Persistent program coordinator prepares students for research careers
Kathy Denning | Program Coordinator | Office for Advancing Success in Science
Some undergraduate students want to become researchers but don’t know how to break into those professions. KU staff like Kathy Denning help demystify pathways for these students to begin their careers.
Denning is a program coordinator in the Office for Advancing Success in Science (OASiS). She has been in her current role for eight years and was previously a KU graduate student who earned her doctorate in ecology & evolutionary biology. Denning leads professional development training and advising for undergraduate students and postbaccalaureate researchers.
“Kathy is incredibly empathetic, and the students trust and respect her,” said Paulyn Cartwright, director of OASiS and professor of ecology & evolutionary biology. “She is also highly organized, efficient and hardworking, which makes the jobs of the training program PIs a lot easier.”
Denning’s role has evolved over time. She previously coordinated the National Institutes of Health-funded PREP program, which supports postbaccalaureate scholars, but she recently transitioned to facilitating the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program that serves undergraduate students. Denning recruits scholars and advises them throughout their time in the program. She also teaches group workshops on scientific writing, statistical analysis and the graduate school application process.
“During monthly PREP meetings, Kathy always asked me how I was doing in my courses. I didn’t fall behind,” said a student that Denning mentored. “I was concerned once about an exam, but Kathy helped me through that. Kathy always had plenty of time to talk to me anytime I needed support.”
In addition to supporting learners, Denning works to expand training programs to serve more students than is currently possible. She works closely with faculty and other academic staff to identify and apply for new grant opportunities, collects data to report to other university offices and helps write progress reports to comply with funder requirements. As changes to federal grant programs created uncertainty last year, colleagues say Denning served as a continuous source of inspiration.
“When staff morale was down due to the sudden termination of many of our training programs, Kathy never lost motivation,” Cartwright said. “She announced that she was going to keep moving forward or go down with the ship because our objectives were too important not to keep trying.
“Her fortitude boosted the morale of staff and scholars and helped us all through a difficult time.”
