GSA is excited to welcome Balint Kacsoh, PhD, as the Society’s Engagement Professional Development Program Coordinator! Read on to learn more about Balint, a past DeLill Nasser Award recipient, 2020 Larry Sandler Awardee, and former Early Career Leadership Program member.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and what your career has looked like up to this point? How did you come to join the GSA staff?
My name is Balint Zoltan Kacsoh. I was raised in the beautiful capital of Hungary, Budapest, and in Macon, GA. From a young age, I was fascinated by biology—whether it be going to the aquarium and the zoo, to biology class—I wanted to understand how organisms function. My father, also Balint Kacsoh, brought me to his research lab at Mercer University School of Medicine, where I was able to keep my own cell cultures and “help” run experiments as young as age eight. Throughout lower, middle, and high school, my favorite subject was science. I even sought more rare classes to take, such as Genetics and Advanced Topics in Science.
I received my BS/MS from Emory University under the guidance of Dr. Todd Schlenke and Dr. Nathan T. Mortimer and received my PhD in the lab of Dr. Giovanni Bosco at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. I performed postdoctoral research in the lab of Dr. Shelley Berger at the University of Pennsylvania, funded by a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Fellowship, where my research focused on epigenetics of social structure. Throughout my time in research, I gained an appreciation for the immense importance of Science Communication and Science outreach, forming SciAnts with my wife to facilitate this goal.
I have been a member of the Genetics Society of America since I was an undergraduate. I have been afforded many opportunities, such as conference travel funding through the DeLill Nasser Award and participating in the Early Career Leadership Program (ECLP), that have shaped me as a scientist. These programs and opportunities were immensely important to me. Thus, when the opportunity to join the GSA staff presented itself, I immediately applied. I hope to make as big of a difference to the GSA as they have to me.
Can you describe your new position at GSA as the Engagement Professional Development Program Coordinator?
As a member of the engagement team, my job will entail working with members of the ECLP, organizing conference workshops and events, and implementing new ideas to benefit members and other constituents of the Society.
What upcoming projects are you most looking forward to working on in your new role?
I am excited for many different projects—first, I am looking forward to helping further grow the ECLP. The ECLP is a critical component in the lives of many young scientists, and I hope to further the community. I am also looking forward to designing conference mascots as part of our science outreach endeavor to engage a broad community. Finally, I am very excited about helming new programs to engage our community utilizing streaming platforms.
What about the GSA community do you find most inspiring?
I am most inspired by the support system in place in the GSA community. Simply asking for help—whether it be on Slack, email, or in person—creates opportunities for growth and support. I owe my scientific career to the GSA, and I cannot wait to give back.
What’s one piece of advice that you think every early career scientist should hear?
As a scientist, you are in a position of extreme privilege; therefore, I believe it is your moral obligation to willingly and freely disseminate information in which you are an expert. Only with this mentality, can we promote science literacy and science trust in the broader community.
What do you think would surprise your undergraduate self about your career path so far?
My undergraduate self would be surprised at my strong love of science outreach—not in that I love doing it, but in the strong need for it. I have experienced much more now compared to then, and have seen firsthand the need to support members outside of the scientific community.
Do you have any mentors? How have they played a role in your career journey?
I have had many mentors throughout my journey. This ranges from my father, who is a professor in a medical school, to my academic mentors. As an undergraduate, a postdoctoral researcher, Nathan T. Mortimer, took me under his wing. Under his mentorship, I began to think like a scientist, solving and making puzzles in biology. Because of his mentorship, I embarked on a journey of research. His continued mentorship across over a decade has helped me identify regions to improve in and what matters most to me.
What professional accomplishment to date are you most proud of?
I am most proud of receiving the Larry Sandler Award, presented by the Genetics Society of America at the Annual Drosophila Research Conference for the best Drosophila PhD thesis. Having the community I support and love recognize my thesis has meant the most to me. It represents a long and hard journey through graduate school, and I am extremely proud of this accomplishment.
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?
My perfect weekend is sitting outside in our yard with my wife on a cool afternoon while grilling some of our favorite foods. Having a soccer game on the tablet—on low volume, of course—would be a bonus.
Read more in
-
Hongyu Zhao joins GENETICS as new Senior Editor
A new senior editor is joining GENETICS in the Statistical Genetics and Genomics section. We’re excited to welcome Hongyu Zhao to the editorial team. Hongyu ZhaoSenior Editor Hongyu Zhao is the Ira V. Hiscock Professor of Biostatistics, Professor of Genetics, and Professor of Statistics and Data Science at Yale University. He received his BS in…
-
GSA Member Julio Molina Pineda Receives DeLill Nasser Award, Shines at TAGC 2024
“At any career stage, the GSA membership is an amazing investment for any genetics professional!” Julio Molina Pineda is a PhD Candidate in Cell and Molecular Biology and a Research Assistant at the University of Arkansas, and a Doctoral Academy Fellow at the Lewis Lab. In 2023, Julio was awarded the DeLill Nasser Award for…
-
In Memoriam: Ellsworth Herman Grell (1932–2023), a pioneer of Drosophila genome engineering and annotation
Ellsworth (Ed) Grell blessed the Drosophila community through three enduring legacies: as a pioneer of chromosome mechanics, as a primary organizer and synthesizer of genetic knowledge in Drosophila, and as a graceful mentor to those fortunate to have known him personally. Ed grew up in rural Nebraska, completed his undergraduate studies at Iowa State, and…
-
Congratulations to the #Fungal24 Poster Award winners!
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the GSA Poster Awards for posters presented at the 32nd Fungal Genetics Conference! Undergraduate and graduate student members of GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of judges made the determinations. Congratulations to all! Felicia Ebot Ojong, The University of Georgia My research is focused…
-
Poster presentation tips for TAGC 2024
You’ve been selected to present a poster at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March—you’ve celebrated, made plans to attend, now what? This is an exciting opportunity to showcase your research and engage with fellow members of the genetics community, so you want to make sure you’re prepared. We wanted to offer you some tips…
-
Maximize your TAGC 2024 experience
A guide to all that National Harbor & DC have to offer Are you joining us for The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March? Make the most of your #TAGC24 experience in National Harbor! We know the science will keep you busy, but you deserve to unwind and have some fun, so we’ve curated a…
-
Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Sarah Petrosky
We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Sarah PetroskyMultimedia SubcommitteeUniversity of Pittsburgh Research Interest I am interested in understanding adaptation that has been happening recently in populations by dissecting the ways that genes underlying an adaptation…
-
TAGC 2024 Early Career Award Winners
GSA is pleased to announce the winners of the early career awards presented at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024. These awards are specific to particular TAGC communities and recognize early career scientists’ outstanding work on their respective research organisms. The awardees will present their talks in keynote sessions at TAGC 2024. Don’t miss the opportunity…
-
Preeminent geneticists recognized with revamped GSA Awards
In 2022, GSA’s Board of Directors launched an audit to review the five major awards conferred by the Society. Today, we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the reimagined GSA Awards, including the new Genetics Society of America Early Career Medal. The scientists honored this year are recognized by their peers for their outstanding…
-
Fly Board funds outreach programs to spread the word about Drosophila research
In 2020, the Fly Board voted to use part of its reserve fund to support efforts to increase trainee participation as well as equity and diversity in the Drosophila community. An awards committee decides how the money will be spent each year, and from 2020–2022, the committee posted a very broad call for applications from…
-
New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2024–2026
We are pleased to announce the election of four new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2024 Vice President/2025 President Brenda Andrews Professor, University of Toronto It’s an honor to continue my association with the Society by serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors. I have broad knowledge of the ongoing activities…
-
Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Caroline Muirhead
We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Caroline MuirheadCommunication and Outreach SubcommitteeWorcester Polytechnic Institute Research Interest I didn’t always know I wanted to make science my career. In fact, I started college as an engineering major.…