Kia Ramarui: 2020 GSA President

Kia Ramarui is a Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. Yantao Li. She was recently elected to be the President of the IMET Graduate Student Association (GSA), so we sat down to ask her a few questions about her graduate research and her vision for the GSA in the coming year.

Why did you want to become the IMET GSA President?

I wanted to become an advocate for the graduate students and improve as a leader. I was previously the president of my sorority at UMBC, which taught me a lot about leadership. I wanted to continue this work in a different setting at IMET. Recently, I’ve been learning more about student issues at the graduate level to help me represent my peers.

What do you hope to accomplish for the GSA this year?

IMET’s really unique because we’re not a typical campus. We have access to a lot of core facilities here, which is great for our research. However, one issue that comes up is that we are interested in having more spaces that can be used for student activities. The previous two GSA presidents made a lot of progress on gaining some dedicated student spaces where we can go to focus outside of the lab, and I’m looking forward to continuing that trend. Already, we’ve started a writing group that we host in the new student library conference room. This writing group was entirely student-organized and it’s been a really beneficial resource for us. As the GSA president, I can help promote student-led initiatives like the writing group and advocate for funds and space with the administration.

In September 2019, Kia Ramarui defended her master’s thesis, which she completed in the lab of Dr. Yantao Li. After receiving her M.S., she decided to continue as a Ph.D. student in the same lab, working on related research. Her thesis was entitled, “Improving Haematococcus pluvialis growth and astaxanthin production through chemical mutagenesis.”

What are you researching and why is it important?

I’m researching the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis. That species is really unique because it produces a potent antioxidant molecule. This antioxidant is particularly well-suited for use in salmon aquaculture feed. First, because its pigment is red, it gives salmon a pink flesh color, which is what people are used to eating. Second, as a strong antioxidant, it is very healthy for the fish. Today, it is not being used in the industry because there isn’t a good method for growing it at an industrial scale at a low cost. My master’s research focused on evaluating mutant strains of this microalga to see which ones grow the best, or have an enhanced growth phenotype. For my Ph.D., I’ll be looking at the molecular mechanism behind this desirable phenotype to understand what’s behind improved growth in certain H. pluvialis mutant strains. 

Why did you choose to pursue your Ph.D. at IMET?

I wanted to continue to work in the Li Lab because I really liked my lab environment. My advisor, Yantao Li, is really good at considering what will be important down the road so that I set myself up well for success. For example, he encouraged me, even as a master’s student, to keep an eye out for any grants I could apply to and any funding opportunities that might be available. I’m currently writing a proposal and am about to submit it. Yantao and my lab mates have been supportive and by continuing in this lab, I feel I have what I need to be successful in my studies and future career.