Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Rehbein.
Hi Michele, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Illinois and moved to Utah in the late winter of 2020 with my husband, who had already been working on and off in central Utah for years. I work at the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District (SLCMAD) in Salt Lake City, Utah. I wear a few different hats at work, I am the Education Specialist, the Public Information Officer, and Safety Officer. Before working at SLCMAD, I worked in Moab, UT as the manager of the Moab Mosquito Abatement District. I enjoy my position at SLCMAD; I’ve been working to revamp the education program here and build new connections around the community.
How I got into mosquito research/work was not exactly on purpose, it kind of found me. I was in one of my first semesters of graduate school and a student peer asked if I wanted to help them with a West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance project collaborating with several local health departments across west-central Illinois. We started off trapping for adult mosquitoes across four counties, identified the collected mosquitoes, and tested them for the presence of WNV. Eventually, we kept coming up with new ideas to add to this project and I was sucked in.
During my graduate program in biology I worked on a pseudovirion of WNV studying how the virus entered the human brain and kidney cells, adjacent to the field surveillance portion of collecting adult mosquitoes. I decided to pursue my Ph.D. degree in environmental science and graduated from my doctorate program in 2020. During that time, I continued researching mosquitoes in wetland and low-order stream habitats. Working with mosquitoes allows me to travel and visit different vector control organizations, attend conferences, and make new connections.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There can be bumps along the way for many things, but that’s what gives a person good experience for future opportunities. I enjoyed my time in the doctorate program and it had its ups and downs, too.
Conducting scientific research is exciting and fun, but doesn’t always go as planned, causing frustration and sometimes setbacks. Thankfully, I had a very supportive adviser/chair of my program, was close with my lab mates, and had extra encouragement from friends and family.
One of my first jobs after completing my doctorate also had its challenges, having to handle an invasive mosquito returning to a prime outdoor recreation location with limited resources and personnel. I gained a lot of professional growth from it that I was able to take with me to my current job.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the Education Specialist at the SLCMAD. My job is to create science-based curricula for different ages and teach the public about mosquitoes.
My background is in environmental science and biology and I have been conducting work on mosquitoes since 2014. I’m proud of completing my Ph.D. and being able to share my successes and challenges with young girls and other women interested in STEM and pursuing science as a career.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I use the library app, Libby, quite a lot. I like listening to audiobooks during my commute. A couple of books that stand out to me are Yes Please by Amy Poehler and Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey.
I also try to get outside as much as possible, whether it’s a hike with my dogs, camping, canoeing, or playing around on my dirt bike. Connecting with nature helps me relax and helps me remember what is important in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.slcmad.org
- Instagram: @slcmad
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-rehbein-ph-d-96050067/
- Twitter: @SLC_Mosquito
Image Credits
Carrie Schwartz, Ryan Bromberek, Kelly Teemant, Christopher Bibbs, and Ary Faraji
