My dissertation will not be published online until 2026; however, there are a few pages that I would like to share now. These are the most important words of my dissertation.
This work was funded by NIH R21 AG054713-02, the Colorado Clinical and Translation Sciences Institute grant UM1TR004399, Rocky Mountain American College of Sports Medicine Graduate Research Grant, and the Colorado State University College of Health and Human Science Dean’s Fellowship.
There are many people who have contributed to my intellectual and personal graduate school journey and, therefore, these words are for them. First and foremost a thank you to my mentor, Dr. Karyn Hamilton, who has been essential in my development as a scientist and person. Not only did you let me come back to learn from you, but you did with open arms. You have continued to be an incredible role model, strong woman in science, and an all-around exceptional human. Second, thank you to my committee members Drs. Brett Fling, Tom LaRocca, Julie Moreno, and Kelly Santangelo as well as Kimber Finan, my supervised college teaching mentor. Each of you have aided in my scientific and professional development. In every conversation with each of you individually or as a group, no matter how short or long, I have grasped so much advice that I will remember throughout my personal and professional journeys. I also found two people who I coined my science older sisters during my graduate school training. Thank you to Drs. Becky Scalzo and Sarah Wherry for your encouragement, support, and realistic outlooks on science and life.
Next, there is so much gratitude to express to the current and past members of the TRACD lab. Not only did I grow in my scientific skill set because of your help, but I grew as a person both inside and outside the lab always having fun and forming lasting memories. Dr. Qian Zhang thank you for teaching me all there is to know about cell culture and gas-chromatography mass spectrometry. You did so with patience and kindness all while sharing great wisdom in our daily conversations. Dr. Robby Jacobs thank you for helping me establish new respirometry experiments and fostering an amazing collaboration while providing mentorship along the way. Finally, Dr. Rob Musci thank you for serving as a life-long mentor and friend. You helped me navigate the challenging waters of Utah and come out the other side more independent. Of course, an entire sentence should be dedicated to teaching me how to run an O2k.
I would also like to convey gratitude to my friends for supporting me on my hardest days, months, and years of graduate school. Dr. Meg Smith and I showed up at CSU from the same state not knowing each other. Maybe we were first bonded by our love of being from PA but since I thank you for listening, encouraging, and believing in me. I am excited for our journeys ahead as we return to our undergraduate institutions (#PAProf) to inspire the next generation of exercise scientists. The next thank you is for Master x 2 Moriah Brenneman. You helped me through literal house fires and figurative ones too. I do not think we truly knew the memories that we would make when we agree to be roommates but if I had to go through any of those terrible things, I am glad I did it with you and Strider too. Anyone who know me knows I love to run. However, there was a period in graduate school that running, and life were very challenging yet there was one exceptional person who reminded me of what a non-linear running journey (and life journey) looked like. Alissa Newman, thank you for your friendship, our Friday Five runs around the cemetery in rain, wind, or shine, and all the conversations along the way. You sat in the dirt with me on my worst days and celebrated the best ones. You are a remarkable human and helped me become a better version of myself. On the topic of running, I thank all my other friends who I have shared miles with including Kristen Glennie, Elena Lancioni, Sarah Morton, Sophie Seward, and Devin Wahl. Your positive outlooks on running and life will always resonate with me. Collectively, I tried to build a strong support network which indeed happened. However, it is never too late to grow a network and within my last year of graduate school the amazing Kylee Van Horn was added to my team of supporters. Thank you, Kylee, for the encouragement, conversations, and smart ways to fuel, train, and PR in the final months of my graduate school journey.
The next significant thank you goes to my family for constantly offering words of support and encouragement. To my brother, Jonathan Walsh, you make me laugh when I need it most. You bring both humor and humility to our family, two qualities that have helped tremendously along the way. To my dad, Joe Walsh, you have taught me numerous life lessons. However, the greatest were the value of hard work and the exemplary team leadership skills through my years working alongside of you. I, of course, also want to acknowledge O’Neill Coffee Roasters for the copious amount of caffeine sent to Fort Collins, Colorado. To my mom, Dr. Christine Walsh, the inspiration behind it all. When you decided to pursue a Ph.D. when I was 8 years old, I did not really know what that meant. Fast forward almost 20 years later and I think I have a much better grasp on the matter. Nonetheless you embarked on an academic challenging setting the example. Because of yours and dad’s encouragement, I held the belief that I could pursue challenges, demonstrate perseverance, and value life-long learning. You are a smart lady so you probably know that you wrote these words in your dissertation dedication unbeknownst they would come true years later. Now I cannot wait to be your colleague.
Four years ago, I defended my master’s thesis, and this is where my acknowledgements ended. However, a lot has changed in those four years. In addition to collecting more data and writing more papers there is one other thing I found along the way. I found my best friend. Dr. Chris Rom you have changed my life in more ways than one. Within three days of moving back to Fort Collins to continue my Ph.D. at CSU I met you in a coffee shop. Thank you CeAnn Udovich for accidentally facilitating this one. Was this meant to be? I sure think so. The hard parts of my Ph.D. became more enjoyable with you by my side all the while you earned your Ph.D. as well. You showed me that “teamwork can make the dreamwork” and I am so excited to be on your team living our dream.