Kendall Long '23
For Kendall Long ’23 , a love of science began early — in an eighth-grade science class at Gilmour. Learning about genetic mutations sparked her curiosity and fascination with how biology works at the molecular level. “Science just made the light bulb in my brain turn on,” she recalls. That early interest deepened when she got to the Upper School, through challenging courses like Dr. Turk’s molecular genetics class and Dr. Goel’s biology course. In molecular genetics, experiments such as genetically modifying E. coli allowed Long to see how abstract scientific concepts translate into real lab work. Meanwhile, Doc Goel’s demanding biology course pushed students to think critically, draw connections across disciplines and develop the disciplined study habits required for advanced science work.
Western Reserve University, conducting hands-on molecular biology research. Immersed in the day-to-day work of a research lab — designing experiments, testing hypotheses and analyzing results — she began to see a future she hadn’t fully imagined before. “That was when I realized I could actually do research as a career,” she says. “I was in the lab every day, and even though it was tiring, it was fun.” Today, a junior biology major with a chemistry minor at Howard University, Long is continuing to build on that early experience. She currently works in a campus research lab studying Staphylococcus aureus, investigating how genetic interactions could potentially reduce the bacterium’s virulence — research
that may one day contribute to the development of new antibiotics.
Each summer since completing Catalyst, she has also returned to Dr. Baker’s lab as a research intern, expanding on the molecular biology research she first began through Catalyst. Her growing expertise has even positioned her as a mentor to current Gilmour Catalyst students working in the lab, offering advice and sharing insights from her own experience. Long credits Gilmour not only with sparking her love of science but also with helping her develop the habits that make research possible — from time management to forming strong mentorship relationships with teachers and professors. After Howard, Long plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry and continue working in genetic research. Her goal is to contribute discoveries that make future breakthroughs possible — continuing the same curiosity that first sparked in a Gilmour classroom and now drives her work in the lab.
Kendall Long '23 completing work in the lab at CWRU during her Catalyst experience at Gilmour Kendall Long '23 presenting her CWRU research at a symposium at Howard University
Those classes strengthened Long’s growing fascination with biology — but it was Gilmour’s Catalyst research program that ultimately illuminated her path. Through Catalyst, Long spent five weeks working in the lab of Dr. Baker at Case
Gilmour | SPRING 2026
9
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online