Marvin Nieman, PhD
Institution: Case Western Reserve University
Title: Vice Dean for Graduate Education
Research Focus: Protease activated receptor signaling
I am the vice dean for graduate education at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. In this role I oversee our 17 PhD programs and 16 of our 18 master’s programs. I also have a research lab that focuses on protease activated receptors in platelets and other cells. The lab currently has one postdoc, four PhD students, a lab manager, a part-time research technician, and four undergraduate students. It can be a challenge to balance these divergent responsibilities, but that’s part of the fun. I couldn’t do it without strong teams in both arenas.
I have outlined a fairly typical day. The meetings change, and there are always impromptu ones with students, mentors, or program directors with urgent issues.
5:15 a.m.: I try to wake up at the same time each day. The alarm is set for 5:15 a.m., but about half the time I’m up just before it goes off. Of course, there are days that are more difficult than others. I make my way downstairs for coffee and a light breakfast while I catch up on the local news. I head out the door at 5:55 a.m. to get to the gym.
6:15 a.m.: The workout begins. Three days per week I do strength training that is a combination of barbell lifts, body weight exercises, and conditioning. It’s a small group with a trainer, and the accountability is certainly helpful. I enjoy the workouts but never seem to get them done on my own. The other days I run, which I actually enjoy doing alone.
7:00 a.m.: I head home and get ready for the day.
8:00 a.m.: I head out the door and drop my son off at his high school, which is on my route to the lab.
8:30 a.m.: My office is in the lab, which is a benefit because I walk past everyone multiple times per day. They will tell you I’m an instigator as I pass through. Once I make it to my office, I check email and prepare for the day’s meetings.
9:00 a.m.: I meet one on one with lab members to discuss data, plans, or career mapping. Today it’s a discussion on a manuscript that is in preparation for submission — to Blood, of course.
9:45 a.m.: I check in with the lab before heading off to meetings.
10:00 a.m.: It’s time for the weekly dean’s leadership meeting where the vice deans meet with the dean, Stan Gerson, MD. This is a highly interactive team. We each have our domains that we are responsible for within the School of Medicine. It’s rewarding to see how the leaders in education, research, and development come together for common goals.
11:30 a.m.: On the way back to the lab, I check in with Jason Buitrago, executive director of enrollment management and strategic initiatives. He is my sounding board for strategic planning to keep our programs innovative.
Noon: Lunch and project management time.
1:00 p.m.: I head down to the first floor to meet with Colleen Friday, the manager of finance and operations for the Graduate Education Office, to ensure that everything is running smoothly.
Some members of Dr. Nieman’s lab attended the 2023 ASH Annual
Meeting and Exposition: NaShea Kendrick, Dr. Xu Han, Dr. Lizzie
Knauss. Back row: Special guest Dr. Valance Washington of Oakland
University. Ms. Kendrick was a recipient of the Minority Hematology
Graduate Award. Dr. Knauss and Dr. Han both received Abstract
Achievement Awards.
1:30 p.m.: I meet with the Graduate Education Core Competencies team. Tawna Mangosh, PharmD, PhD, and Tessianna Misko, PhD, are my partners in implementing a competency-based graduate education curriculum at Case Western Reserve University. We have started using a portfolio to facilitate reflection and feedback throughout the graduate student experience. One of our goals is to approach graduate education as a scholarly activity so we can share our findings with other institutions.
2:15 p.m.: I wander out to the lab to check in with the staff on my way to grab a coffee.
2:30 p.m.: Focus time. I turn off all distractions and get some real work done. Truthfully, on some days this is aspirational. I made good progress on the manuscript today.
5:00 p.m.: I do final email communications and plan for the next day. This is an important part of my routine. I must admit, it doesn’t always happen.
5:30 p.m.: I leave the lab. Inevitably, some of the lab staff and I will discuss projects or the day’s experiments for a bit. It is common for a few of us to walk out together and continue the conversation on the sidewalk before we part ways. Today is one of those days.
Other days, we check in with each other on the way out to see how long we are going to stay — and are we really being productive at this point or is it time to go home? This is an important component of the positive culture of the lab. I think this keeps us going in a sustainable way.
6:00 p.m.: It’s a short drive home, so I generally listen to what Spotify picks for the Daily List. On this particular day, it seems appropriate that the first song is “Right Place Wrong Time” by Dr. John. I think I made it to all the right places today. No one seemed to complain, so I likely didn’t miss any emergencies.
6:30 p.m.: Dinner with the family. Here, we find out what happened during everyone’s day. This has been a priority since the kids were little. They seem well adjusted so far, so it might just make a difference.
7:30 p.m.: Today I head to the batting cages with my son. We have been doing this a couple of days per week for almost five years. On off days, I unwind with the guitar.
8:30 p.m.: I sit down for some light entertainment. We typically work our way through old sitcoms since they’re short and don’t require too much brainpower. When it’s baseball season, that takes priority.
9:45 p.m.: Everyone goes to bed, and the house is quiet.
10:00 p.m.: I shut down the electronics — or at least try to if there are no pressing deadlines. I read for a while before heading up to bed. I’m currently reading The Gospel According to Luke by Steve Lukather. It describes the interesting backstories that went into the recordings of the songs I grew up with.
I am often asked why I decided to take on an additional administrative role while maintaining the lab. The answer is rather simple: Pursuing a career in science changed my life because I had the opportunity to work with outstanding mentors. The vice dean role gives me the opportunity to make graduate education a place for more life-changing moments for the next generation. Science is hard; finding your place to do it should not be.
