Happy late 121st Birthday Dr. Barbara McClintock (June 16th)! In the 1950s, McClintock discovered mobile elements in maize. She received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983 for her groundbreaking work. In this short blog, learn some neat facts about transposable elements and the pioneering woman scientist who first described them! 6/16/2023 The Ups and Downs of FundingIt's important to me that we as scientists openly share our experiences with the obstacles we face in academia. This is the part of science that makes it human - the emotion and relatability of feeling rejected, disheartened, or lost. This post is about my experience dealing with grant rejections in academia, and how I plan to move forward.
In my first year as a PhD student, there were ups. There were downs. There were moments of absurd productivity. And there were moments of absolute stillness. Looking back at this past academic year, I am proud of myself. I had plenty of days of self-doubt, filled with feelings of anxiety and guilt. However, the majority of my first year was wonderful, filled with days of self-empowerment and genuine excitement. If I were about to start my PhD studies, here are 5 pieces of advice I would strongly consider in my first year.
10/20/2022 It's okay to feel a little lostI wrote a short blog post a few weeks back, but I never finished it. I was feeling overwhelmed with self-doubt, and I was not sure how to address those feelings. But I am starting to think that maybe this site is a good way to replenish my sense of individuality as I explore what my identity is outside of being a graduate student. Since I am feeling self-doubt, I thought it would be helpful to write a post that acknowledges those feelings. So here is my short post about my sad feelings in the first three months of graduate school, and how I am using this post to switch my focus onto the amazing things I am accomplishing.
9/4/2022 Week one: complete.It’s Sunday, and I am enjoying a warm cup of coffee and chocolate walnut scone from Ninth Street Bakery, reflecting on the past week. It was my official first week of graduate school, and wow was it a busy one! I had forgotten what it’s like to be a student - I worked as a research technician full-time for the past year, and the year before that I was an undergraduate, but being a student felt very different during the pandemic. The buzz of a campus waking from its summer dormancy: in-person classes and discussions, walking between buildings with the sun beating down on you, groups of undergraduates looking completely lost, tables with clubs promoting themselves. These are the things I haven’t experienced since 2019. I didn’t realize how much I missed them, and I also didn’t realize how difficult it would be to trek back into the life of a student.
8/11/2022 Why Duke?I start graduate school in about 2 weeks, and I am nervously-excited. I moved to Durham three weeks ago, and it has been fun to explore but also challenging as I do not know many people yet. I have visited some local coffee shops - my favorite so far being Cocoa Cinnamon on Hillsborough Rd – gone to campus to read, enjoyed a weekly pottery class, and made a list of places to eat. What I have noticed is there are endless things to do and places to explore in the Research Triangle - Durham, Chapel-Hill, Raleigh – which makes me even more excited about my transition to the area. But there was a point in time when I felt conflicted about where to go for my Ph.D. and very scared about moving to a new area.
8/6/2022 Blog InaugurationPhoto taken on Duke's West Campus One of my resolutions this year is to start a social media presence that emulates my growing passion for science communication. I want to share my love for science, evolution, and biology, and I want to demonstrate that scientists come from a myriad of backgrounds. I firmly believe that anyone can do science as long as they are curious! I know I will learn things on the way, as I am new to using social media as a platform and not just as a way to share photos/updates with friends.
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