KALAI MATHEE, MSc, PhD
Founding Chair & Associate Professor
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
College of Medicine, Florida International
University, Miami, USA
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LETTERS FROM MENTEES |
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Resident Scholar |
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October 12, 2009 Dear Members of the Promotion Committee: It is with great enthusiasm that I write this letter on behalf of Dr. Kalai Mathee for promotion for full professor. She is most deserving of this honor as not only does she possess the qualities essential to a professor she also embraces the mission of FIU. In doing so, she inspires her students and colleagues to use their talents to the best of their capacity which in turn benefits FIU as well as themselves. Kalai has been a faculty member at FIU since 1999. I met her briefly during my first year at FIU in 2007 while a visiting lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences. Kalai was on sabbatical at the time and so I had only heard about her from other people even though her office was two doors away from mine. She happened to come back for a visit and introduced herself to me. From the moment I met her, she made me feel comfortable. Admittedly, I was having difficulty adjusting to being at a university as large as FIU, but my conversation with her inspired me to not give up and devote my best to FIU and the students. I have now been working with her for the past two years as an Assistant Professor in her department and co-Director of her laboratory. I have learned a lot from her these past two years. She has taught me much in terms of grant preparation and writing, manuscript preparation, multitasking and management, although admittedly, I still have much to learn in these areas. She is a warm and genuine individual, always willing to help. I have witnessed her efforts in promoting the College of Medicine on multiple levels, from participating in course design, faculty recruitment, facility structuring, web design, fostering of collaborations between incoming COM faculty and existing FIU faculty, writing of a proposal for a graduate program and establishment of seminar series, to name a few. Personally, she helped me plan a visit and host the district representative of Beta Beta Beta, a national biology honor society when I was trying to establish an FIU chapter. This is now the chapterÕs second official year of existence. Additionally, I previously only used prokaryotes as a cloning tool; she has also taught me much about biological processes of prokaryotes. I can say that this effect she had on me was not unique. Kalai has mentored numerous graduate students and undergraduates during her tenure. She conveys her own personal experiences as a testament to what can be achieved with hard work and perseverance. She has an open door policy and encourages students to approach her with all their difficulties both scholastic as well as personal. Her lab is like a family, with her as the ÒLab momÓ looking after her children. She makes sure everyone is doing well, and if there is a problem, tries to help when she can. For example, she encouraged one female undergraduate, who in spite of being capable and intelligent, was working in a store in the mall rather than pursuing a career that utilized her college education, to read a book about the role of women in the workplace. This student was performing research in the laboratory and went on to win awards for her research both at FIU and regional conferences for the American Society for Microbiology. The student is now in the process of applying to graduate programs. The success of KalaiÕs students is unquestionable; she has had three students accepted into MD/PhD programs (two of whom are Hispanic), and several others continue on to medical or graduate school. Currently she has three graduate students (two female, both US citizens, one of which is originally from Cuba) and three undergraduates (all female, two from Columbia and one from Guatamala). Recently, I have had reason to ask many of these students for recommendations on her behalf, and received responses within a few days of my request, attesting to the positive influence she has had on her students. The outpouring of support was incredible. One student wrote, Ò. Her mentees described her as Òpushing them to work harderÓ, ÒknowledgeableÓ, a ÒfighterÓ and an Òexcellent teacherÓ- but most of all they saw her as someone that they could emulate in the future.Ó Sadly, one undergraduate performing research in her laboratory for the Biology Honors Program passed away suddenly of mononucleosis. The next day, Kalai had summoned the laboratory members and together they decided to establish an award to honor the student. Within an incredibly short amount of time (4 months), they raised enough money not only to establish the award, but to ensure that it would be given in perpetuity ($25,000). This is a monetary award given annually to a Biology Honors Student whose thesis and seminar are judged to be ÒbestÓ by faculty members and Dr. William Smiddy, Robert SmiddyÕs father. Kalai encourages students and lab members not only to be competitive within the boundaries of FIU, but also nationally and internationally. She sponsors students to present their data at international and national conferences. While there, she makes sure that they personally interact with top researchers in the field, knowing that this will help them in their future post-doc and employment searches. KalaiÕs dedication to students extends beyond FIUÕs borders. She was not around very much my first summer at FIU, not because she was on sabbatical, but because she was teaching medical students Bacteriology and Molecular Genetics in Liberia. I learned later that she paid for all her living and travel expenses out of pocket. Her support of these students did not end with the courses as she continued raising money for their support and books for them upon her return to the US. Moreover, she has gone above and beyond supporting a visiting student from Nigeria, even raising money for his plane ticket to return to his home country. No matter what the task is at hand, Kalai puts forth her best. When organizing a class, she makes sure that she incorporates the latest material. Her teaching is entertaining as she intertwines historical background with facts and techniques to keep the lectures interesting. She prepares lectures for her audience, incorporating clinical relevance for clinicians and laboratory tips for researchers. For her microbial pathogenesis class for the College of Medicine, she recruited the authors of the text book to help team teach and co-lead the course. I have also been on committees with her, and here too she gives her all, going well beyond the minimum and even the average. For example, if work is divided amongst committee members, rather than reading and critiquing just the part assigned, she will go through the entire proposal to offer her comments which are always thoughtful and knowledgeable. Kalai is an internationally respected researcher in her field. She worked with Niels Hoiby in Denmark, one of top cystic fibrosis researchers in the world. Moreover, she regularly attends and has organized a biannual Asian Transcription Conference, where she interacts with the top transcription researchers worldwide. She has numerous collaborators, both within FIU (e.g. Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, and College of Public Health) and outside of FIU (Harvard, MIT, Broad Institute, China, Denmark, and Nigeria). With the advent of the College of Medicine, she has begun collaborations with Miami ChildrenÕs Hospital, Mount Sinai, and All ChildrenÕs Hospital in St. Petersberg. She has co-authored numerous publications, several of which are high profile. Her research program is diverse and she has been continuously funded by federal or national grants. Kalai also exhibits her support of women in terms of her participation in the WomenÕs Center on campus as well as the WomenÕs Studies program. She has hosted Women in Science lectures and is currently planning a workshop with her PhD mentor, a former President of the American Society for Microbiologists, through the society to mentor junior female faculty members, focusing on issues of retention. Additionally, she has been the faculty advisor for the FIU chapter of the Delta Phi Omega sorority for many years. In sum, I believe that Kalai Mathee embodies and exemplifies all the qualities that a full professor at the College of Medicine of FIU should possess. Sincerely, Lisa Schneper, PhD Assistant Professor Florida International University College of Medicine Department of Molecular Microbiology & Infectious Diseases 305-348-0377 |
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Visiting Scholars and Students |
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30th September, 2009 To Whom It May Concern It is my immense
pleasure to brief about Dr. Kalai Mathee, Associate Professor, Florida
International University, Miami, US. I worked under
her supervision as visiting scholar for the six months from December, 2007 to May, 2008, sponsored by Department of
Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi, India under Overseas Internship program for
young scientist. She took much care to prepare the research proposal to be
submitted to DBT, which made a successful to acquire the fellowship one among
very few. During my stay at her lab, I enjoyed with her activities both in
research and teaching. She took much care
about my stay as well as the research to progress. I like her leadership,
personal care and involvement in research activities. During the lab
presentations at every Fridays, she used to ask many questions, doubts and explanations which make my research to progress in good
directions. She used to advise with a pleasing manner without wounding
others. More over, she treats all the students and faculties of her lab as
family members. Personally I was so
admired by her mentorship and leadership. She used to review every oneÕs
research including Ph.Ds, Masters and
Undergraduates critically so that they will surely understand the principles
related to their work. I personally benefited a lot from her by conducting
experiments on soil metagenomics for monitoring the
long-term soil fertility during my stay. Because of her advises, I got a project from Indian government to continue the
research in the same field. Further, I am still getting good collaborations
and advices from her. I wish her all
success to become Professor, which will be more benefit for her institute as
well as her students. Sincerely, D. Balachandar TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITY Department of Agricultural Microbiologyec Coimbatore 641 003, INDIA Phone:
+91-422-6611294; FAX: +91-422-2431672 Email: dbalu2000@yahoo.com (My second international visiting
scholar) |
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Sept. 23, 2009 To Whom it May Concern: Dr. Kalai Mathee was my teacher while I pursued my visiting scholar studies at Florida International University. I joined her laboratory in February 2009 and worked with her until June 29, 2009 while completing research and writing my visiting summary. She is an outstanding associate professor and I learned much more from her. I appreciate what she had done for me. Yuhua Shi Reproductive medical center Shandong University Email: shiyuhua2003@126.com Cell phone: 86-13256693126 (My
third international visiting scholar) |
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Sept. 29, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: I am a visiting scholar from The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jinan Central Hospital, China. I have been working in Dr. Mathee's laboratory at FIU from Feb. 2, 2009 until the present to learn molecular genetic techniques and to apply them in the context of a research project. I first met Dr. Mathee when she picked me up from the Miami International Airport on Jan 31, 2009. I couldn't believe she was going to be my mentor! She was and is so amiable. She carried my heavy baggage by herself. She made sure that everything I needed was arranged – temporary housing arrangements, introduction to the campus, apartment rental, purchase of household necessities, etc. All these made me feel warm and comfortable even though it was the first time I went abroad from China. I was introduced to all the lab members during the first lab meeting I attended on Feb. 2. Since then, I have become immersed in the lab. While working on my project, ÒThe Role of LecA and LecB Lectins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Ó I have learned a lot of microbiology, advanced experimental techniques and molecular genetic concepts These will be invaluable in my future research endeavors. During this period, I became friends with my laboratory colleagues because we have a great patriarch-Dr. Mathee. She is wise, energetic, and enthusiastic. For all these qualities, I admire and appreciate her deeply. Yours sincerely, Yingchun Zhang Associated Professor, M.D. & Ph.D Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinan Central Hospital, P.R.China E-mail: zhangyingchun33@yahoo.com (My fourth international visiting scholar) |
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Oct. 5, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: I got to know Dr. Kalai
Mathee when I was doing my masters degree in Microbiology (2006-2008) at UmeŒ University in UmeŒ,
Sweden. It was the time to get a master thesis topic and since I had the
option to do it in a laboratory other than my university; I found about Dr.
Kalai and her research from my professors at UmeŒ.
I contacted her directly, explained my situation and she immediately agreed
to supervise me. I spent about five months
(Jan/2008-June/2008) as a visiting researcher in her laboratory at Florida
International University under her mentorship. While I was there, I learned several molecular techniques
including DNA extraction, cloning, subcloning, PCR
and DNA sequencing, always under her close supervision. While I was at her laboratory an
important part of my training was attending conferences such as the ÒFlorida
International University Biology Symposium, 2008Ó and the ÒFlorida
International University Biomedical and Comparative Immunology Symposium,
2008Ó. She also urged me to attend seminars by Prof. Stephen Lory from
Harvard Medical School, ÒRegulatory networks control the expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence genes
at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levelsÓ and Dr. Ruben Gonzalez,
Columbia University, ÒCoupling of ribosome and tRNA
dynamics translation elongation.Ó I attribute to Dr. KalaiÕs excellent mentorship the grade of 10 (A+) in my master
thesis, my co-authorship in a scientific paper in preparation and the career
opportunities that have arisen since returning to my country, Cyprus. Yours truly, Marios Stylianou BSc, MSc 58, Makarios C Avenue, Anayia CY-2640, Lefkosia, Cyprus-Europe Tel: +357-99573353;
Email: stylmarios@gmail.com (My second international visiting student) |
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Graduate Students |
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October 6, 2009 To whom it may concern: This letter is in support of Dr. Kalai Mathee's promotion to full professor. I was Dr. Kalai Mathee's first graduate student at Florida International University. I met Kalai when she first joined Florida International University. She had come to check the lab that was going to be hers once she moved to Miami. At that time the lab belonged to Dr. Jim Fourqurean, and given that I was his technician, I happened to be there when she came to check the place on a late afternoon. I was not expecting anyone's visit to the lab, and I had no idea that the lab was going to be transferred, so I was in shock when she came in "measuring tape" in hand and started planning where her equipment would go. After my initial awe, we introduced each other and had our first short but wonderful scientific conversation that revealed to me a lot of the qualities she has as a scientist but also as an educator. Even though I did not know it then, that short conversation changed my destiny; I guess that from that afternoon she became my mentor. I graduated from my undergraduate that fall and by the next semester I had join the master's program under her supervision working on a critical virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the main killer of cystic fibrosis patients. Under Dr. Kalai MatheeÕs advising I was able to travel to Denmark and work with one of the most reputable teams of Cystic Fibrosis scientists in the world (if not the most reputable), led by Dr. Niels H¿iby of the Copenhagen University Hospital. Also while in Denmark, I was able to work on my own experiments and learned the tools of gene expression using fluorescent markers and confocal microscopy, at the department of microbiology and molecular biology at Danish Technical University, run by another of her collaborators, Dr. Soren Molin. Our paper published in 2004 in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, cemented that collaboration, and it is an honor for me to be a co-author with such great group of scientists. Another great experience with Dr. Kalai Mathee occurred in the summer of 2000, when we went together representing both Denmark and the United states at the Cystic Fibrosis European Conference held in Stockholm, Sweden. At this meeting, my first international meeting, I was able to meet and interact with many other world class scientists. The meeting ended with a Nobel Prize style ceremony. Many meetings have followed after that one, but I have never forgotten the magic of having experienced, even if in this way, a Nobel Prize ceremony. The specific tools gained from my experiences with the Dr. Kalai Mathee and the collaborating Danish group, allowed me to work, a few years later, at The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, working on the development of fluorescent tags for live imaging of mammalian cells using state of the art confocal laser microscopy. As is to be expected with long term collaborations, my masterÕs experience with Dr. Kalai Mathee had its ups and downs, and it was critical for me to experience those ups and downs to become the scientist that I am today, and the scientist I will be as my career solidifies. As time passes, I have come to better understand a lot of the exceptional qualities she has as a scientist and educator. Today I am enrolled in the PhD program at Florida State University. I work on a large grant funded by NSF on gamete recognition proteins. I believe that in my case, the experiences gained under Dr. Kalai Mathee were crucial to start my career; I still use, practically on a daily basis, many of the molecular tools gained from her. Most importantly, many other insights gained from her on education and science, are still revealing and hopefully will help me to become a good professor and mentor to someone in the future. This was my very own experience; I am sure that she has probably influenced many other students she has mentored over the years. Dr. Kalai Mathee is a human being, and as every human she has flaws and strengths; there is no doubt in my mind that her strengths are her commitment to science, but also to teaching and helping develop new scientists. I strongly support her promotion. Sincerely, Andres C. Plata Stapper, M.Sc. Ph.D. Student King Building 4071-4072 Department of Biological Sciences Florida State University (My
first Masters (and first graduate) student in FIU) |
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Sept. 27, 2009 Promotion Committee To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to support the promotion of Dr. Kalai Mathee. I had the privilege of working in Dr. Kalai MatheeÕs laboratory in Florida International University (F.I.U.) in 2001. I worked with her for 5 years until the completion of my Ph.D. under her supervision. I am therefore able to write this letter on the basis of an in depth knowledge of her strengths as a research scientist and mentor. Her research skill and mentorship are one of the most top level individuals that place her above other researchers. Since the beginning of my Ph.D. study in her laboratory at F.I.U., I have gained tremendous support and advice from Dr. Mathee as a mentor. As a result of her supervision, my Ph.D. work on Òthe characterization of amp genes involved in the regulation of b-lactamase expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosaÓ resulted in several publications, one of which has been highlighted by the top journal in microbiology, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Given the quality of the work in her laboratory, I have received many grants and awards from multiple agencies and societies, including Florida International University Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Student and Pre-doctoral Travel Grant (twice in 2003 and 2005), Cold Spring Harbor Student Travel Grant, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Student Traineeship Grant, National Institutes of Health- Graduate Partnership Program (NIH-GPP) Fellowship. In addition, my work from her laboratory was also presented to the national and international scientific community through several conferences, meetings and symposia. As a direct result of my successful Ph.D. in the MatheeÕs lab, I was recruited as a Postdoctoral Associate at the prestigious Yale School of Medicine to work with a research team led by Dr. Ruth Montgomery, Dr. Erol Fikrig, Dr. Stephen Malawista and Dr. Richard Flavell. My strong background in molecular biology, microbiology and immunology has gained a lot of respects and collaborations among the top-level world-class scientists in Yale. Owing to the laboratory skills and scientific knowledge that I learned from Dr. Mathee, I was able to published 2 first-authored papers and 1 co-authored paper within the first two years of my postdoctoral work. Importantly, supports and mentorship from Dr. Kalai Mathee did not stop after my graduation from her laboratory. She has continuously supported me and provided her best advice on several important issues throughout my career. It should be noted that Dr. Mathee has an established career on an international scale, and her work is recognized by scientists and researchers in many parts of the world. This can be clearly seen from the vast number of publications in international journals, and also the fact that she has been invited to present evidence of her work at a large number of international scientific meetings and conferences. Her work has also been well received by other researchers, who have continually cited and referenced her research when undertaking work of their own. Dr. MatheeÕs scientific work is at the highest level of importance and impact. I was fortunate to have learned from her as a scientist, and I give her my highest recommendation. Thank you, Sincerely, Kok-Fai Kong, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology San Diego CA 92122 (My first PhD student in FIU) |
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Members of the Tenure Committee: I met Dr. Kalai Mathee for the very first time in the FIU credit union. I was waiting in line and couldnÕt help but overhear her sternly but politely telling the cashier that she wouldnÕt take no for an answer. I admired her strength and tenacity, and as far as first impressions go, this turned out to be spot on. She later introduced herself, and recognizing me as a first year PhD student - tried to persuade me to join her lab. I told her that I was joining the lab of a colleague Dr. Brad Bennett to study ethnobotany. After a year when I realized my project required a different type of training, I joined her lab. As a student and candidate she pushed me hard, at times beyond what I felt I was capable of. Although I have only a fraction of her drive and passion for science, she instilled in me a core desire to excel and gave me the means to become a capable researcher. I finished my doctoral program with honors and three publications, accepted a postdoctoral position at Harvard, and now run my own small lab in Belize. She never let me quit. Not only does Dr. Mathee have an incredible passion and strength of character, she also has the intelligence and training to back it up. As for her request for [sic. promotion] I am behind her 110%. She is one of the best and brightest mentors at FIU and is fully deserving of this position. Sincerely, Dr. Allison L. Adonizio (My second (first female) PhD student in FIU) |
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September 26, 2009 Tenure and Promotion Committee College of Medicine Florida International University Modesto A. Maidique Campus Miami, FL 33199 Dear Sir or Madam, I have had the privileged of knowing Dr. Mathee for just over six years. I joined the Department of Chemistry as a masterÕs student in Forensic Science. Without an interview, I was placed in Dr. Kalai MatheeÕs Department of Biological Sciences, laboratory. At first, I was unsure of my placement as that my background was stronger in chemistry. The program advisor told me to try the biology route for the semester and if I did not like it I could switch to chemistry. Six years later with a masters and soon a doctoral degree under my belt, I can say I am very thankful that I tried biology and stayed in Dr. MatheeÕs lab. Over the years, Dr. Mathee has been my lecturer, research professor, and above all a mentor and a friend. As a masterÕs student, I took two classes under Dr. Mathee. My first class, Molecular and Cellular Biology I, is to this day the hardest class I have ever been enrolled in. She taught me the basic theology behind the research that I have been working on for the last six years. As a lecturer, she stands out from others for two reasons. First, Dr. Mathee did not simply reiterate facts during her lectures; she taught concepts and expected us to be able to answer problem-based questions by synthesizing answers from our knowledge base. Secondly, the lectures always contained history. She believed it was important to give credit to the scientists that developed molecular biology which helped me understand that hard work, dedication, and passion are needed to be a successful scientist. Within the laboratory, Dr. Mathee has taught me technical to managerial skills. I believe that Dr. Mathee has taught me the skills needed to be a scientist and I feel confident that I can succeed outside of FIU. Between the weekly meetings we had when I was younger to the impromptu discussions while traveling to various conferences, she has taught me how to perform, interpret, and write science, how to deal with the emotional lows resulting from weeks of failed experiments, and how to manage a lab in general. This research professor has been selfless with her time and despite her increasing work load from the College of Medicine and her travels, I still feel that I can receive one on one guidance from Dr. Mathee. Dr. Mathee is my mentor and a friend and it is difficult to characterize her mentoring skills in one short letter. I will simply write what I tell students who are interested in joining the lab. Dr. Mathee is a demanding professor. She expects quality work from her students and will always push to get the results and then will still expect more. Dr. Mathee expects greatness because she knows that the students that join the lab are capable of achieving it. Despite this pressure, she is a compassionate mentor who listens and understands that there are times in which we falter and moments when we need a break. She is fair and just and fights for her students. Some may see her as pushy and demanding but Dr. Mathee is simply trying to change the system for the better. She is the type of professor that FIU needs to employ. I would like to conclude by discussing the impact that Dr. Mathee has on FIU. I have had the opportunity to attend numerous conferences with Dr. Mathee. I have seen first hand, how many of the scientific community are either surprised FIU has research or confuse it with the University of Miami. This ill conception needs to be changed and I believe Dr. Mathee is someone who is proactively changing this opinion through her networking and through her students. As her students, we not only represent Dr. Mathee but also FIU. She ensures our oral and poster presentations are exceptional and that we demonstrate professionalism at conferences. In addition, Dr. Mathee helps us network with scientists outside of Miami so that we can have internships, collaborations, graduate and postdoctoral positions which will not only further our education but also show others that FIU produces quality students. I personally have attended one international conference (poster presentation) and six off campus conferences (three posters and two oral talks) and spent time working in Stephen LoryÕs Harvard Lab. I believe Dr. Mathee is dedicated to FIU and strives to make the university known for its research. Even locally, Dr. Mathee has been making research connections over the years with the University of Miami and Joe DiMaggio ChildrenÕs Hospital and most recently Mount Sinai and Miami ChildrenÕs Hospital. The green and orange U is predominately displayed all over Miami-Dade County. With the continuation of Dr. MatheeÕs research, her cystic fibrosis charity work and her role in the College of Medicine, the FIU logo will get more attention not because it is the only public research institute but because FIU produces quality research. If a recent graduate asked me about FIU graduate school, I would hesitate to recommend it. Though, I will acknowledge that one of the graduate programsÕ greatest strength is the access to professors who are good scientists. Dr. Mathee is one of these individuals. I would quickly recommend Dr. Mathee to any current FIU student and additionally to those recent graduates who are looking for a graduate program or a postdoctoral fellowship. I strongly recommend that Dr. Mathee receive full professorship. Her promotion will only benefit the College of Medicine and Florida International University. Sincerely, Melissa S. Doud, M.S.F.S. Ph.D. Candidate Department of Biological Science Florida International University Miami, Fl 33199 (My 7th MS
and 3rd PhD (current) student) |
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Oct. 5, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: It was in late 2003, in India, that I first met Dr. Kalai Mathee. She visited the biotechnology company that I was working for, regarding a potential collaboration. The chairman of the company, a retired professor from the Hormone Research Lab, University of California, had met her at a conference previously and was impressed with her research and passion for science. She did a short sabbatical in our lab, working mainly with me. She impressed me with her thoroughness and dedication to research, which was reflected in the fact that she was willing to travel all the way to India to learn new techniques to introduce in her lab, back in Miami. So, when I decided to pursue my PhD, she was my first and only choice. I became part of her Ôlab familyÕ in Spring 2007. She is a great mentor and takes good care of her students, both in the lab and outside. I admire her ability to absorb and digest data from fields not related to her work and come up with innovative ideas in her research. This is reflected in her diverse collaborations with nanotechnologists, chemists, bioinformaticians in FIU, Harvard Medical School and MIT, which ultimately benefits her students in the lab. It was because of her collaborations that I was able to spend two summers in our collaboratorsÕ lab at Harvard Medical School. Even the professors and post-docs there, I found during my stay, had deep respect and admiration for her and would frequently discuss problems in their research with her. When attending international conferences with her, I realized that all leading scientists in the field know her personally and are familiar with her research. It is important for a scientist, to be recognized by experts in the field, and it is reassuring for me to know that my mentor is herself an expert in the field and is recognized by other scientists in the international scientific community. Dr. Mathee is always looking to introduce new, cutting-edge technology in the lab and is a constant encouragement to us students. She continues to impress me and others, with her intricate knowledge of the workings of her Ôpet bacteriaÕ, Pseudomonas aeruginosa that is possible only through years of painstaking research and constantly updating on current literature in the field. I know that I can walk into her office anytime with any question/ problem with my research and she will be able to help me. I was also lucky enough to take two graduate level classes with her, Molecular and Cellular Biology-I and the Cloning Workshop. She is an excellent teacher, one of the best that I have had in college. Her intellectually-stimulating lectures were set up in such a way that both new students and those that have already been working in the field would walk away from the class feeling satisfied, having learnt something new. Some would call her a demanding professor, but she has the ability to recognize the potential and limitations in people and does not push beyond their capabilities. She demands perfection in our work, setting an excellent example herself. I personally look up to her not only as my mentor, but also as a role model. In my view, if anyone who deserves this promotion to be a full professor, it is Dr. Mathee. Deepak Balasubramanian PhD Candidate (Current (and 4th) PhD student in FIU) |
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Undergraduate Students |
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October 13, 2009 4:19 PM From: Aguila, Alian [Alian_Aguila@URMC.Rochester.edu] To whom it may concern: It is my pleasure to write a letter in
support of Dr. Kalai Mathee who was was my mentor
while an undergraduate student at Florida International University. I joined
her laboratory in 2001 and worked with her until I graduated from Florida
International University on May/2003. I originally met Dr. Mathee while loooking for a mentor when I started at FIU and consider
myself very fortunate I ran into Dr. Mathee. Dr. Mathee has been in part responsible for
my success as an undegraduate student by helping
with the analysis of data and the writing of my undergraduate thesis for the
Biology Honors Program. My success as an undergraduate student eventually
translated into success as a medical student at the University of Miami
medical school and I grateful for all her teachings. I learned with her the basics of research
methodology that has helped me greatly in the years that followed after I
graduated from FIU so that I could succeed as a researcher. Even though as a
physician I concentrate more on clinical rather than basic research, most of
the basic knowledge I acquired as an undergraduate has served me well while
performing clinical and translational research.As
a mentor she has been very influential in my career and consider myself
fortunate to have her as a friend. Again, it is my pleasure to recommend Dr.
Kalai Mathee. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may
have.
(My fourth
undergraduate student with thesis in FIU) |
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Sept. 28, 2009 Dear Dr. Schneper, I hope this email reaches you in time. I am sorry I was out and did not check my email in the last couple of days. But I am a huge fan of Dr. Mathee's and want to support her in every way I can. I met Dr. Mathee my first year at FIU. I had just transferred from University of South Florida (USF), and one of the classes I had to take in my first semester was Dr. Mathee's genetics class. Even before I went to class I looked up her research area and was excited. She had a brief and articulate description of her work and her past and present members in the lab. In class I was impressed by how she was genuinely interested in teaching. She made genetics easy to understand and used news articles to show the day-to-day importance of the subject. I knew then that I wanted to join her lab. I talked to her about it and she was very supportive. Seeing my interest in research she gave me a new project - phage therapy as an alternative therapy for cystic fibrosis. I started working in her lab in Feb 2003 and she was a hands-on mentor. Until then I had not worked in a microbiology lab,, but she taught me everything. From simple protocols such as making LB- antibiotic plates to biofilm assays. I completed my Honor's thesis in her lab in 2005 and won the first Robert James Smiddy Excellence in Research Award. This would have been impossible without her guidance and support. I also took other classes with her- Microbial Pathogenecity. In all her classes her passion for research clearly shows. In addition, she helps her students grow, dream and achieve. I am currently doing my Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology at Boston University Medical School and I have her to thank for. There are very few women scientists in academia who care about their students as much. And this has been my inspiration to get my doctorate degree and continue the good work, just like her. I would strongly recommend her for a promotion as a Professor. Thank you. Aditi Gurkar Ph.D. candidate Boston University Medical School Boston (My fifth
undergraduate with thesis in FIU) |
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September 25, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: Dr. Kalai Mathee was my mentor while I pursued my undergraduate studies at Florida International University. I joined her laboratory in 2004 and worked with her until 2007. During this time I completed research, wrote my thesis for the Biology Honors Program and became a lab technician after graduation. I first met Dr. Mathee while taking her Genetics course. I was immediately inspired by her teaching techniques as she encouraged her students to understand the material being taught through interactive class discussions. From her class, I obtained much more than knowledge in genetics; I was motivated to apply this knowledge by conducting research on one of the most devastating genetic diseases; Cystic Fibrosis. From the beginning, I knew that I would have to work hard in order to earn a spot at Dr. MatheeÕs lab; I knew she was a perfectionist and that she was looking for committed, motivated, and hard working researchers. To my amazement, Dr. Mathee became much more than just a mentor. Not only did she allow me to complete my undergraduate research study, but she also provided me with incredible opportunities to enrich my career such as attending conferences, obtaining student grants, and conducting research at prominent institutions (sic namely Harvard Medical School). During the time I worked with Dr. Mathee I gained important research experience but I also grew as an individual as she taught me to believe in myself, and to stay focused on my goals in spite of the many obstacles that might be present in the way. Sincerely, Raquel A. Olavarrieta (My sixth
undergraduate with thesis in FIU) |
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Sept. 27, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: Dr. Kalai Mathee was my mentor while I pursued my Bachelor's degree in Biology at Florida International University. I joined her laboratory in 2004 and worked with her until 2006 while completing research and writing my thesis for the Biology Honors Program. Dr. Mathee continues to serve as a role model for me, not only as someone who is successful in the field of science as a consequence of hard work, but also as an individual trying to make a positive impact in the lives of those around her. When I was hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis while at a conference with her at Cold Spring Harbor in New York, she tended to me like a mother. She was there for me when I was scared for my life. It was Dr. Mathee who helped give me the confidence to fight through my fears. Dr. Mathee is not only a brilliant and dedicated scientist, but she is someone who invests so much time and energy into her students. She is an excellent mentor because she gives her students the confidence that we can succeed on our own merits. Sincerely, Sergio Luna Albert Einstein College of Medicine (My seventh
undergraduate student with thesis in FIU) |
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15 |
9/24/2009 To: Tenure and Promotion Committee It is my honor to write a letter of recommendation for Dr. Kalai Mathee. I first got to know Dr. Mathee 5 years ago, when I enrolled in her undergraduate Genetics course. At the time, I was beginning to consider a future career as a biomedical researcher. I found her teaching style incredibly engaging. Her thorough knowledge of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genetics helped convert a difficult subject into a logical, easily understandable one. Furthermore, her expertise and teaching ability helped propel class discussion beyond information normally found in the book, with emphasis on experimental design and genetic problem solving in class. This course was challenging, but incredibly informative and in retrospect was crucial in driving my interest in a career in biomedical research. Additionally, information I learned in this course helped propel my MCAT Biological Sciences score to 13 (Total 33), which helped tremendously in my Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) application/acceptance. More importantly, a strong foundation in genetics, which I attribute to Dr. MatheeÕs training, has aided my understanding of clinical diseases during medical school, will prove to be beneficial to the health of my future patients, and is currently proving to be essential for my PhD work addressing various aspects of fungal host-pathogen interactions. Similarly, other courses I took with Dr. Mathee, Microbial Pathogenicity and a graduate-level Cloning workshop, proved incredibly challenging and informative and helpful in various aspects of my career as a biomedical researcher. Apart from coursework, Dr. Mathee was also my Undergraduate Biology HonorÕs Thesis mentor (ÒCharacterization of L-Serine Deaminase and its Potential Role in the Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosaÓ), which was successfully defended in 2006. Through her mentorship, I gained experience with microbiology, cloning, biochemistry, & animal modeling. However, more crucial to my basic scientific training were frequent discussions with Dr. Mathee in which we discussed the current scientific literature, identified knowledge gaps in the field, brainstormed, developed hypotheses, and planned experiments to tests these hypotheses. These discussions led to an incredibly productive time for me at FIU with 3 ASM conference abstracts, one publication (Journal of Medical Microbiology 57:809-813 2008), and a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Student Traineeship Award (LEAL05H0). This high level of scientific training is not typical for undergraduate students, and my colleagues and I have directly benefited immensely from Dr. MatheeÕs tenure at FIU. At CWRU MSTP, my PhD mentor Dr. Eric Pearlman, recognized that, ÒSixto, at the end of his first year in my lab is operating at least at a 3rd year level.Ó I believe this statement is directly attributable to my prior mentorship by Dr. Mathee at FIU. In fact had there been a medical school at FIU prior to 2006, my top choice in post-graduate education wouldÕve been pursuing my PhD studies with Dr. Mathee as part of a combined M.D./Ph.D. program. Since IÕve been at CWRU, Dr. Mathee has continued to support my career, having written letters of recommendation on my behalf to obtain a Research to Prevent Blindness Medical Student Fellowship (TRN108083; 1 out of 6 recipients in the USA) in 2008 and a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA; 1 F31 EY019841-01) in 2009. Not only did she provide letters of recommendation on my behalf, but she also helped critique the scientific work and 3 years after I graduated from FIU, she devoted time to teach me about proper scientific writing and grantsmanship. As a teacher and mentor, I consider Dr. Mathee above and beyond exceptional. I have added all of my credentials to this letter to show that Dr. Mathee consistently inspires young eager minds to pursue careers in biomedical research, fosters their scientific development in the classroom, in the lab, outside of the classroom (Conferences, etc.), and throughout the development of their careers. It is for all of these reasons that I recommend Dr. Kalai Mathee for promotion to Full Professor. Sincerely, Sixto Manuel Leal Jr Case Western Reserve University 2085 Adelbert Rd, Rm 103 Cleveland, OH 44106 Phone: 216-368-6602 Email: sml40@case.edu (My eighth undergraduate student with thesis in FIU) |
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September 23, 2009 Tenure and Promotion Committee College of Medicine Florida International University Modesto A. Maidique Campus Miami, FL 33199 Dear Tenure Committee, I am writing this letter in support of promotion of Kalai Mathee to full Professor. I was first introduced to Dr. Kalai Mathee through one of her PhD students Dr. Kok-fai Kong, who was teaching my Microbiology Lab. Dr. Kalai Mathee was my mentor while I pursued my undergraduate degree in Biology at Florida International University. I joined her laboratory in summer of 2004 and worked with her until summer of 2006 while completing research and writing my thesis for the Ronald E. McNair Fellowship Program. I attended her genetics course in the spring of 2004 and her Microbial Pathology course in the spring of 2005. Dr. Mathee is a very enthusiastic and informative teacher. She gave many great examples to help assist in the learning of the course text. She also keeps up to date with the technology used in the field and classroom, not many professors have found it as easy to evolve with the changing times. Dr. Mathee is a very honest and kind mentor. She helped me to better understand my strengths and weaknesses. I have always loved research and my talents were in coordinating events. Dr. Mathee helped me to be honest with myself and helped to put me on the correct path towards my career. I am very grateful for all of the guidance she has given me and to this day I ask her for advice. Dr. Mathee is a strong and inspiring woman in her field that is very deserving of the promotion to become a full Professor. Sincerely, Krystal R. Anson Research Coordinator 600 Centerview Dr., A210 Hershey, PA
17033 (My ninth
undergraduate with thesis in FIU) |
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October 4, 2009 To whom it may concern: It is my pleasure to recommend Dr. Kalai Mathee for the position of full professor at Florida International University. A year and a half ago, I began my journey as a researcher by working in the laboratory of Dr. Kalai Mathee and thanks to her, it is the journey I have chosen to continue as my career path. She has been not only a great mentor, demanding only the best from her students, but a scientist with passion for what she does which canÕt help but being dispersed among the lab. She has been a role model to me, showing me the persistence and dedication research requires and teaching me what is needed to be a successful and well-rounded investigator and individual. Dr. Mathee has always characterized herself in being a great professor and mentor that prepares her students in becoming analytical scientists capable of critical thinking and looking outside the box. IÕve had the opportunity to work in her laboratory as well as attending national conferences with her in which her name is widely known and recognized for the impact her research has had in cystic fibrosis. Dr. Mathee is not a stranger at an international level either since she has attended multiple conferences overseas in which her work is acknowledged and acclaimed. Dr. MatheeÕs contribution to the research of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis is well known in the Pseudomonas community. Moreover, she has the capability to undertake the responsibilities and obligations of a full professor. Dr. Mathee has been more than a mentor in the academics for me. She has shown through her relationship over the years with her students that she always goes beyond and above the academic to encourage her students become the best people they can be. She also makes sure her students portray themselves, the school and her, in the best manner possible which has helped in placing Florida International University as a school recognized for its research and contribution to science. I am greatly honored in being able to recommend her for this position and believe she will excel and keep growing in this position. Camila Ceballos Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate 2009 Florida International University (Current (and
14th) undergraduate with thesis in FIU) |
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October 3, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: As an undergraduate student, one hopes to find a role model or mentor to inspire oneself to accomplish and pursue ones career. In my case, I had the pleasure and opportunity of meeting this person over year ago; it was Dr. Kalai Mathee. It was she who within a matter of time became my role model. Her incredible and impressing resume not only has inspired me, but has also served as a guide. Through our working experiences I have learned numerous long-lasting values that I know will serve me in the future as the professional that I aspire to become one day. One of the most powerful values has been to never give up, but to endeavor and while doing so cherish every moment of it. It has been Dr. MatheeÕs admirable dedication, numerous recognitions and her caring personality to just name a few, which have captivated a very unique and inspirational attention from me. Being a part of her laboratory family has taught me how to grow as a scientist as well as a team player. Such opportunities have helped me succeed both in and out of the laboratory as I have been able to apply such skills in other scenarios. For instance, I was able to be part of a major Microbial Pathogenesis Research Conference in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, New York. At this conference, I was able to present my research in such a manner that it was clear and scientifically concise. I have also had the satisfaction of mentoring both middle and high school students. This has not only been one of my biggest challenges as a mentee in her laboratory but one of the most memorable experiences of my numerous college endeavors. Dr. Mathee is known for having expectations for her studentÕs performance in the laboratory, but itÕs not in vain as the results will not only shadow but surpass oneÕs personal expectations. Furthermore, I highly appreciate her work ethic and guidance, which proves to me that she will continue to reveal her potential as a faculty member, a mentor and a professional to the FIU community and the world. Therefore, I highly recommend her for this promotion as I know that Dr. Mathee holds Florida International University in very dear to her heart. Sincerely, Laura Florez (Current (and
15h) undergraduate with thesis in FIU) |
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19 |
September 25, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: I began working in Dr. MatheeÕs lab in the summer of 2009 as a Biomedical Engineering undergraduate under the MBRS RISE minority program. My goal is to get into an MD PhD graduate program and when I heard that Dr. Mathee sent three in the past, I was excited to join her lab. My final decision, however, was not made without careful research. I wanted to join a lab that would give me a learning experience as well as a chance to excel. When I asked my colleagues about Dr. MatheeÕs lab, they replied with, ÒPrepare to work hard.Ó I was also taking Microbiology at the time with Dr. Makemson who informed me that she is willing to support those who show her commitment. When I finally met Dr. Mathee, I realized she was all those things and more. I was so excited coming into this family. Dr. Mathee had given me my own project, my own bench, and drawer! These may seem like small things to some but it made me feel like this was where I belonged and I was so grateful. But she doesnÕt stop there. My project involves the use of a multi-channel pipette, which I believed needed calibration. When I approached her about this problem, she did not hesitate to find a solution. This was when I realized that she wants me as well as my experiments to succeed! I feel unstoppable with her as my mentor. I know that I will see my project to completion and that she will help me get there. Although IÕve only been working in the lab now for four months, it has become a second home to me and Dr. Mathee has opened my eyes to a newfound love for science. IÕm so happy that I found her and this lab that IÕve grown to love so much in such a short time! The memories I will make here will last forever and my accomplishments will not go unnoticed. Sincerely, Katherine Vandenberg (Current (and
16th) undergraduate with thesis in FIU) |
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Sept. 27, 2009 To whom it may concern, I am writing on behalf of Dr. Kalai Mathee. Dr. Mathee was my professor and mentor in undergraduate molecular biology and microbiology at Florida International University 1999-2001. I also worked in her lab and did post-graduate work with her from 2001 to 2002. Dr. Mathee has enthusiasm for the work she does, and she makes difficult subjects like molecular and microbiology accessible to undergraduate and graduate students alike. She is great to work with and was available when issues or concerns came up. Furthermore, she is supportive of the members of her lab and of her students. I am currently finishing residency in Internal Medicine. I owe part of my success and understanding of infectious disease to Dr. Mathee. I believe she is an asset to F.I.U. College of Medicine. Ziv Haims, D.O. (My sixth
undergraduate/postgraduate without thesis) |
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Oct. 1, 2009 Promotion Committee: As an undergraduate student at Florida International University, I had the pleasure to intern for a semester in the Cystic Fibrosis lab under the direction of Dr. Kalai Mathee. Under the mentorship of Dr. Mathee I gained invaluable knowledge and experience in my topic of research while benefiting from her insight on the professional and personal demands of a career in scientific research. Dr. Mathee is a great inspiration to me as I too hope to become an internationally recognized researcher while finding the time to mentor and guide students. Florida International University prides itself in its highly qualified and student oriented faculty members that have and will continue to take our University to the highest level of education and scientific research. Dr. Mathee is a crucial member in this endeavor and as a student I am proud. I hope to see all her hard work and excellent qualifications be recognized with a promotion to full Professor. Sincerely, Laura Fajardo (My 12th
undergraduate without thesis in FIU) |
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22 |
Sept. 27, 2009 Dear Sir/ Madam: Dr. Kalai Mathee was my mentor during my sophomore year at Florida International University. I joined Dr. Mathee's lab in Fall 2008 and worked with her until Fall 2009 before I transferred to the B.S Biomedical engineering program at Georgia Institute of Technology. My project, which was funded by the Ronald E. McNair and MARC USTAR fellowship programs, involved the characterization of putative beta-lactamase encoding genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I also attended a semester long cloning workshop conducted by Dr. Mathee in spring 2008. One of the best qualities of Dr. Mathee is her willingness and enthusiasm in working with and mentoring average and even below average students. She is like a mother to her mentees and sets high standards for her students. She expects high quality research from her mentees and this in turn motivated me to set equally high standards in my academics as well. My Grade Point Average improved from a 3.5 to a 3.7 during the time I spent with Dr. Mathee. She was always eager and enjoyed explaining complex concepts in a much simpler yet interesting manner, which further bolstered my excitement in doing independent research. This is one of things that made the cloning workshop one of the most interesting classes I attended at FIU. She also closely followed the weekly progress of each of her students and required us to keep detailed, organized logs of all the work done in the lab. This proved very useful when trying to find errors in experiments and during data analysis. She required her students to regularly read Journal articles for our weekly lab meetings and required us to present our research and relevant papers at least once every semester. She also encouraged the rest of the lab to critique on the weekly presentations, which helped us realize specific issues with our presentation skills that could be corrected before actual presentations at National Conferences. In addition to the strict academic demands, she would also hold celebrations and congratulate her students during lab meetings for their notable accomplishments. She was closely involved in the social dynamics of the lab and ensured a professional yet fun and jovial atmosphere in the lab. The lab was like a second family to me and it was an honor to work under the guidance of Dr. Kalai Mathee. Sincerely Jaison George (My 13th
undergraduate without thesis in FIU) |
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High School Students |
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23 |
October 2, 2009 Dr. Schneper,
(Current
High School Student) |
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24 |
Oct. 4, 2009 Hello
Dr. Schneper, I
hope all is well. Below is the letter for Dr. Mathee's
promotion to Professor. Although
Dr. Mathee holds an important position, she takes the time to personally get
to know her lab members on a personal level. She knows my strengths and
weaknesses, thus allowing her to provide me personal assistance in my
research. She provided me the motivation to work hard, dream big and succeed.
Not only does she advocate hard work, but she is a
firm believer in enjoying what you do. All
these traits would make Dr. Mathee a distinguished Professor in her field. Sincerely, Michael Rodriguez (Current High School Student) |
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Others |
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Oct. 2, 2009 To whom it may concern: I worked for Dr. Mathee starting January 2002. I supplied technical assistance for graduates on various projects. Dr. Mathee taught me how to effectively handle hazardous chemicals/ waste; use the micropipet, vortex, centrifuge, spectrophotometer, and sonicating device. She also taught me how to use aseptic technique, extract DNA, amplify DNA using PCR, prepare and utilize gel electrophoresis, use restriction enzymes, autoclave, perform cell transformations, TOPO cloning and more. My experience working for her means a great deal to me. She helped me gain experience that I will highly value for the rest of my life. To this day, whenever she e-mails me that she will be having a get-together, I'm always excited to attend. Dr. Mathee is my favorite professor of all-time. I've known her to be meticulous in her work, always seeking more and new information. Her lectures are clear, concise, easy to understand. She is incredibly motivating, supportive, and inspirational. Not only do I consider Dr. Mathee academically superb, but on a different level, her company is always a pleasure. She is gregarious, joyful, down-to-earth, and very fun to be with. I believe that she, above all, really deserves the promotion. Sincerely, Aimee del Puerto 305-519-5990 (cell) 954-353-3222 (home) (My first technician in FIU) |
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Sept. 27, 2009 I first met Dr. Mathee as an undergraduate student in her Genetics course. At the time I was Biology major and had recently made the decision to pursue a second degree in Computer Science. I was not sure if my decision was the correct one - I thought about switching completely to Computer Science and completing a minor in Biology. This all changed early during one of the first lectures when Dr. Mathee mentioned a field called "Bioinformatics" and presented a quick summary about it. I was hooked. I went home and started to read everything and anything I could find about this field, and decided that "this" was what I wanted to do. Genetics was not the only subject I studied under Dr. Mathee. After the wonderful experience in genetics, I enrolled in Dr. Mathee's "Microbial Pathogenicity" course, which was one of the most interesting, challenging, absorbing, and entertaining courses I studied at FIU. So captivating were Dr. Mathee's lectures that the twice-a-week classes felt unfairly short. I look back now and it remains one of the, if not the, most enjoyable course I have taken. Subsequently as a Master's student, I enrolled in Dr. Mathee's "Molecular Biology" graduate course; and while Dr. Mathee only lectured for the first half of the course, it felt that her half was "the" course. In all three courses that I had the delight of studying under Dr. Mathee, she always clearly showed her ability to deliver clear, concise and well-thought lectures and ideas that made the material that much easier to understand. I also had the honor and pleasure of collaborating with Dr. Mathee in a bioinformatics research project. At every stage of development Dr. Mathee impressed me with her knowledge, skill and dedication to her work. The bioinformatics work was a great opportunity to put to work all the material I had learned as a Biology student, and Dr. Mathee's guidance was invaluable and an inspiration. Above all else, after all the lectures, quizzes, and tests, the one lesson that Dr. Mathee taught me was the value of hard work and determination. It is this one lesson that has got me through punishing times in both my academic and private lives; and it is this one lesson for which I will always be grateful to Dr. Mathee and the 5:00PM Genetics course I almost did not take. "I made a big decision a little while ago. I don't remember what it was, which prob'ly goes to show That many times a simple choice can prove to be essential Even though it often might appear inconsequential. I must have been distracted when I left my home because Left or right I'm sure I went. (I wonder which it was!) Anyway, I never veered: I walked in that direction Utterly absorbed, it seems, in quiet introspection. For no reason I can think of, I've wandered far astray. And that is how I got to where I find myself today." Thank you Dr. Mathee!! Camilo Valdes Bioinformatics Group, Center for Computational Science Biostatistics & Bioinformatics Core, UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Miller School of Medicine University of Miami (Graduate
student who audited the undergraduate MCB4203 and worked on various
bioinformatics projects) |
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10/02/09 Promotion Committee I am writing this letter to recommend Dr. Kalai Mathee for the title of Full Professor at Florida International University. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Mathee as a student in her microbiology class in 2002. I was genuinely impressed by her enthusiasm for teaching. Not only was she an excellent educator but she encouraged the best in her students. It was in her class that my fascination with infectious diseases developed and as a medical student. I later went on to develop a community project for high school students which served to educate them about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. This program earned the honor of a Service Learning Initiative Award at The Ohio State University. My most memorable interaction with Dr. Mathee was during my application process to medical school. As an international student, I had to find a co-signer for my educational loans and I expressed my difficulty to her one day in her office. She simply looked at me and said, ÒI will do it.Ó She immediately commented on the pursuit of higher education, the ability to ask for what you want, and her belief that I would succeed at whatever I did in life. I am now in my fourth year of medical school and I am deeply indebted to Dr. Mathee for her financial sacrifice and for her belief in my potential. She has been committed to seeing me graduate from medical school and has never asked for anything in return- only the joy of seeing me graduate. I have learned many things from her throughout the time that I have known her including generosity, commitment, dedication, hard work, discipline and being proactive about oneÕs desires. I hope that she is well qualified for the position of Full Professor and I believe that she will indeed continue to be an asset to the students and to Florida International University in this position. If you have further questions about Dr. Kalai Mathee, feel free to contact me. Yours sincerely, Patrice Scipio The Ohio State University
College of Medicine Class of 2010 (A
student that I help) |
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Notes from Mentees |
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No |
Comments |
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1 |
Dear Dr. Mathee, Thanks just doesnÕt seem like enough. ÒTerima KasihÓ Thank you, For your support, guidance and advice. This process would not be the same without you. Best of luck in your future works! Cheers, Kok-Fai |
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2 |
Dr. Mathee, Words cannot do justice to describe how great you have been with me and all that has happened. Although my disease was revealed in the most inconvenient way, you were there to comfort me when I had no one else, and I am forever grateful to you for your kindness and warmth. Sergio 9/20/05 |
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3 |
Oodles of thanks! -for all the help with the paper & general school stuff (aka helping me keep my sanity on a bad lab day) J - Allison |
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5 |
Dear Dr. Mathee, Happy Birthday! You are an outstanding woman and mentor. I was amazed when I read your CV (you should write some cliff notes for it). But IÕm even more impressed with the way you bring out the best efforts of people in your circle of influence. I am proud to be a part of your research group and I am excited to bring you honor throughout my career! I hope you have a wonderful birthday, Love, Todd, Brooke and Kids |
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5 |
Dearest Dr. Mathee, Your love and support has meant a lot to me and has been a pillar of strength. Just wanted to say thank you for everything; your understanding and patience. You really deserved this achievement and I hope you always get the best! Lots of love, Aditi and Amit (undated) |
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6 |
Dear Dr. Mathee, Thanks again for your support throughout this whole semester. Congratulations on this huge achievement which means a lot to all of us. God bless you, and be a light in your path now and always. Remember you count on me for anything you need. Love, Raquel 04/04/05 |
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7 |
Dear Dr. Mathee Remembering time with youÉ. É. Always comforts me. YouÕre a very special person. Thank you so much for being my inspiration! Love always, Krystal Anson March 18th, 2007 |
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8 |
Dr. Mathee, Éthanks so much! Thank you for all the help and time you gave us to do our science project experiment. We learned so much and had fun. May God bless you. Thanks, Dwight, Danny, Alfredo and Mrs. Jorge November 1, 2004 |
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9 |
Dear Dr. Mathee, There are no words to thank you for everything that you have done for me. Being with you in Boston has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and for that IÕll always be grateful. Your guidance has been imperative in my life not only from the academic point of view but on every other every other perspective. I hope that I can someday repay you for everything you have shared with me. Your lab daughter, Raquel Summer 2007 |
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Notes &
Emails from Other Students |
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No |
Comments |
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Dear Dr. Mathee, Thank you so much for writing a recommendation on my behalf. My applications are out to about 20 schools and I know your letter will make a difference. I appreciate your time and your consideration- I am quite honored that you agreed to write for me. Though I would very much like to work for the CDC, my advisors recommended that I stay put at FIU and continue to do research and take classes. I am enrolled in Molecular Biology, which is going very well thanks to the foundations laid in your genetics class. I will stay in touch and let you know where I am accepted; meanwhile, I wish you a wonderful Fall semester! All the best, Ghislaine Guez (Gilly) 9-15-04 |
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Prof. Mathee, Just a quick note to thank you for two great classes. I ended up learning a lot which will be useful for medical school. But more importantly, it was great to have a professor who made everything interesting and who obviously cared about her students. And finally, CONGRATULATIONS on getting tenure. It must be a great relief, and as far as I am concerned, itÕs more than deserved. If youÕre ever in Michigan, my email is jamesgold200@hotmail.com. Best wishes, James G. (Medical Student in Michigan State) |
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Dr. Mathee, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you how grateful I am to have had you as my genetics professor. You are one of the few professors that I know that genuinely cares about her students and this definitely shows in the way that conduct your class. You inspire me to follow your footsteps on demonstrating womenÕs great academic potential. Also, thank you for writing me a letter of recommendation. You have taken me one step closer to accomplishing my dream of becoming a dentist and for that I will always be grateful. Sincerely, Katia Mattos 9/20/2006 (Dental Student in Harvard Dental School) |