Feature Stories 2024: Kissamy Georges '27: Defying expectations

Kissamy Georges's UMass Dartmouth experience is not what she expected.  

From her very first year, the bioengineering major and first-generation college student found both a vibrant campus life and prestigious academic opportunities she never imagined, including a coveted National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) at Vanderbilt University. 

Why did you choose UMassD? 

"Coming to UMassD was a practical decision; it came down to affordability. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do."  

What do you like most about UMassD so far? Has anything surprised you? 

"I love it here. Especially all the cultural clubs and communities on campus. I'm a sophomore representative for the Haitian American Students Association, a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and I am one of the captains of the Kompassion dance team. The Frederick Douglass Unity House is really special, too. I'm always at Unity House. I haven't heard about this kind of place at any other school.  

"I'm also a resident assistant (RA) and I love living on campus. I enjoy the freedom and independence, and the spontaneity of campus life." 

Why bioengineering? What do you like about your major?  

"Growing up in a Caribbean household, the expectation was that I would strive to be a lawyer or a doctor. Not many women in my community were engineers.  I'm interested in health and the body but didn't see myself becoming a medical doctor. Bioengineering seemed like the right fit. I like that the field changes a lot, there's always something new to explore. And it's very broad; there are so many things you can do in bioengineering." 

Researcher in year-one 

The summer after her first year of college, Georges was awarded a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) at the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Nashville, TN, where she worked alongside Dr. Ethan Lippmann and post-doctoral mentor Dr. Daniel Chavarria studying brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC).  

"Dr. Dapeng Li told our class about the opportunity to apply for the NSF-REU. I didn't expect to get it, being a first-year student, but I applied anyway."  

Georges was one of only 11 students selected for the opportunity at Vanderbilt out of more than 500 applicants nationwide.  

"I worked in the lab every day for 10 weeks. It was like a real job; I didn't feel like an intern. At the same time, my mentors understood it was my first research experience. They supported me, but they didn't coddle me. 

"I learned valuable skills for my future as a scientist, like how to grow and care for cells in the lab, and how to present research you've done and explain it to an audience. I fell in love with the field more, and it really confirmed that I made the right choice in studying bioengineering." 

"We presented our work at a poster session at the end of the REU, and I won 'Best Poster Layout.'"  

"I love it here. Especially all the cultural clubs and communities on campus."

What goals do you have for your future? Do you have a dream job? 

"Someday I'd like to return to Haiti and have a lab there. I'm interested in studying how plants can be used to help treat diabetes."  

Is there anyone at UMass Dartmouth who has made a difference in your first year here? 

"The Unity House staff have been a great resource. Dr. Moïse 'Mo' Saint-Louis helped me with scholarship applications, and if it wasn't for his help I might not be where I am today. And Donna Moore's door is always open to students." 

"I'm also grateful for Dr. Li who helped me obtain the REU at Vanderbilt." 

Any advice for younger students? 

"Apply for everything even if you don't think you'll get it. If God brought you to it, He'll bring you through it. Keep pushing through because 'weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.'"