Meet Jamie -- mitochondria analyst and Ph.D. candidate by day, senior national team sculler by morning (and afternoon). Not to mention, this guy speaks fluent Mandarin; plays the guitar, piano, and tuba; and maintains a flourishing garden of baby greens.

Spinach worked wonders for Popeye, and the theory seems to hold true for this 6’8’’ giant.

Jamie Schroeder admits his demanding work and training schedule keeps him on his toes. “It does take a lot of energy and will power,” said Schroeder. “The main thing is that I put in time each day for each separate area.”

The Wilmette, Ill., native currently lives in Bethesda, Md., and trains out of Potomac Boat Club. “I practice in the morning, take public transportation to work from 9 to 5, and then have time for practice in the evening,” he said.

Schroeder began rowing at Northwestern University in 2001 before completing his undergraduate degree in biotechnology at Stanford University in 2005.

He is presently involved in a unique graduate partnership program with Oxford University, which allows him to work toward his Ph.D. while holding a joint position at the U.S. National Institute of Health. Specifically, he works for the government-funded National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the Laboratory of Cardiac Energetics.

“The program is a different style than the traditional degree process. I was able to find a topic and build collaboration in the area of my choice,” said Schroeder, who was accepted into the program last winter. “The focus of my thesis is the regulation of the inside of muscle cells and mitochondrial function. This area is not yet entirely understood, and I am doing a real-time analysis of these cells using cutting-edge technology developed by the NIH.”

Schroeder has a variety of prepared responses for people who inquire about his studies. “I study the benefits of health and exercise; I design two-photon microscopes; or I analyze mitochondrial function. I tell them I am doing something exceptionally obscure,” he said.

The relationship between Schroeder’s chosen academic path, his passion for being active, and his interest in rowing is obvious. Growing up in the Midwest with little knowledge of the sport certainly hasn’t affected this three-time senior national team member’s success.

Less than 18 months after picking up an oar for the first time, Schroeder won gold in the eight at the 2002 Under 23 World Regatta. He went on to make his first senior national team the next summer and then earned a spot on the 2004 Olympic Team in the men’s four, finishing 10th in Athens.

After taking time off following the Games to begin his graduate studies, Schroeder switched to sculling and has quickly become one of the nation’s best, representing the U.S. in the single at the 2006 FISA World Championships.

“I am set on sculling. I need the flexibility of training on my own,” said Schroeder, who finished 12th in the single at his first world championships. “I am looking forward to racing season and working toward our goal for success in sculling in Beijing in 2008. I would very much like to be a part of achieving that.”

Schroeder receives his workout schedules electronically from National Team Sculling Coach Kris Korzeniowski as part of his daily routine. Like many others, he was disappointed when weather cancelled NSR I in the beginning of April. “I was hoping to use this event as a benchmark to check the pace and efficiency of my training schedule,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder is currently training with a doubles partner in preparation for his entry in the second selection regatta on April 27. Just in time for spinach harvest!