Chloé Gherardi

Chloé Gherardi is a biological sciences doctoral student from Rhode Island

Hometown: Rhode Island

High School: Classical High School

Year: Anticipated Graduation: Fall 2026

What is your major (and/or minor), and why did you decide on this course of study?
I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences. I chose this course of study because I have always loved animals, science and conservation, and my dream is to be a professor at a university one day.

Tell us about the research you are conducting at NIU: what it involves, why it interests you and who has been important to your success along the way.
My research is in nutritional ecology. I study how primates, specifically lemurs, meet their nutritional needs in their environment. My dissertation has been focused on understanding fiber fermentation in lemurs with different dietary specializations. I conducted a captive study at the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina centered on fiber digestibility and have made multiple trips to Madagascar to study lemurs in the wild. Proper nutrition is essential for the health and survival of all organisms and has important conservation implications. Lemurs are one of the most endangered mammals in the world, and it’s crucial that we develop appropriate conservation management plans, both in the wild and in captivity. My advisors have been crucial to my success, guiding me through graduate school and conducting research in a foreign country. My committee members have been very helpful in supporting my work, and my friends/peers have been important in my mental well-being through this difficult program.

What has genuinely surprised you about your experience at NIU?
I've been surprised by the incredible diversity of students here at NIU. I have met people from all parts of the world and made friendships that will last a lifetime. The graduate students in biology are also incredibly supportive of each other, unlike other institutions where there can be a lot of competition.

Are you involved in student organizations, mentoring programs or extracurricular activities? If so, which ones, and how have they shaped your experience as a Huskie?
I was involved with the Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA) for three years and the Graduate Student Association for two years. As BGSA president, I spearheaded the start of a graduate student mentoring program in biology, which I have since participated in. I have also mentored many undergraduate and graduate students, both here at NIU and in Madagascar.

What NIU offices, departments or resources have helped you feel supported and successful, and how?
The Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Anthropology have helped support my work by providing encouragement, feedback and brainstorming together. The biology department has also helped fund some components of my research.

Who has been a favorite instructor or professor, and what did they teach? What made them memorable?
Beyond my amazing advisors (Drs. Karen Samonds and Mitch Irwin, who have provided me with so much advice, experience and support), Dr. Jennifer Koop has been a great professor. She taught Conservation Biology my first semester at NIU during my master's, which I really enjoyed. She has just been incredibly supportive and encouraging through the hardships I have faced during my program.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community, and why are you drawn to it?
I spend most of my time in the Stevens Building, since my lab is there. As the most recently renovated building, it is beautiful and very quiet and peaceful.

How has NIU helped you find your community or your sense of belonging here?
I was able to find my community and feel a sense of belonging by being an active part of BGSA. As a student obtaining a Ph.D. in biology but working with primates and conducting my work in the anthropology department, this organization really helped me connect with my peers when I first arrived at NIU.

Why is a college education important to you?
A college education is important to me because college teaches you how to think critically. In a world with a lot of misinformation, it's crucial now more than ever to be well-educated and understand the extensive information we take in every day. On a personal level, my dream has always been to be a professor at a university, and in order to properly teach and inspire the next generation I need to be well-educated myself.

What advice would you give to a student who is researching colleges right now?
When researching colleges, make sure you're interested in the program you're applying to and that the program actually offers all the courses it advertises. Having a lot of courses available helps you explore your major or maybe even discover a new interest. It's also important to think about the place you'd be living in, the city/town outside of the school. Having things to do, a social life and maintaining work/life balance is so important for academic success.

How do you manage your responsibilities like school, work, family and everything else while still making the most of your time at NIU?
Having a solid social network here at NIU and in DeKalb and Chicago more broadly has been a really important part of maintaining my responsibilities and work/life balance.

What led you to pursue graduate education, and why did you choose NIU for that next step?
I have always been passionate about science and found it so interesting. I wanted to make contributions to wildlife conservation and make STEM more welcoming and accessible overall. I chose NIU because of my advisors. I wanted to work with leading experts in their fields. Drs. Karen Samonds and Mitch Irwin are legends for their work in Madagascar, and I wanted to learn from the best.

How has your graduate program connected you to research opportunities, professional networks or career advancement?
Attending conferences as a graduate student, reaching out to experts for help on my research, and participating in primate or nutritional ecology interest groups has been essential to creating my professional network and advancing my career.

What has your relationship with faculty and fellow graduate students been like, and how has it shaped your experience?
My relationship with faculty and fellow graduate students has been really supportive overall. I feel like we are cheering each other on, celebrating each other's successes, and are there to support each other when things are hard or we hit barriers/obstacles with our research.

What would you tell an undergraduate student who is considering graduate school?
Graduate school has been the hardest thing I've ever done, but also the most rewarding and the thing I am most passionate about. My piece of advice is to really think hard about why you want to go to graduate school and if it's right for you. Don't go to graduate school just because you don't know what to do next. Think about your long-term career goals and if a graduate degree is important for that career. After my undergrad I was very burnt out, so I took a year off to work. This break really helped me realize how passionate I was about STEM and led me to graduate school.

What scholarships or financial support have you received at NIU?
I have received teaching and research assistantships, the Dissertation Completion Fellowship and internal grants/awards in the biology department, like the Briles Award and George L. Terwilliger Memorial Scholarship.

Did the availability of scholarships or financial aid factor into your decision to choose NIU? If so, how?
I would not have come to NIU without an offer for a teaching or research assistantship. Otherwise, most of these grants/awards/sources of funding were received after starting at NIU.

How has that financial support shaped your ability to pursue your education and make the most of your time here?
Graduate school is a full-time job, so having financial support is crucial to completing the program. It would be really difficult to work outside of graduate school, so funding has been important for my academic success as well as maintaining a social life and work/life balance.