Dawood Al Dawood, ‘23

Why did you choose to come to UMR? I chose UMR because of the variety of opportunities that it offers. Also, I found UMR was a place of high quality of education, a strong sense of community and cultural diversity.

What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? My Capstone project was one of the most important experiences that helped me learn more about my potential and how to shape an organized plan for both the short-term and long-term goals.

How did your Capstone experience prepare you for your future in what you’re currently doing?The Capstone experience helped me prepare for my academic future by making a clear academic path. I was able build a good foundation of knowledge in a field of interest and acquire the necessary skills. It also helped me build a strong network with people related to that field.

Is there a certain instructor that greatly impacted your time at UMR? It is difficult to say that one instructor made a greater impact than the other. Most of the instructors at UMR guided me to make better decisions and helped me a lot when I needed their help. But I would like to highlight the efforts of professors David Haines, Xavier Prat-Resina and Marcia Nichols who gave me great advice along the way and never hesitated to make the time to explain any materials that troubled me.

What are you currently doing? I am currently pursuing the master's degree in bioinformatics and computational biology while working as a Research Technologist in the Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic.