Dr. Monica Lamm Announces Retirement

Dr. Monica Lamm, Co-PI and Associate Director for Education, Workforce Development, and Broadening Participation (EWD) for the Iowa NSF EPSCoR Chemurgy 2.0 program, will retire from Iowa State University on May 15.

During her time at ISU, Dr. Lamm has provided thoughtful, dedicated leadership in advancing education and workforce development initiatives while strengthening pathways into STEM. Following her retirement, EWD leadership will transition to Marcey Seavey of the University of Northern Iowa.

We extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Lamm for her service and lasting contributions to the EPSCoR community.

Looking back on your time at Iowa State and with the Iowa NSF EPSCoR program, what accomplishments or moments stand out to you most, and which achievements in your role as Associate Director for EWD and Broadening Participation are you most proud of?
The NSF EPSCoR funding has enabled us to bring talented people together to expand opportunities for students to engage with Chemurgy 2.0 research teams. My favorite moments are the conversations I have with students at the annual symposium. Visiting with students as they present their posters and explain their contributions to the science and engineering goals of the project is very rewarding.

You played a key role in launching Tri-Alpha chapters at Iowa State and other institutions. Why was this effort meaningful to you, and what impact do you expect to see on first-generation students?
Tri-Alpha is the national honor society for first-generation college students, with a mission to recognize academic excellence and provide a community of support and mentorship. I am very grateful the faculty and staff are committing their time to start new Tri-Alpha chapters at the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, and Iowa State University.

As you step into retirement, what are you most looking forward to?
I want to thank Laura Jarboe for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Chemurgy 2.0 leadership team. I have enjoyed being part of this project and I look forward to seeing the education and workforce development components continue to grow with Marcy Seavey’s leadership.