Dr. Julia Bowsher is an Associate Professor at North Dakota State University and is a crucial part of the Fargo ICE group. Currently, she is the lead scientist on a multi-million dollar NSF grant that combines professors, and USDA scientists across three different states. Julia’s expertise is in evolution and development and was inspired to be a scientist after watching Eugenie Clark on National Geographic. Her favorite part of being a professor is that every day is different, and there’s always an opportunity to grow. One of her favorite stories to tell is about her first new PCR machine. Julia bought her new lab a PCR machine and for several weeks her and her students fought to get it to work. Turns out there was a spare 96 well plate on the hot block, that was keeping the machine from running. Julia calls it such “a silly mistake” but it taught her that even faculty members can make mistakes and that mistakes can come at all stages in your career.

Currently, Julia is working on CRISPR/Cas 9, a technique she learned on her sabbatical in Singapore! She hopes to continue using this technique to pursue her dream projects which involve multiple collaborations with colleagues. In case you weren’t convince that Julia is a super woman she ran her first triathlon at 40 years old! We love having Julia as part of the lab because her passion for self-development and determination is contagious!

By: Elisabeth Wilson