Kalpana Patel, 25 years

Kalpana is a Containment Manager for the Emory Primate Center.

Tell us about your career at Emory.

I’ve been at the Primate Center for my entire career, although my responsibilities have changed over time. I started as a Research Specialist in the Novembre Lab/Virology Core and later became a supervisor. While working in the lab, I was involved in high-containment work. As time passed, I began training others and eventually took on management responsibilities, which led to managing another facility. When the Center posted the position for Containment Manager for all high-containment labs, I applied and was selected for the role. I have held that position ever since. The most challenging period was during the pandemic when we were setting up facilities to ensure research could be conducted to help stop the spread of the virus. It was a tough time, working long hours onsite to make sure everyone was trained while most others were remote.

What are some of your favorite Emory memories?

Many of my favorite memories come from the various activities we did at the Emory Primate Center (EPC) and the Blomeyer Fitness Center. At EPC, we hosted international potlucks and participated in volunteer projects with groups like Habitat for Humanity. Those experiences allowed us to really get to know our colleagues and build meaningful connections. When I first started, my initial supervisor encouraged his lab to work out, as he did, and most of the lab went to Blomeyer Health Fitness Center at some point during the day. I started doing that when I began and have continued ever since. It allowed me to meet other members of the Emory community at the gym and make friends outside of my immediate workplace. It was through a friend there that I found out about my neighborhood and found my house.

Kalpana, along with colleagues, running the Winship 5k in 2018.

What are some of the most significant changes you've witnessed?

Some significant changes I have noticed include traffic, work from home, and an increase in employee health programs. I have observed the increase in traffic as the university and its surrounding areas have grown, which has significantly increased my commute times. Additionally, the number of employees working remotely has risen, which was nonexistent when I first started. I know it provides many employees with a better work-life balance. I have also seen an increase in the promotion of employee health, whether physical or mental. Looking back, my initial supervisor encouraged us to take time to work out, which may be one of the reasons I am still an employee. It has helped me deal with stress in a positive way. I’m glad to see that Emory is actively promoting ways to be active and to support all aspects of health.

What do you miss from “back in the day”?

I miss the days when traffic wasn't so bad! It seems that all the routes into Emory have new homes, apartments, and shopping centers, which has impacted the traffic. It would be nice to have progress without the traffic, but that is nonexistent. I used to not mind working around the holidays because everything would quiet down around the Center, but these days, there is rarely a quiet moment to catch up on work!

Maureen Thompson and Dr. Frank Novembre with Kalpana during at the 2023 ABSA International Conference.

What do you hope for the future of Emory?

I look forward to Emory enhancing its salary offerings to ensure that long-term employees, who have developed valuable skills over the years, are recognized and rewarded for their contributions. This would reflect Emory's commitment to acknowledging the expertise and dedication of its staff. I hope Emory continues to thrive and value its employees by promoting both physical and mental health. Additionally, the increase in programs for all types of diversity has been great to see, and I hope it helps people understand and respect the differences we all bring to Emory.