UNC Charlotte biology major Zarah Rahman Blythe finds community and research purpose on campus

For Zarah Rahman Blythe, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte wasn’t just close to home, it felt like the right place to grow. 

A Charlotte native who attended elementary, middle and high school in the city, she said she chose UNC Charlotte because “it was a great location close to home and with a thriving urban environment with public access and transportation.”

Building a biology foundation close to home

Rahman Blythe is graduating from the Klein College of Science this August with a bachelor of science in biology, a field she has been drawn to since childhood. “When I was a kid I wanted to be a marine biologist,” she said, adding that attending science-focused magnet schools made continuing in the sciences feel natural. 

Her favorite classes reflect her wide-ranging interests within biology, including Symbiosis, Bacteriophage Discovery, Bacteriophage Genomics and Field Ecology. While her interests eventually shifted away from marine life, she said she still has “a huge love for biology as a whole.”

Building Community Through Campus Involvement

Rahman Blythe’s campus involvement helped her discover new passions and build lasting connections. She served as president of the Pollinator Club, a role she said brought her “a lot of joy” and helped her connect more deeply with ecology. The club’s niche community allowed her to participate in surveys, sustainability initiatives and hands-on projects.

She also founded the Crocheting Club, which she created simply because she loved the craft and wanted to meet others who shared that interest. “It was really hard at first,” she said, “but I think it was worth it to foster a community that is still going strong.”

Her campus jobs also shaped her experience. Working in the chemistry stockroom provided hands-on lab time and friendships she hopes will last long after graduation. She also worked for the Office of Sustainability, which she described as “super fun” because it allowed her to connect students with campus initiatives and help plan them alongside “like-minded students.”

Pollinator research and citizen science at UNC Charlotte

One of Rahman Blythe’s most meaningful projects was the Great Southeastern Pollinator Census, a citizen science initiative created by the University of Georgia. She participated twice, in 2024 and 2025, helping conduct surveys in the Pollinator Gardens by McEniry.

She said the census helped the club “better understand the health and biodiversity of our Pollinator Garden.” Their work also sparked interest from the club’s vice president, doctoral student Sal DeAndrea, who approached them about conducting a comparative study of native plants and pollinator preference within the pollinator garden.

Faculty and staff mentorship that shapes a biology Career

Throughout her undergraduate experience, Rahman Blythe found mentors who encouraged her academically and personally. She said Carrie Wells, associate teaching professor of biology “will always be my favorite professor” and described her as “a huge inspiration and supporter” in both her coursework and club involvement.

In addition to Wells, Rahman Blythe credits Cindy Honegger and Brenda Fandrey, her managers in the chemistry stockroom, for shaping her academic and professional development. She said their support “gave me hands-on experience as I was in classes and gave me connections that allow me to further myself even more.”

Undergraduate research experience in biology and ecology

Rahman Blythe’s undergraduate research experiences gave her the opportunity to present her work at large campus research events, including the 2025 Department of Biological Sciences Research Symposium and the 2026 Undergraduate Research Conference. 

Her projects included analyzing plant-pollinator interactions and annotating the genome of a bacteriophage named ERHickory.

Memories and places that she will miss

As she reflects on her time at UNC Charlotte, Rahman Blythe said she loves the University Recreation pool and gym, as well as the friendships she formed. “I think my favorite thing about UNC Charlotte is that everyone is so friendly and kind,” she said.

Her favorite memories include the UREC “Pool After Dark” event, late-night study sessions in Atkins Library and studying organic chemistry on the couches in Burson 120, before the department moved to Cameron this year. 

She also loved the student organization-led event “Party for the Planet,” noting that “there’s only so many times you get to pet an alpaca and go thrifting on campus all in the same hour.”

The Botanical Gardens were another special place for her, calling them “one of the coolest places,” where she walked “pretty much everyday” during her time at UNC Charlotte.

Lessons learned and looking ahead

Rahman Blythe plans to continue participating in field surveys, including the Southeast Bumblebee Atlas Survey, and said she will keep using her field notebook.

Her biggest lesson from college is simple, because a single invitation to attend a Pollinator Club meeting with her roommate shaped the rest of her college experience. “Take the opportunities that are given to you when you can because you never know what someone will offer you on a rainy day.”

She plans to celebrate graduation with friends and family and hopes to work in her field before pursuing a master’s degree in biology with a focus on microbial ecology or microbiology.

As she reflects on this milestone, Rahman Blythe said she is proud of persevering through a challenging major. “It has been a tough four years, but I am alive and well!”

Rahman Blythe’s experiences highlight the strength of UNC Charlotte’s biology program, its commitment to undergraduate research and the opportunities students have to explore hands-on science.

Written by Jenn Conway and Emily Hamm

Photos by Kat Lawrence and Jenn Conway