On May 9-10, UW–Madison and the School of Education will celebrate its latest cohort of talented graduates with 2025 Spring Commencement celebrations. Ahead of this big weekend, we reached out to a few of our graduating students to learn more about their accomplishments, time at UW–Madison, and future plans.
Kaisa Stolen, who is graduating with a BS in Kinesiology and a certificate in Global Health, is one student who agreed to share her thoughts with us.
During her time on campus, Stolen worked in Dr. Awni Al-Subu’s research lab developing research skills and learning how to collaborate with a range of healthcare professionals. Al-Subu is an associate professor in the Division of Critical Care at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He also is the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit medical director and the medical director of pediatric respiratory care at American Family Children’s Hospital.
This fall, Stolen will be starting graduate school at UW–Madison in the Doctor of Physical Therapy–Master of Public Health dual degree program.
“My research experience here completely changed the trajectory of my professional path,” says Stolen. “Without the mentorship of Dr. Al-Subu and the opportunities he offered, I wouldn’t have had the skills or confidence to pursue international research. His guidance inspired me to pursue research in my future career and to work toward advanced degrees.”
Read on to learn more about Stolen and her time with the School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology:
Where are you from, and what brought you to UW–Madison?
I’m originally from New Brighton, Minnesota, and have always dreamed of attending UW–Madison. My Father earned his PhD here and so this city and campus have always held a special place in my family’s heart. I remember visiting the farmers’ market as a child, and then again touring campus as a high school junior — instantly feeling at home. The atmosphere on campus is electric and the community and openness that everyone has here made it a no-brainer decision when choosing my school.
What kind of work did you do in Dr. Awni Al-Subu’s research lab the past two-plus years?
I had the chance to design and conduct my own study focused on minimizing dead space in the lung during acute respiratory distress syndrome through end-inspiratory pauses. The study was conducted on pediatric pigs, and I analyzed multiple ventilatory and blood gas measurements. I completed animal studies earlier this semester and am now finishing data analysis, with the hopes of publishing my manuscript in the coming months.
What other meaningful experiences did you have during these past several years?
In the spring of my junior year, I studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Before leaving, I contacted Dr. Tor Biering-Sørensen, the founding head of the Center for Translational Cardiology and Pragmatic Randomized Trials (CTCPR), to inquire about joining his research lab. Outside of my study abroad program, I was fortunate to work in an all-Danish lab for the semester, conducting analysis of B-Lines on lung ultrasounds in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The goal of my analysis was to understand the relationship between B-lines detected on these ultrasounds and echocardiographic measurements of cardiac structure and function in COPD patients to better understand their prognostic significance.
While abroad, I also wrote and submitted an abstract to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Conference — the largest cardiology conference in the world — on pulmonary fibrosis and its effect on cardiac function in COPD patients. This abstract was accepted, and I had the opportunity to present it in London, England, where it was later published in the ESC journal.
I’m now wrapping up my manuscript on the B-line analysis and continuing to collaborate with my Danish colleagues, hoping to publish that as well.
Beyond research, my study abroad experience in Denmark was invaluable and something I’ll cherish for years.
Outside of research and on campus, I have also served as the student representative on the Undergraduate Studies Committee for the Department of Kinesiology and was honored to be named the regional winner of the American Kinesiology Award earlier this year.
Thinking about the principle of the Wisconsin Idea, how will you use what you have learned at UW–Madison to influence other people’s lives or positively impact our world?
As I think about the Wisconsin Idea, I hope to keep learning throughout graduate school — gaining the knowledge and experience needed to make a meaningful difference. My goal with my two degrees is to treat at a patient-to-patient level, while also having the community’s best interests at heart. As public health becomes increasingly important, I hope to use what I have learned to touch as many lives as possible, crossing state lines and national borders.
Is there anything we haven’t asked about that’s important to you that you’d like to share?
I’d like to say thank you to UW–Madison. This university has been my home and will continue to be. I’ve made lifelong friends and colleagues, and I’ve grown into the best version of myself. The faculty here truly cares about their students, and that has made all the difference.