Betty Dessie graduated from the University of Nebraska, with her undergraduate degree in Microbiology, in May 2024. She was recruited for research in the Herman lab in 2020, which led her to McNair, and much involvement as a TRIO & WHT Scholar. She also led her peers through many organizational involvements – one of which she served as the co-chair for diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Association of Students. She very much enjoyed her experiences as a UNL Husker. Betty earned numerous scholarships to attend UNL, these included the Davis, Health Sciences, Husker Power, Nebraska Achievement and Nebraska Emerging Leader.
Betty was an essential and valued member of the Herman lab. She was a joy to have in the lab and contributed to two main projects. Her first, further refined the involvement of an insulin-like signaling pathway in host-pathogen interactions. Her second discovered a role for temperature in the production of virulence factors in the pathogen. This led to new insights that will be the subject of an upcoming publication on which she will be an author.
Betty was one of nine students accepted to the McNair Scholars Program in Fall of 2021. She participated in the 2022 McNair Summer Research Program, where she was mentored by Dr. Michael Herman and worked closely with her graduate student mentor Sara Hopkins. Betty was one of the shining stars in her very close McNair cohort, who always offered insightful comments in our group discussions and thoughtful feedback to her fellow Scholars.
She attended the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists to present her research on the national level and was dedicated to her research. During the Summer of 2023, she expanded her research experience by participating in the Leadership Alliance REU at Brown University. Betty was a dedicated researcher and often mentioned her goal was to pursue a Ph.D. in infectious disease. Her voice will be missed in the scientific community, by her fellow Scholars, and by all of those who loved her.
