Science Heroes Home Page > Casey Mayo

Casey Mayo- Geriatric Nurse / Doctoral Student

OMSI: Where were you born?

CM: Marrero, Louisiana.

OMSI: Where did you grow up?

CM: Grants Pass, Oregon.

OMSI: What three words best describe you?

CM: Intellectual, creative, and fun!

OMSI: As a child, did you have any hobbies, interests, or experiences that helped prepare you for success in science?

CM: I was very interested in science and math throughout my childhood and developed an early love and appreciation for these subjects. I had wonderful math and science teachers that fostered my love for these areas and really pushed me to explore these interests.

OMSI: Please tell us about a mentor or teacher who helped to inspire your interest in science.

CM: One of my professors in my undergraduate nursing education really inspired me to look at my love for working with older adults and my interest in research to pursue a career in research with this population.

OMSI: What's the worst trouble you ever got into in school? Have you ever blown anything up?

CM: The worst trouble I ever got into in school was for skipping school to spend the day at the river with my friends. The school called my mom, and she was quite mad by the time I got home! Not too troublesome, I know - but how much trouble can you really get into living in Grants Pass?!?!?

OMSI: Describe a difficult situation that you were in and how you handled it.

CM: One difficult situation I had to face was my decision to leave the Air Force to pursue a career in nursing. I loved my job as a Korean Linguist and I loved the people I worked with. However, I knew in my heart that I wanted to be a nurse and that I had to at least try to fulfill that dream. It was a difficult decision to leave the comfort of my "known" world and start all over again, but pursuing my dream has been the best choice I've ever made in my life. I realized through that process that it is so important to follow your heart and to take chances to achieve your goals in life.

OMSI: What is your dream? What do you most hope to accomplish in your career?

CM: I first developed my passion for working with elders as a high-school student working as a Certified Nurse's Assistant in a long-term care facility. The stories shared by elders moved me deeply and strengthened my resolve to ease their discomfort at end-of-life. I also volunteered for a program making home improvements for community-dwelling elders. While helping to fix leaky roofs, loose floorboards and broken windows, I developed a deep appreciation for the strength and resilience of elders in the face of difficulties they experience living alone. Helping elders retain their independence in the community and minimizing the complications associated with declining physical function have become the principles upon which my professional nursing goals are based. My dream is to become a Nurse Scientist to improve pain management practices for older adults so that they are able to remain independently in the community.

OMSI: How do you feel about the current state of science education in the U.S.?

CM: I believe that while there have been great strides in the level of science taught in primary education, I feel that there is still a severe lack of access to that science in many of the under-privileged and rural areas of the country. I would love to see more focus on integrating science as a priority in these settings around the U.S.

OMSI: What do you like to do in your free time?

CM: As a doctoral student I don't have much free time! But I do enjoy mountain biking, hiking, reading (for pleasure and for school!), working in my garden and going to concerts.

OMSI: What do you consider your very best skill?

CM: To quickly understand complex and difficult situations and problem-solve those situations.