Sreemoye Nath is a graduate student working in the lab of Dr. Calvin Henard. The lab's research focuses on the greenhouse gas methane. Specifically, Sreemoye is working on a bacterium that uses biogas and natural processes, without any bioengineering or gene editing, to create lactate, a major industrially valuable chemical.

"I lived and India and Florida before moving to Texas so I have experienced the severe impact of global warming in the form of natural disasters in both places," said Sreemoye. "As our lab objective is to develop commercially valuable chemicals from greenhouse gases, I found this to be a way to impact the carbon footprint positively. I know that I cannot change the world, but I am sure this is how I can make the impact I want."

Sreemoye's goal is to engineer this naturally occurring bacteria to enhance its ability to take up more methane and make a product that is commercially valuable. This research could result in the creation of useful chemicals and bioplastic.

"The outcome of this research has the potential to reduce global warming by having access to biodegradable plastic," said Sreemoye. "Every small success in my project gives me the feeling that I am making progress to impact the significant challenges we face today."

Sreemoye's mentor in the lab is Dr. Calvin Henard, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular biology. She says he keeps her on track if she starts to lose focus on the project at hand and is always helpful providing resources that aid in the research.

"Dr. Henard has an excellent depth of knowledge in this arena of science, which works as a guiding light for me when I am lost in the puzzle of unknown scientific questions or failure," she said. "Despite his vast knowledge, he never pushes his opinion on me when it comes to research. He always gives me the chance to ask my own scientific question and come up with the research ideas that I think I want to explore. Altogether, he has a balance to nurture his graduate students so that they do not lose track and get the chance to develop themselves as self-dependent scientists."

"I was told early in my career that a principal investigator's success is dictated, in part, by the quality of their first graduate student. If this adage holds true, my laboratory should be quite successful with Sree at the helm," said Dr. Henard of his student. "She is a natural leader, taking on immense responsibility setting up equipment, implementing protocols, and establishing essential techniques to get the lab up and running. Day-to-day operations run smoothly thanks to Sree. Further, she has played a vital role in forming a welcoming and inclusive laboratory dynamic as she is always enthusiastic to mentor and train incoming undergraduate and graduate researchers."

Sreemoye, who has a master's degree in biology from the University of West Florida and a Bachelor's Degree from Bangalore University, India, chose UNT because the of the Tier One research opportunities available here. Her advice to fellow students who hope to pursue research is this: "You do not have to be super smart to be a scientist. An average intellectual person can be an excellent scientist if he is patient, have a persistent mentality, and has a good work ethic. Also, it is okay not to know. Your interest to know and work hard towards it is all it requires."