Inspiring Future Scientists

Julia Kochanowski has always really liked science. And she knew early on that she wanted to be a scientist. 

When Julia came to UND and began to immerse herself in school, and later, her work at the UND Forensic Pathology Lab, she found an encouraging learning environment and discovered a passion for inspiring young minds to explore the fascinating world of STEM. 

Motivated by the “Studygrams” trend on Instagram, Julia created her own account to stay organized and connect with other students.

Initially dedicating the page to study updates, her account gained unexpected popularity. Encouraged by her followers, she expanded to TikTok, discussing her studies in forensics and her work in the forensic pathology lab.

“I think talking about forensics and autopsies helps a lot of people with that morbid curiosity, but I also think people are scared about those things or dealing with something and they can easily talk to me about it. And it makes them feel better.” 

Because of significant understaffing in forensic pathology, Julia creates content to inspire more students to join the field. She’s even been featured as a “STEM Bestie” on the social media platform of Miranda Cosgrove’s “Mission Unstoppable,” which spotlights female innovators in science.

“I want there to be more diverse voices in science. I think it helps not only relate to different families experiencing things but also to give different ideas and approaches.” 

Outside of her forensic science explorations for social media, Julia supports students in programs like TRIO, a set of federally funded programs giving first-generation and income-eligible students the motivation and support to graduate with a college degree. A former TRIO student herself, she spent most of her undergraduate years providing the same assistance to similar students that was once offered to her.

“I love being a part of TRIO. If I hadn’t found this, I would not have succeeded as a student,” she said. “They help guide you.” 

Julia also credits the UND community with her ability to encourage younger generations to explore STEM fields. “[At the UND Pathology Lab] they cater to students who want to work in forensics or who want to be in medicine.

They only hire students, so that way they can understand the process and learn one-on-one how things work,” she said. “And they can offer so much advice on things and can be so supportive.” 

Through a nationwide initiative called Letters to a Pre-Scientist, Julia also exchanges letters with middle school students to show them what STEM professionals look like and inspire them to explore a future in STEM. She enjoys guiding students through options and emphasizing that STEM professionals also face challenges in education and beyond.

“I always tell them that I fail all the time. It’s just part of being a scientist and being a human being, too.” 

Thinking about advice for younger STEM students, Julia said it’s simple: try different things. Take different classes and talk to people in different fields. “I always suggest that you just try it out and see what you like or if you enjoy learning about it,” Julia said. “Because then once you start to learn more about it, you can say ‘I don’t like this as much as I thought I would’ and you can move around.”

Julia credits the support she’s found within UND for allowing her to make her own moves and try different things to see what she was really interested in. 

“I’ve heard stories from other students, too, where they started off in [one program] and realized they hated it. Now they’re in aviation or law or something along those lines. UND gives people that opportunity,” she stated. “UND gave me the time to explore different things because there are so many opportunities here, and you can really work through it, and I wouldn’t have had that anywhere else.”