still someone who prefers balancing multiple projects, Katie is also managing a pollinator garden in Brighton, organizing volunteer events and developing a strategic plan for the garden’s future. She is a member of a dance troupe, One Spirit Belly Dance, both performing and designing and sewing the costumes. She credits her neurodiversity for her ability to multitask, both in her hobbies and at work preparing lab courses. “I have ADD, and I do so many different things. I would always joke that this job favors people with that sort of mindset.” Thank you, Katie, for all you do for the U-M community and beyond!