The Life of a Biology Department Advisor

By Ashley Mattingly

“I go home happy. I come to work happy.” Kate Emblom, Biology’s newest academic advisor, has found her niche. “I like working with students,” said Emblom.

Emblom joined the Department of Biology advising team in April of 2006. She specializes in advising for the new Biotechnology program, although she meets with students about all of the Department of Biology degree programs.

“I’m keen on the biotech thing,” said Emblom. “It offers students a lot of different options, especially if they want to go into industry. It also prepares them for graduate school and gives them a lot of lab experience. In terms of options, it’s very advantageous.” She recommends that students interested in careers in the life sciences take Biology T301 Seminar in Biotechnology. “It’s a way for students to see a wide range of options and what they can do with a biology degree and where they can go with life sciences, which they might not otherwise be able to do taking a traditional biology course,” said Emblom.

Although Emblom’s educational background is based in the humanities and performing arts, she also has a knack for technology and a love of games. For over two years, Emblom has been an alpha tester for video games for ArenaNet, and now she is the namesake for two of their non-player characters (NPC).

Emblom was pursuing a Ph.D. in medieval literature when she opted for a career as an academic advisor. While working for Writing Tutorial Services, she discovered, “It’s fun to talk to students.” Other experiences with the administrative side of IU and student services confirmed her interest, and she left her graduate studies behind to start a career as an academic advisor. 

Tips and Tricks for Meeting with Your Advisor

Emblom’s goal as an advisor is to help students meet their education goals while avoiding becoming overwhelmed or overburdened. Here are some of her tips on how to make it through IU:

• Have a plan. “It’s helpful if students come in with some goals in mind,” said Emblom. “For example, they should communicate [to their academic advisors] when they want to graduate and whether or not they’re interested in [taking classes in the] summers.” By filling an advisor in on your educational goals, he or she can better help you meet them.
• Know your strengths. Advisors can help you create a schedule to maximize your strengths while minimizing the impact of difficult classes for you. Said Emblom, “You can be really good in math and in the different sciences, but if you load up an entire semester with three different sciences and a mathematics course, …you’re overwhelmed because there’s a lot of reading [and] a lot of work. You only have 24 hours in a day, and you can’t do it all.” 
• Talk to your advisor. Communication is the key when it comes to using advisors to your greatest advantage at IU. “It’s good to touch base with the advisor at regular intervals to make sure you’re on track,” said Emblom.
• Plan for life post-graduation. “It’s not too soon to think about what happens after graduation,” said Emblom. “Take advantage of the wonderful opportunities Biology and the University have to learn about your options after you graduate.”