New Faculty Focus: Kimberly Keil Stietz

Kimberly Keil Stietz: assistant professor, Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine

Hometown: Manitowoc, Wis.

Educational/professional background: BS, St. Norbert College, DePere, Wis.; PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Postdoc, University of California-Davis.

How did you get into your field of research? I had an interest in developmental biology which grew during my time as a graduate student studying the growth mechanisms of the prostate. My interest expanded to include studying how environmental factors could interfere with developmental processes. So, I combined my graduate work and postdoctoral work to our goal now, which is to understand how developmental exposures to environmental chemicals can influence the morphology and function of the lower urinary tract.

What attracted you to UW–Madison? UW-Madison is like coming home, I was born and raised in Wisconsin and I could not wait to come back!

What was your first visit to campus like? My first visit was as an interviewing potential graduate student and I think there was a snowstorm at the time. I still remember one of my very first interviews was with Dr. Chad Vezina within the CBS department, he knew I liked animals so he walked me over to the barns and the stock pavilion. I still remember that interview to this day – and I eventually joined and obtained my PhD in his lab.

What’s one thing you hope students who take a class with you will come away with? I am passionate about whatever I do and I work very hard to be as clear and concise as possible. I am constantly trying to improve and genuinely care about the education of our future veterinarians.

Do you feel your work relates in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how. We study how exposure to environmental chemicals during development can influence urinary function throughout life, while we are working to understand the underlying mechanisms using pre-clinical rodent models, the impact of environmental chemical exposures is relevant to humans as well as animals.

Hobbies: When not working I enjoy gardening and spending all of my time outside on our hobby farm. I am an avid equestrian and especially enjoy training and competing with my horse in Dressage.