BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
3
JULY
2014
PATRICK MCCARTER
Patrick McCarter became
interested in science
during his time as an
undergraduate at North
Carolina Agricultural and
Technical State Univer-
sity. He spent a summer
working with
Dave Mack
at the Thomas Jefferson
National Accelerator Facility, where he had the
opportunity to conduct research and present it
to other scientists. The experience was a valu-
able one, and also helped Patrick realize that he
wanted to work in a field more closely related to
human health.
After graduating with his BS in Physics, Patrick
pursued an MS in Computational Science and
Engineering, during which time he was able to
explore a more health-oriented career path via the
BPS Summer Research Program. He says, “The
BPS Summer Research Program was paramount
to my development as I finished my MS…I
found that biophysics is my niche. The program
gave me the opportunity to really see what a
PhD program was designed to do.” He entered a
program at UNC after completing his MS, and is
currently pursuing his PhD in Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology with a certificate in the
Program for Molecular and Cellular Biophysics.
It was his own experience in the BPS Summer Re-
search Program that made Patrick eager to work
as a TA this year. He explains, “I definitely ma-
tured a lot as a Summer Course student. I felt that
because I once sat in their seats, I would be able
to help the current students make the most out of
their summer here at UNC.” Patrick hopes one
day to hold a tenured faculty position from which
he could design courses that would benefit from
his varied experiences. His goal as a professor will
be to help students see “that problems in nature
are often not isolated to one discipline, and that
the solution to those problems can benefit from
all of our combined knowledge,” he explains.
LIOR VERED
Lior Vered did not grow
up with a particular inter-
est in science. She did not
have any family members
in scientific fields; her
father served in the Israeli
Air Force and later worked
in finance, and her mother
had a career as a print and
television journalist. Lior herself studied sociology
and philosophy for a year at Tel Aviv University
before deciding to change career paths.
When she began her undergraduate studies at
Fayetteville State University, Lior planned to
become a medical doctor. In a pre-med chemistry
class, Lior says, “I was fascinated by the magical
world of orbitals and electron transfers hidden
beneath the surface. My professor noticed my
curiosity and offered me a position in his lab
computationally simulating the orbitals of a single
molecule transistor.” Throughout her undergrad-
uate career, Lior increasingly became interested
in physics, but was still passionate about studying
living systems. Biophysics seemed like the obvious
choice for her graduate program. She is currently
a third year PhD student in
Timothy Elston’s
and
Beverly Errede’s
labs at UNC.
When Lior learned about the BPS Summer
Research Program, it seemed like a great opportu-
nity to support budding scientists. She explains,
“I feel very passionate about STEM education
generally speaking, and specifically for minorities
and women. The support and encouragement I
received from my faculty as an undergrad were
crucial to my decision to become a part of the
scientific community. I strive to play a similar role
in the lives of other scientists.”
Thus far, Lior has enjoyed her experience with
the Summer Program students, saying, “My fa-
vorite aspect of the course is the ability to witness
and play a role in the personal growth of the stu-
dents. The transition between an undergraduate
to a graduate research environment is a challeng-
ing one. Supporting my students as they navigate
these challenges is a privilege.”
Profilees at a Glance
Jaime Campbell
Institution
University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Course of Study
Biochemistry
Patrick McCarter
Institution
University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Course of Study
Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology
Lior Vered
Institution
University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Course of Study
Chemistry
