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MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Natural Science
Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology

Social Events

2024 Lab Holiday Party

A group of people stand together in a party setting. The glow of a christmas tree is visible behind them.
Lab holiday party attendees (starting front left): Grace, Jessica, Aesha, Rhia, Rowan, Alanis, Jake, Kefas.
Back row: Grandpa Joe, Ritam, Vic , Dylan, Beth, Jasper, Chris.
a collage of many different food dishes.
We decided to have a "world food" night, where everyone brought a dish to pass from either their home country or the country their extended family is from. Included in this collage are the Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian, Mexican, Nigerian, Puerto Rican, and American dishes we sampled and enjoyed. Not pictured are the multiple desserts and smoked fish appetizers. Such a fun night!

2024 Breakfast with Lucas

A group of five people take a selfie together. They are wearing winter coats.

Lucas is back in town for the holidays and so we gathered for breakfast. Left to right: Aesha, Rhia, Beth, Ritam, Lucas.

12.13.2024

Celebrating Ifeanyichukwu (Ife) Eke's completion of his PhD.

Two pictures - one of Ife in his graduation robes and one of Ife and Vic standing together.
Image on the left: Ife posing in his commencement robe.   
Image on the right: Ife posing with Vic, our department chair.
Group photo of the various people from the university and surrounding area gathered to celebrate Ife.

Group photo of the various people from the university and surrounding area gathered to celebrate Ife.

4.12.2024

University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) at Michigan State University

Dylan and Anna presenting their posters at the 2024 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum.

Dylan and Anna presenting their posters at the 2024 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum.

8.22.2023

A Day at Berry Lake

Front row left to right: Aesha, Rhia, Kate Back row left to right: Ted, Ritam, Vic
Front row left to right: Aesha, Rhia, Kate
Back row left to right: Ted, Ritam, Vic
A group of people stand together. There is a lake and grass behind them.

Left to right: Julie, Ted, Ritam, Rhia, Vic, and Kate.

6.29.2023

Mini Lab Reunion

A group of people stand together in the MGI main office.
We had a mini reunion since Ted and John came back for a fellow PhD student's defense.
Left to right: Rhia, Beth, John, Ted, Vic, and Ritam.
Four different pictures show Ritam standing next to his poster and presenting and Beth standing next to her poster and presenting.

Left image: Beth with her poster at the ASM Microbe Conference.
Right image: Maeve from the Crosson lab at Michigan State University presenting at the conference.

2023 Michigan State University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF)
April 14, 2023 at the MSU Breslin Center

Four pictures of Anna at UURAF presenting at her poster, with Vic, and with her parents.
Collage of Anna at UURAF.
Left image: Anna explaining her work to an attendee.
Middle image: Vic and Anna posing at her poster.
Top right image: Anna with her parents (Evelyn and Brian.)
Bottom right image: left to right: Beth, Vic, Anna, Rhia, and Ritam.
Four images show Dylan at UURAF with Vic and his family.
Collage of Dylan at UURAF.
Top left photo: Vic and Dylan posing at his poster.
Top middle photo: Dylan explaining his work to an attendee.
Bottom left photo: left to right: Rhia, Ritam, Vic, Beth, and Dylan.
Right photo: Dylan with his family (Grandpa Joe and mom Heather.)

2023 Celebrating Ritam and Aesha's first wedding anniversary
at the Graduate Rock Bar in East Lansing

Group of people in the rock bar at the graduate hotel.
Front row: Aesha, Kate, Rhia;
Middle row: Beth, Ritam;
Back row: Jasper, Vic.

2022 Halloween Tea @ 3

Three pictures show people dressed in halloween costumes and food for a party.
Halloween Tea @ 3 collage- Waters lab went all out!: 
Top left: "Doctor Vader" doing the force choke on his lab to keep them in line;
Bottom left: Some of the food and decorating;
Right: Nkrumah and Kaylee in lab appropriate costumes.
More costumes from our Halloween Tea @ 3
More costumes from our Halloween Tea @ 3

2022 MSU Tailgate
September 24, 2022

Various pictures of people enjoying a tailgate.
Left: Grill-master Phil doing what he does best!
Right photos: Collage of tailgate attendees enjoying food and camaraderie.

2022 ASM Microbe Conference
June 9-13, 2022
Washington, D.C.

group of people under the ASM microbe banner
Some MSU representatives at the ASM Microbe conference.
Left to right: Beth Ottosen, Kati Ford, Doug Guzior, Brian Hsueh, Jasper Gomez.
Vic and Natalia take a selfie
Vic visiting with Natalia, 
a previous post-doc from the lab 
who now works at ACS in Washington, D.C.
ASM microbe banner and screen showing two people sitting.
Opening session at the ASM Microbe conference.
John Mekalanos of Harvard Medical School was honored with the
American Society for Microbiology Lifetime Achievement Award.
Beth standing behind a lecturn that reads ASM microbe.

Beth presenting her work at the ASM Microbe conference. 

P
Panorama of Beth with her title slide presenting her work
at the ASM Microbe conference.

2022 Celebrating Lucas's Ph.D. defense

large group of people in vic's backyard
Front row, left to right: John, Kate, baby Amara, Kay, Adair;
Middle row, left to right: Claudia, Rhia, Beth, Lucas, Jessica;
Back row, left to right: Vic, Jeff, Sarah, Elyse.
Lucas and Vic stand in Vic's house. Lucas is holding something framed in his hand.
Lucas and Vic
Three photos of people holding a baby.
Collage with baby Amara.
Left: Uncle Lucas with Amara;
Top right: Kate, holding Amara, with Grandma Kay;
Bottom right: Grandpa Jeff holding Amara.

Microbiology and Molecular Genetics* Retirement Reception
May 19, 2022

Eight MMG faculty members retiring from MSU posing with the department chair after the retirement ceremony.
Eight MMG faculty members retiring from MSU posing with the department chair after the retirement ceremony.
* Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG) is now the Department of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology (MGI).
Left to right: John Fyfe, Patrick Venta, George Garrity, Martha Mulks, Vic DiRita (department chair), Donna Koslowsky, John Merrill, Susan Conrad, and Michael Thomashow
Honorees and fellow faculty members chatting during the reception.
Honorees and fellow faculty members
chatting during the reception.
Starting from the left: Martha Mulks, Linda Mansfield, John Merrill, Donna Koslowsky, Vilma Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan, Sue Conrad, Peggy Petroff (standing), James Tiedje, Vic DiRita, and Rich Lenski

2022 Michigan State University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF)

Dylan and Vic stand next to Dylan's poster at UURAF.
Dylan and Vic posing at Dylan's poster at UURAF.
two images show dylan explaining his research and an overview of the whole display area.

Top photo: Dylan explaining his research to an attendee of UURAF. 
Bottom photo: Overview of the poster session held on the floor of the 
Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University. 

2022 MMG Undergraduate Research Showcase
Dylan presenting his first research poster

Dylan explaining his research to a showcase attendee.

Dylan explaining his research to a showcase attendee.

2021 lab outing: fun at Berry Lake

DiRita lab at Berry Lake
DiRita lab at Berry Lake
Front row: Kate, Claudia, Beth, Rhia
Back row: Ritam, Lucas, Ted, Vic
Having fun on the lake: pontoon boat ride, kayaking, and paddle boarding. It was a little windy, but everyone enjoyed themselves.
Having fun on the lake: pontoon boat ride, kayaking, and paddle boarding. It was a little windy, but everyone enjoyed themselves.
Left photo: Millie, the dog, enjoying a pontoon boat ride.
Top middle photo: Beth paddle boarding.
Bottom middle photo: Ritam kayaking.
Top right photo: Kassie paddle boarding.
Bottom right photo: Claudia paddle boarding.
Enjoying drinks and snacks around the campfire.
Enjoying drinks and snacks around the campfire.
Top left photo: Ted with Berry Lake in the background.
Bottom left photo: Ted and Beth getting the fire going, while Lucas enjoys a cold beverage and Tum sets up a camp chair in the background.
Middle photo: Lucas savoring a s'more.
Top right photo: Rhia by the lake.
Bottom right photo: Tum and Beth warming up by the fire.

Michigan State University 2021 Commencement

Ted and Vic at MSU commencement. (Photo courtesy of Ted Van Alst.)
Ted and Vic at MSU commencement. (Photo courtesy of Ted Van Alst.)
MMG PhD grads
2021 MSU MMG Ph.D. graduates and their mentors:
Front row: Alshae’ Logan-Jackson, Nkrumah Grant, Kyle Card, Ted Van Alst, Peggy Petroff, Nhu Nguyen;
Back row: Rob Abramovitch, Rich Lenski, Sean Nguyen, Vic DiRita, Yann Dufour, Josh Franklin.
Photo courtesy of Rob Abramovitch.

2021 celebrating Ted's Ph.D. defense

Group of people gathered around a kitchen island with a laptop. Two people are holding framed pictures.
On laptop: JJ
Front row: Kassie, Lizzie, Ted, and Lucas
Middle row: Beth, Rhia, Ritam, and Julie
Back row: Josh, Vic, and Ed
group of pictures of the graduation celebration for Ted at Vic's house.
Collage celebrating Ted
Top left image: Ted with his family- left to right: Kassie, Ed, Ted, Julie, and Lizzie
Bottom left image: Vic and Ted
Bottom middle image: Ted with cake
Right image: left to right: Ed, Ted, Julie, and Vic

2021 DiRita lab get-together post Covid-19 vaccinations

Group of people standing in Vic's backyard
Now that we all are fully vaccinated, we decided to have a gathering in real life!
Left to right: Vic, Lucas, Ritam, Ted, Rhia, and Beth

2020 DiRita lab reunion via zoom

a zoom meeting with a grid of people.
The lab reunites over zoom during COVID.

2020 Integrative Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (IPSTP) retreat

Lucas presenting his work at the IPSTP retreat at MSU

 Lucas presenting his work at the IPSTP retreat at MSU

A collage showing pictures from the holiday party.
   

2019 MSU MMG Departmental Tailgate (hosted by MMG Post-Docs)

Collage of tailgate attendees enjoying food and camaraderie. (All 2019 tailgate photos courtesy of Alessandra Hunt.)
Collage of tailgate attendees enjoying food and camaraderie. (All 2019 tailgate photos courtesy of Alessandra Hunt.)

2019 lab outing: a day at Berry Lake

Collage of images showing people having fun on the lake.
Collage Figure Legend:
Top left: going for a boat ride
Top middle: Ritam kayaking
Top right: Ted, Ritam, Beth, and Lucas
Bottom left: Lucas kayaking
Bottom middle: enjoying the hot tub
Bottom right: Beth paddle boarding 
A collage of photos of Ritam and Ted with their posters at ASM microbe. Also a picture of Ritam with the golden gate bridge.
   

Celebrating Natalia's time in the lab (2019)

A group of people sitting around a sofa at Vic's house.
Left to right standing in back: Lucas, Jab, Natalia, Ted, Beth
Left to right sitting on sofa: Vic, Sarah, Ritam
Left to right kneeling in front: Rhia and Sammy the dog

2018 Oktoberfest in Frankenmuth, Michigan

two pictuers showing people at oktoberfest.
Left image: Melissa and Sarah playing a game of giant Connect Four
Right image: Posing in front of the giant beer steins
Left to right: Ritam, Kevin, Frankie, Rhia, Ted, Melissa, and Sarah

2018 lab outing: Berry Lake 

A group of people smile at the camera. They are on a boat.
Enjoying an evening boat ride:
Front row: Kate and Natalia;
Middle row: Vic and Ed;
Back row: Ted, Julie, and Lizzie
Three people smile at the camera.
Ted, Rhia, and Natalia sitting in the lake
at Ted's family's house

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMG Post-Doc Association Tailgate: Group Photo (2018)

A group of friends and family of MMG post-docs.

Friends and family of MMG Post-doc tailgate

Two pictures showing scenes from the tailgate. People are milling about on grass under sunny skies.

Enjoying the MMG PDA tailgate (2018)

ASM Microbe Conference in Atlanta, GA (2018)

Three pictures of people with Vic and their posters
Natali, Ritam, and Lucas stand with Vic next to their posters at the ASM Microbe meeting in Atlanta, GA in 2018.
Four people sit at a table at a restaurant.
Conference attendees relaxing at an informal dinner after ASM conference (2018)

 

Midwest Vibrio Summit at Indiana University (2018)

DiRita lab representatives at the
Midwest Vibrio Summit at Indiana University (2018)

Two pictures of people presenting posters at a conference.

Left image: Ted presenting a talk about how
Vibrio cholerae interacts with mucin
(image courtesy of Chris Waters)

Right image: Lucas presenting his poster about
TcpH domains that inhibit TcpP proteolysis

 

2018 Michigan State University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF)

Three pictures of people standing with their posters.
DiRita lab undergraduates presenting their posters at MSU UURAF (2018)
left to right: Ben, Alyssa, Joe

DiRita lab Christmas (2017)

A group of people stand by a staircase.
Back row (on the stairs): Alyssa, Natalia, Rhia, Joe
Front row: Ted, Cameron, Philip, Vic, Shaun, Ritam, Nils

2017 MSU MMG tailgate

A group of people stand together and smile at the camera.
DiRita lab at the MSU MMG tailgate;
Back row: Lucas, Vic, JJ, Nils, Ted
Front row: Joe, Natalia, Rhia, Shaun
Phil stands next to the grill. He's wearing an apron and a baseball cap.

Grill-master Phil cooking chicken wings for the MSU MMG tailgate

 

Two people play the washer toss game at the tailgate.
Matt and Josh playing washer toss at the MSU MMG tailgate while Phil officiates

2017 Michigan ASM Fall meeting

A group of people stand on a staircase. One of them is holding an award of some kind.
MSU representatives at Michigan ASM Fall meeting (2017);
Included are members of the DiRita, Dufour, Hammer, and Kroos labs of Michigan State University

ASM Microbe Conference in New Orleans (2017)

Collage of Vic and Ted at ASM Microbe Conference in New Orleans (2017)
Collage of Vic and Ted at ASM Microbe Conference in New Orleans (2017)
A group of people are smiling at the camera. They are at a restaurant.
front row to back: Ritam, Melissa;
Natalia, Joe;
Rhia, Kate, Lucas;
Vic, Ted

Science Festival at Michigan State University (2017)

two pictures show people setting up scientific equipment and then interacting with children and adults.
Left image: (left to right) Jeff, Ben, Laura, Geoff getting everything set up for their demonstrations
Right image: Presenters demonstrating various topics to the public

MSU UURAF (2017)

two pictures of young men standing next to their scientific posters.

Left image: Shaun at his poster for MSU UURAF (2017)

Right image: Ben at his poster for MSU
UURAF (2017)

Mi-ASM Conference (2017)

A group of people smile at the camera.
DiRita Lab at Mi-ASM (2017);
back row: Vic, Ted, Shaun, Lucas;
front row: Ritam, Natalia, Rhia, Joe 
Two pictures - each show a person standing next to a scientific poster.

Left image: Ritam at his poster at Mi-ASM (2017)

Right image: Joe at his poster at Mi-ASM (2017)

 

DiRita Lab Christmas (2016)

A group of people smile at the camera. They are in a family room.
back row: Vic, Shaun, Ted, Ben;
middle row: Lucas, Natalia, Cole, Melissa, Rhia, Ritam, Alicia;
front row (sitting): Joe, Alex, Marisa

Joint University of Michigan-Michigan State University Microbiology Retreat (2016)

 

Two pics showing two different groups of people. One pic shows them standing next a split-rail fence, the other shows them in front of some water.

Left image: Representatives from the DiRita lab at the joint microbiology retreat;
left to right: Vic, Ted, Natalia, Rhia

Right image: Posing at Gull Lake before leaving the joint microbiology retreat;
left to right: Pallavi (Manning lab), Rhia (DiRita lab), Alessandra (Waters lab), Natalia (DiRita lab), Phil (Hammer lab)

A group of people strike a pose underneath a sculpture.
DiRita and Waters labs group photo at MMPC (2016);
back row (left to right): Ted, Michael, Geoff, Nico;
front row (left to right): Rhia, Natalia, Dulce

MMG Post-Doc Association Tailgate (2016)

Two pics of people at the tailgate.

Left image: Grill-master Phil at the tailgate

Right image: Group Photo of tailgate attendees

 

Jessica's Ph.D. defense celebration (2016)

Two images: The first one shows Jessica & Vic standing together and the second is full lab group photo.

Left image: Jessica and Vic after Jessica's defense

Right photo: The gang celebrating with Jessica;
back row (left to right): Jeff, Ted, Vic, Drew, Wei Ping, Joe, Cole;
front row (left to right): Jessica, Jyl, Rhia, Natalia

 

JJ's going away lunch at Meat Southern BBQ and Carnivore Cuisine (2016)

Two pictures show a guy before and after trying to eat an enormous sandwich and mac & cheese. He's much happier before.

JJ attempted the "Ultimate Carnivore Food Challenge": eat the "Boss Logg" and Made-to-order Mac-N-Cheese in 45 minutes. If finished, you get the meal for free, a free t-shirt, a beer on the house, and your picture on the wall of fame. Twenty four minutes into the challenge and JJ is giving up. He couldn't pack it all away. Alas, next time, JJ, next time!

 

Left image: The "Boss Logg" at the start of the challenge
Right image: The remnants of JJ's "Boss Logg" and Mac-N-Cheese.

Lea's going away party (2016)

A group of people are smiling broadly at the camera - clearly having a great time. The girl in the center has a plate with food on it and a fork.
Lea's going away party (2016);
left to right: Natalia, Rhia, Ted, Lea, Marisa, Shaun

Morgan and Marisa's graduation lunch (2016)

A group of people stand together at a restaurant.
Lab group photo at Morgan and Marisa's graduation lunch (2016);
back row (left to right): Ted, Vic, JJ, Shaun;
front row (left to right): Natalia, Rhia, Morgan, Marisa, Alex

2016 Lab group photo

A group of photo stand together in a lab.
Lab group photo (2016);
back row (left to right): JJ, Vic, Ted;
front row (left to right): Lea, Natalia, Morgan, Marisa, Rhia

2015 Lab Group photo at MiASM

A group of people standing in a hallway. There is dark woodwork behind them.
Lab group photo at MiASM (2015);
back row (left to right): Rhia, Patrick, JJ, Vic;
front row (left to right): Marisa, Jessica, Morgan