Traveling has been a part of Dr. Hallstrand’s life since she was very young. Born in Berlin, Germany, her family made the move to Huntsville, Alabama when her father was brought onboard as a NASA aerospace engineer at the Marshall Spaceflight Center during the Apollo years. She later relocated to the sunny beaches of Southern California then to the Pacific Northwest for the last 25 years.
Dr. Hallstrand earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of California San Diego, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Microbiology and Immunology and a post-doctoral fellowship in Viral Pathogenesis from the University of California Los Angeles. She then traveled to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden to complete a fellowship in Immunology. This eventually led to a decade-long career in biomedical research as a staff scientist at a number of institutions, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, located in Seattle.
Her academic teaching career began in 2001 at Concordia University, where she taught general biology, microbiology, immunology, and biochemistry courses. “My position at Concordia also provided the opportunity to maintain a small research program and to mentor students in research and thesis work.” Up until 2018, she also served as the biology section chair for the Oregon Academy of Sciences. Now at RVU, Dr. Hallstrand is “excited to work with graduate and medical students and to be able to teach intensively in the area of microbiology and infectious disease.”
As for her new home, she’s looking forward to getting to know the St. George area, including building connections with Dixie State University and Dixie Regional Medical Center. When not at work, Dr. Hallstrand enjoys traveling and outdoor activities like skiing (downhill and x-country), camping, and hiking. “Several years ago, my husband and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and were able to stay at Phantom Ranch Lodge before hiking back up. A very memorable experience—not because I loved the hike back out, but because I was glad to learn that I could do it!” Dr. Hallstrand and her family have traveled to the San Juan and Gulf Islands off the coast of Washington state and British Columbia. They enjoyed hiking, whale-watching, sailing, kayaking, cycling, and just relaxing. “Our favorite islands are Orcas Island and Galiano Island. Sitting at water’s edge at Montague Harbor on Galiano Island watching the sailboats and floatplanes come and go on a summer day is amazing.” When not traveling, Dr. Hallstrand also loves cooking and enjoys trying new recipes. “We are Portland Timbers (soccer) fans! [But] we’ll have to switch our soccer allegiance to Real Salt Lake.”