The Rahmaans – Kameelah, husband Gary and daughtersKarma and Laila – make final preparations for Karma’srobotics competition.SAYwhat?Everything You Want to Know AboutDiane Karius, Ph.D.Q: What drives you to succeed?A: I have no idea. I’m something of a perfectionist, in veryconstrained areas – this trait doesn’t extend to my desk – butmore important to me is to always try to learn new things.… And Then SomeQ: What is something you do every day that you couldn’tlive without?A: Although students may believe the answer to that is drinkDiet Pepsi, I exercise every day if I can help it. My big three areswimming, taekwondo and bike riding. When forced, I run.Q: When you leave work at the end of each day, what do youhope your students take away?A: I want them to be able to see the best in themselves andothers. There are so many people who have told them howbad they as a group or individually are at things, but if wereally want them to excel, we and they need to see whattheir best is and build on that.Q: Why physiology?A: Some folks tell me I’m a born physiologist. I’ve always beenfascinated by how the body works. In grade school, I hadthe exhibits that were most avoided by visitors becausethey always had beef hearts, kidneys, lungs, brains, etc.Q: What is something people may not know about you?A: I have a significant collection of really bad monster moviesand disaster/end-of-the-world movies.Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?A: Finding the time to try all the things I want to try out whenI teach. I know there are so many ways I could improve myteaching material and teaching itself, but devoting time tothose is often a challenge.City, she’s found a place that feels like home. These advantageslead her to believe KCUMB was the right destination.“I’m really happy here because I found a community,and for me, that’s been the most powerful,” she said. “I feela connection to the community around my school.”While her life has changed in many ways, somethings still hold just as true today as they did back in heryouth in California.Deeply engrained in her is a sincere compassion anddesire to help people. Rahmaan volunteers by tutoringchildren living at the Riverview Housing Project, nearKCUMB’s campus. She sought out the extra work by askingpeople in the neighborhood, “What can we do to helpstudents of this community?”in typical fashion, she asked to work with studentswho needed the most help.“A lot of them are really bright, but because of theirenvironment they’re failing,” Rahmaan said. “They reallyneed role models who care and who push them.”Looking back on the distance between the strugglesof the past and successes of the present, Rahmaan said sheappreciates that Karma has been with her throughout.now a sixth-grader, Karma is an excellent student,who sometimes attends class lectures with her mother,usually taking notes, and wants to become a doctor, justlike her mother one day will.rahmaan can’t wait for the day when her husband,Gary, her daughters, Karma and Laila, and her parentswill come to KCUMB to watch her receive her diploma.It will be the completion of a journey that saw her facemany obstacles, but overcome each one.“There have been times I didn’t think I could do it,”she said. “I don’t know how I got through it, but I didsomehow.“I won’t be valedictorian, but I will be a doctor … Itwill be amazing, like a dream come true. The completionof a dream.”FEEDBACK: Send comments on this article to editor@kcumb.edu.Q: If you could talk to the patient simulators, what would you say?A: (First, I would) plead with them to stop doing what I toldthem to do and start doing what I want them to do. I doappreciate their compliance, but … Of course, I have thatrequest of all computers, in general.Q: Do you think the patient simulators like it here?A: I do think they like it here. They’ve been featured in severalvideos, dressed up to go to the simulated beach and partiedwith the students who have been their voices. What’snot to like?Q: What makes you different?A: As a physiologist, I cansuck the fun out of anytopic by explaining inhideous detail what isgoing on.Q: Students traditionally rate you as one of the best KCUMBprofessors. You are known for being accessible to students.In fact, you often stay up late in an online chat roomanswering students’ questions before quizzes and exams.What compels you to go the extra mile?A: I started doing the chat sessions because I thought thestudents might find it useful. I guess that’s all it takes.My price is much higher if you want me to run that mile.Dr. Karius serves as associate professor of physiologyand director of the human patient simulation program.She has worked at KCUMB since 1994.24 WINTER 2012 WINTER 2012 25

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