Dr. Kalai Mathee, a distinguished scientist and trailblazer in her family was born to Tamilkuyil Kaliaperumal, a revered Tamil scholar and author and Loganayaki who was also a writer who wrote under the pen name Rugmani Loga. Her maternal grandparents hail from Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
She has six siblings who live across the globe in Australia, the US and in Malaysia. All their names have the prefix ‘’Kalai’’.
Kalai Mathee is married to Dr. Giri Narasimhan, a professor in computer science. She says that her journey in marriage has been amazing and that she is grateful for all the support rendered by her better half. This romantic couple is called ‘’love birds’’ by their friends.
Her remarkable work in genomics and molecular biology has solidified her status as a leading figure in the scientific community. Her research encompasses a broad spectrum – antibiotic resistance, alginate gene regulation and comprehensive studies into the evolution and environmental adaptation of organisms.
She is a passionate educator who organizes conferences and workshops to promote STEM education. Her mentorship of students across the globe exemplifies her role as a global ambassador for scientific excellence.
She has the distinction of being the first woman from Malaysia to be inducted into the American Academy of Microbiology and Royal Society of Biology.
She held the distinguished post of Editor-in Chief of the Journal of Microbiology where she championed the cause for gender balance and diverse country representation on the editorial board.
A very enterprising person, she worked even during her school days during the vacation to supplement her family income. She used to either babysit or clean houses and later while doing her graduation, she worked as an assistant cook in a restaurant.
She schooled in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia and her elementary education was done in Tamil. She obtained her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Science from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. She later acquired her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Tennessee, Memphis. Her postdoctoral research was done in Tufts, Boston and in Memphis. She is currently pursuing BA in Tamil at the Alagappa University. She holds a Master in Public Health from Florida International University.
She has mentored over 170 individuals ranging from professors to middle school students. Together with her mentees, she has co-authored more than 150 articles and numerous book chapters in diverse areas. Her exceptional mentorship won her the Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentorship in 2011. She holds five patents and has delivered more than 150 lectures globally.
Kalai Mathee also serves on University International Boards both in India and Malaysia and is an international examiner for PhD dissertations in India, Malaysia and Africa. Besides this, she is also a reviewer for grants for the USA, India, Canada and few European countries.
Blessed with exceptional writing skills, she regularly contributes articles on health awareness to Malaysian Tamil newspapers. She managed to complete her mother’s fourth book which is a collection of short stories and recently edited her father’s collection of short stories. This book will be released in July 2025.
She is a recipient of a plethora of accolades and awards. Some of her major awards include the International New England BioLabs Passion in Science Award in 2014, the Torch Bearer Award for philanthropic contributions in 2014, the President’s Council Worlds Ahead Faculty Award, the 2021 FIU Faculty Senate Service Award and the Microbiology Society Outreach Prize in 2022.
Dr. Kalai Mathee is a distinguished scientist who rose from the post of Assistant to a Full Professor at Florida International University. Her remarkable journey from a humble beginning to making substantial contributions in the field of microbiology proves her unwavering dedication and expertise.
She was elected to serve as the Chair of the Microbiology Society Conference Panel and recently chaired the 2025 annual conference held in Liverpool, UK. It was a 4 day conference with 1200 attendees.
She is credited with spearheading a number of impactful programs and endowments throughout her illustrious career at FIU.
Her foray into the world of Tamil where she founded the Tamil Diaspora Research Institute in Miami, honors the rich diversity of the language. Her only regret is that her parents who were notable writers are not alive to see her efforts and achievements in this direction.
Her work has taken her around the globe. So far, she has visited 35 countries and is a geography buff and can name countries by their shape and knows most of their capital cities too.
An ardent sports lover, she was a hockey player, a coach and referee as well but an injury made her withdraw from this sport. She also loves to swim. A great fan of board games, she makes it a point to play at least three board games during weekends.
Her interest in music is so diverse and includes Carnatic music, music from Benin, Senegal, South Africa and Japan too. Some of her favorite musicians are Paul Robson, Madurai Somu and Luis Armstrong.
She enjoys watching talent reality shows like Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent and the Super Singer show streamed on Jaya TV. Though she does not like to watch much of television, she likes watching Scandinavian, Korean and Japanese dramas along with her husband. She prefers to watch movies that are based on themes off the beaten track.
She is a culinary enthusiast who likes to whip up traditional Tamil meals. She also likes to experiment and try out new dishes from all cuisines.
Purple is the colour she has taken a fancy to and she has sported purple colour hair for the past 15 years.
A true role model who has been setting an example for others to follow, her achievements stand out not only within the university but also in the broader academic sphere.
Juliana Sridhar is a lawyer and columnist
