Jeremy Tiemann

In our alumni spotlight series, learn about KU Biology graduates' most meaningful experiences from college, and how The University of Kansas impacted their professional and personal paths after graduation.

Degree & Year: Biology (Systematics and Ecology), Class of 1998

Job Title & Company: Office Manager, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Tell us about what fills your time now? Professionally and otherwise?

I recently transitioned from a field-based research position of 23 years to an administrative role in a different department. This switch means learning and handling new responsibilities during the business hours, while wrapping up research projects (like writing manuscripts) in the evenings and on the weekends.

My free time is filled cherishing our children before they “fly the coop,” so we often are found on a cross-country course or at a track meet near the pole vault pit. When the kids aren’t in school, we enjoy the outdoors, such as fishing, kayaking, biking, hiking, and camping when the weather is nice, and doing puzzles and crafts when the weather isn’t. I try and take an hour every morning before work to jog or walk while listening to a podcast or audiobook, and spend time in the kitchen in the evenings preparing family meals, baking, and making homemade hot sauces.

Describe your path from KU to your current position.

When I graduated KU in December 1998, I knew I wanted to continue for a Master’s; however, I recognized that I needed a break first, so I decided to move to the Alaskan bush and work at a salmon hatchery in Prince William Sound. Being disconnected from the outside world allowed me to recharge and focus on the direction I wanted to go – either environmental law, environmental engineering, vet school, or wildlife conservation / fisheries management. I researched universities across the country to inquire about their programs, as well as wrote former professors and supervisors in the field to ask their opinions. The latter proved tremendously beneficial as the vast majority recommended studying under Dr. D. Edds (KU Bio alum, 1977) at Emporia State University (ESU). After several snail-mail exchanges with him, he offered me a spot in his lab and a thesis project that addressed the effects of lowhead dams on fish assemblages, with focus on a federally-listed species.

So, I moved back to Kansas and attended ESU (a little more on that below). When I originally considered grad school, I never put much thought into attending a smaller university, but I am extremely thankful that is where life took me. Dr. Edds is well respected across multiple disciplines (e.g., ichthyology, malacology, and herpetology), and studying under his mentorship expanded my training beyond a single field, strengthening my development as a well-rounded naturalist. He also played a key role in improving my scientific writing and public speaking. As I was preparing to defend my thesis and graduate from ESU, I interviewed and accepted a job as an aquatic ecologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

At graduation, I literally walked up, shook the Dean’s hand as I accepted my diploma, continued across the stage and out of the stadium to my apartment, where I jumped into an already loaded moving truck, and drove to Illinois. I have been here ever since (2002). However, I recently transitioned to an office administrative role at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at UIUC.

How did your academic experience at KU prepare you for your professional life?

Attending KU forced me to learn proper study habits. Coming from a small, rural high school where I slept-walked to a 3.97 GPA, I wasn’t prepared for large classes and demanding professors. My Chem 101 class had 1,003 students and my Bio 101 class had several hundred (my high school graduating class barely had 40 students!). I initially felt lost. I received a D on my first Biology 101 test, and it shook me to my core. I essentially had to reassess and re-define who I was as a student.

Thankfully, most of the professors had experiences with students like me and offered their encouragement and support, as well as throwing the occasional lifeline (extra credit!!!). After I became acclimated to these new study habits, I sought out to gain experience in my field (Systematics and Ecology). I volunteered in professors’ labs and performed tasks such as trapsing through wetlands, counting different species of plants or pulling a sieve through nearby streams examining different species of fishes. This re-definition allowed me to gain essential skills to be successful in the workforce, as well as acquire experience needed to do my own research when I went to graduate school.

What was a favorite class you took and why? 

I took several fun, engaging, and challenging classes, such as Limnology with Dr. J. O’Brien and Dr. F. deNoyelles, Ichthyology with Dr. E. Wiley, and BioStats with Dr. N. Slade, that I thoroughly enjoyed, but hands-down my favorite class at KU was Aquatic Entomology with Dr. L. Ferrington. I grew up on a farm just north of Lawrence and was fascinated by all the things living in streams, and Aquatic Entomology enhanced my natural curiosity. Being the only undergrad in the class of 11, Dr. Ferrington was very patient and encouraging as I took the graduate-level class. His class had such an impact that I incorporated an aquatic insect component into my Master’s thesis project at Emporia State. I was humbled when I crossed paths with Dr. Ferrington at a conference 20 years after graduating KU and he remembered me and shook my hand as we talked “bugs” for nearly half an hour.

What extracurricular activities were you involved in, if any?

Given my course load and work schedule, I didn’t have much time to be involved with extracurricular activities while at KU. My senior year a few of us tried to establish a KU subunit of the American Fisheries Society (like K-State and Emporia State have), but we didn’t have enough members to officially be recognized. We did, however, turn that group into an informal fly-tying club because most of us enjoyed fishing.

Do you have a favorite KU memory?

My favorite memories while at KU were hanging with friends, whether at Memorial Stadium on Saturday mornings, Allen on cold winter nights, or music festivals like Day on the Hill. These activities allowed me to meet new people and strengthen the bond with those I grew up with as kids. Even though we’re scattered across the globe now, we’re able to stay connected and discuss KU sports and the local music scene some 25 years later thanks to social media.

Did you have any research/internship opportunities and/or professor/mentor relationships that influential?

I was fortunate to have worked at the Kansas Biological Survey as a data technician for two years. While there, I was able to make connections with professors and scientists in my field, as well as gain knowledge about endangered species management in Kansas. I also volunteered in the KU Fish Collection at the Natural History Museum and worked in Dr. Ferrington’s lab for a semester helping his graduate students sort aquatic insects. Together, these experiences allowed me to create a network of contacts and skillsets that I leveraged into future opportunities.

What advice do you have for current or prospective University of Kansas students?

My advice to students is to step outside your comfort zone and never stop learning. Doing so will help you gain new skill sets that set you apart when seeking employment, especially when working with “old dogs” like me. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds since I graduated from KU in 90s, and if you don’t use it every day, you can easily forget how it works. 

The tools we use – like databases, statistical software, and geographic information systems – are constantly evolving, and it is often easier for someone like me to hire students and young professionals that know these programs than it is for me to take time to re-learn them.

Also, think outside the box when defining your skill set. Things that seem second nature to us might be lacking in research teams. For example, I utilized my farmhand skills (operating machinery and pulling trailers) to convince supervisors and colleagues into taking me with them as they conducted research in remote areas in Africa and South America.

Why should a KU undergraduate consider majoring in biology?

Why should a KU undergraduate consider majoring in biology? The breadth of the biology program at KU allows students to explore areas ranging from molecular biology and health sciences to organismal biology and ecology. Majoring in biology at KU helps undergrads build a strong scientific foundation in the classroom paired with early, meaningful exposure to research and experiential learning. It offers hands-on engagement, where students have opportunities to work in research labs, participate in studies, and collaborate with faculty who are leaders in their disciplines, all while developing critical thinking, data analysis, and scientific communication skills. These experiences prepare students for future endeavors, whether continuing to graduate school or joining the workforce. For me, my KU Biology experiences balanced strong coursework with real-world application and established the groundwork for long-term success.

Rock Chalk!