Alison Mikulyuk

Education/degrees:

BA, Biology, Grinnell College
PhD, UW–Madison

Previous positions held: 

• Natural Resources Research Scientist
• Lakes & Rivers Team Leader

Current position or career path:

I lead Water@UW-Madison, which is a community of practice comprising over 170 faculty across 50 divisions at UW-Madison whose research interests include water. I design and implement programs that support collaborative, transdisciplinary, and community-engaged water work. Example programs include our grant competition supporting community-based water research; a cross-site, cross-discipline undergraduate REU; a cross-site Art/Science collaborative project called Flow; as well as academic symposia, poster sessions, and informal networking events.

Advice for current graduate students and postdocs:

My career path isn’t a straight line. If that applies to you, don’t worry! A winding path can be really beautiful. If you find yourself meandering, follow your intuition, pay attention to what gives you professional satisfaction, don’t panic if you don’t know your next step, and always take advantage of diverse, surprising, and out-of-the-box experiences. If you are able, find a kind, supportive, and keen-minded mentor who can provide long term perspective and support that can be so helpful while navigating a winding path.