Christine Kelly College of Engineering
Kelsey Childress Student | College of Engineering
University Honors College
Biofuels and Relationships
When sophomore Kelsey Childress joined Christine Kelly’s lab as a Johnson Intern in July 2007, she was given a spectrophotometer, an enzyme assay and a list of things to do. Childress was brand new to lab work, but started contributing immediately. “Kelsey’s a born researcher,” says Kelly, an associate professor of chemical bioengineering whose work focuses on looking at new enzymes that might be applied to turning biomass into biofuels. “If something doesn’t work, she’ll know it, and then she’ll figure out why.”
Kelly wasn’t surprised. She’d heard from other students in the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering that Childress, a University Honors College student, was “wicked smart.” Even so, Childress’ experience in the lab was invaluable for her. It helped her learn patience. “It always goes wrong the first 50 times,” says Childress. “You’re just always getting closer and closer to hopefully being a success.”
The work Childress has done with Kelly, as well as a summer internship in biomedical engineering – has influenced how she thinks of her future. “I used to want to go right out into industry after graduating, but now I realize I definitely want to go to graduate school because of how much I like research,” she says. Right now, at least, Childress is aiming to study biomedical engineering, and specifically the circulatory system.
Still, Kelly is much more than a lab mentor for Childress – she’s also a support system and confidant. “It’s great to be able to come and hang out on Christine’s couch after a tough day,” says Childress. “I don’t get that opportunity with every other professor.” For Kelly, that kind of accessibility comes naturally.
“Some people are relational,” she says. “So when they interact with students at all it’s a relationship. It just has to do with your innate personality, I think.”
