Erik Brincks
Sr. DeMolay Prudence Chapter, Algona, IA
Initiated into DeMolay 1991
DeMolay Awards
Legion of Honor, Active
Degree of Chevalier
Iowa DeMolay MVP
Education
Algona High School 1995
University of Northern Iowa - BA Chemistry 2000
University of Iowa - PhD Immunology 2010
Career Path
After completing my undergraduate degree at UNI, I taught high school chemistry and physics at Carlisle High School and Johnston High School for a combined 5 years. In 2005, the opportunity to pursue an advanced degree while being paid a better-than-nominal salary presented itself, so I left teaching to pursue my PhD in Immunology at the University of Iowa. I defended my thesis in Dec 2009, after which took a postdoc at the Trudeau Institute in upstate New York, where I studied the regulation of the immune response to influenza virus infection. In 2012, I moved on the University of Minnesota to study tumor immunotherapy and how obesity alters immune responses and therapy against tumors. This experience helped prepare me for my current position as a Senior Scientist at NewLink Genetics in Ames, where I help design, perform, and analyze biological/immunological studies that facilitate the development of new and/or improved immune-based therapies against cancer.
Accomplishments in Profession​
- American Cancer Society—2013 Williston ND Postdoctoral Fellowship; University of Minnesota; January 2014 through December 2015
- American Urological Association Postdoctoral Fellow; University of Minnesota; July 2013 to June 2014
- Featured Article: “Antigen-specific memory Treg control memory responses to influenza virus infection” was selected as a featured article in the “In This Issue” for the Journal of Immunology’s April 15, 2013 issue
- American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow; University of Iowa; January 2007 to December 2009
- Presidential Graduate Fellow; University of Iowa; August 2005 to December 2009
- Chemistry Teaching Major of the Year, 1999-2000; Chemistry Department, University of Northern Iowa
Favorite DeMolay Memory
My memories of DeMolay are a jumble of road trips as a State Officer, winning the state basketball tourney(s) at Grand Master’s Class, dances & pizza at the Mohassan Grotto for All Star Weekend, hallway soccer and late-night-all-hands-on-deck meetings at Conclave, painting giant signs/banners for state events, and movie nights at Prudence Lodge in Algona--where poor choices by the members lead Dad Gus to curate a series of WWII history videos for our education and viewing enjoyment.
How has DeMolay impacted your life?
DeMolay impacted my life as a young man by providing the opportunities to practice and improve skills like public speaking, interacting positively with people, event planning, leadership/teamwork, and long-term project planning (as anyone who has ever put together a term plan can appreciate)--all of which helped my success in the various positions I’ve had in my meandering career path.
Yet as I reflect back as a (somewhat) older man, all of these skills are still important--but not nearly as important as the relationships that I gained through DeMolay. I’ve had the good fortune to have a World War II vet as our Chapter Dad (Russell “Gus” Guster) who believed so much in DeMolay that he would hand deliver reminders to our high school before many meetings at 80-something years old. I’ve been blessed with friendships made during my DeMolay years that have lasted this day. And I was introduced to Masonry through DeMolay, which continues to be a joy in my life.
Parting Words of Wisdom
Comparison is the thief of joy. ~T. Roosevelt
Don’t take advice from golfers if you want to play baseball.