What are you up to lately?
I am pursuing a five-year doctoral program that includes a master’s degree in immunology at Harvard University. My research area is the HIV virus, because it fascinates me how the virus finds ways to bypass our immune system. I want to help contain it and outsmart it. Research on the virus is both exciting and important.

What unique skills and experiences did you get at Jacobs?
Early access to the laboratory courses and the involvement in the professors’ research right from the first semester, a ton of specialist knowledge, to have made friends from all over the world, and to have spent three years learning, laughing and occasionally arguing with people from all over the world. Jacobs also taught me to make something of myself because on campus, if one wants something and draws attention to it, then they can get a lot of support.

“Jacobs University has given me a ton of specialist knowledge. But most of all, the university has taught me to make something of myself.“

Catherine Jacob-Dolan

What are some of the activities and organizations you were involved in on campus?
I organized the Blood Drive on campus every year with the German Red Cross, and have also co-organized student events such as Dancestoned (a dance competition), and TEDx Innovation Conference.

You could have picked University of Cambridge for your doctoral studies too. Why did you choose Harvard?
I chose Harvard because the university, like Jacobs University, has a particularly international and intercultural nature. I wanted to keep this as part of my life, as I learned to appreciate it very much in Bremen.