5 Questions with Carolyn Bosse

For 35 years, Carolyn Bosse, a technical assistant in the Department of Biology, has been a steady, inventive, and good-humored presence diligently working behind the scenes. As lab coordinator, she’s helped generations of students navigate everything from microscopes to molecular techniques — and, occasionally, runaway insects. With a deep love of teaching, problem-solving, and biology itself, Carolyn brings curiosity and heart to her work every day. 

Q: Where did you grow up, and what shaped your early interest in science?

A: South Dakota — mainly in small rural communities. My parents were teachers — between the two of them, they covered everything from college physics to high school administration to kindergarten.

Q: What does your role at Grinnell entail?

A: I am a lab coordinator for the Department of Biology. I help with teaching labs, ordering supplies and equipment, developing and setting up labs, maintaining equipment, etc. I love teaching, solving problems, and biology. This job has been a joy and I’ve been so lucky to be able to grow into the position and work to my strengths.

Q: What was the path that brought you to Grinnell, and what changes stand out over the years?

A: My husband and I moved to Grinnell 38 years ago when he was hired at Grinnell Mutual. I had a degree in biology and a license to teach high school. I had planned on teaching high school, but applied at the College for a newly created lab coordinator position. As they say, the rest is history. Last summer marked 35 years at the College.

The physical campus has changed a lot. Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen eight new buildings built and three major renovations to existing academic buildings.

Science is ever changing — knowledge, instruments, research, and lab instruction has changed significantly. Techniques that we taught 35 years ago have been replaced with technology we would have not thought possible.

I love our students! They are so capable, creative, curious, and engaged. They are one thing that hasn’t changed in 35 years. Our faculty is made up of very talented scientists and dedicated teachers. I love that our teaching and learning is constantly evolving.

Q: What’s a favorite Grinnell moment?

A: I have a million stories, but I can’t think of a single one that’s better than another. Perhaps to highlight the ever-changing and unexpected nature of my job, I’ll tell this one.

At the behest of a new professor, I ordered blow-fly larvae for a student project. When they arrived, we decided to leave them in the lab in their shipping container with the lids slightly ajar. In the morning, we would purchase raw hamburger for them to eat. Job done, and I went back to my office. An hour later I discovered 1,000 blow fly larvae crawling down the hallway en masse to find lunch! They were within a few feet of my office and clearly weren’t stopping until they found food. If you haven’t picked up 1,000 blow fly larvae, you just haven’t lived.

Or perhaps I should tell you about the time a four-inch cockroach crawled up the inside of my pant leg in front of 24 students ….

Q: What do you enjoy outside of work?

A: My husband and I have two children and three grandchildren, and we love traveling and spending time with them. I enjoy playing piano, organ, and harp, spending time with our dogs (Jax the Magnificent and James the Lesser) and cats (Penny and Gracie), reading, and some very amateur watercolor. In the last decade, my husband planted 40 fruit trees and started a koi pond. My summers are spent eating fruit and canning jam. The koi are strictly ornamental so no eating those!