william H. boylston
Graduated
December 2004
 Often
wearing my father’s oversized lab coat as a young boy, I spent hours
pretending to be a scientist, lost in imagination with my introductory
chemistry sets while learning about pH indicator tests and concocting
sulfurous compounds which smelled like rotten eggs. My life-long
interest in science perhaps began when I learned about my ancestor,
Zabdiel Boylston, who first introduced smallpox vaccinations in the
United States by successfully inoculating his own son between epidemics
in Boston. At an early age, I was deeply motivated to pursue a career in
biomedical science both by my heritage and by my father who is also a
physician. In addition to exposure to the practice of medicine at an
early age, my father instilled in me a desire for knowledge and an
admiration for intellectual achievement; consequently, my goal has
always been to earn a doctorate in biomedical science and to participate
in the intellectual pursuit of understanding and improving ourselves and
our environment.
I first
became acquainted with the UTMB community as my father taught medical
students and residents in the Department of Psychiatry while advancing
his own credentials at UTMB. As the oldest medical school in Texas, UTMB
has a long-standing commitment to administering quality health care and
providing excellent training for young scientists and physicians.
My ultimate choice to attend the Graduate School of Biomedical Science
at UTMB was based not only on its fine reputation and on my fond
memories of my father’s experiences, but also because I was engaged to
be married to a medical student who was just beginning her first year at
UTMB. I had been accepted to medical school at Texas A&M
University, and my former training and credentials allowed me to
consider a number of graduate programs including Baylor College of
Medicine. Nevertheless,
I was truly impressed by the quality of research at UTMB and by the
congenial and collaborative atmosphere in which all of this was taking
place. I have always been most interested in basic science research, and
in particular, the molecular biology of gene regulation and expression.
UTMB appeared like an idyllic island on which I could immerse myself in
study and knowledge. Admittedly, my desire to be with my wife played a
large role in bringing me to Galveston; however, my choice was primarily
based on my own impressions of what UTMB had to offer a graduate
student.
Having
applied to several graduate schools, my feeling was that interviews at
other schools often seemed cold and impersonal, with little enthusiasm
about the educational process itself. At times, I even felt that
graduate students were second class citizens who were to provide cheap
labor to prize-winning laboratories. In sharp contrast, at UTMB I was
welcomed by professors, faculty, and administrators alike who were all
eager to tell me about the academic opportunities available. The UTMB
interview process at the time I applied was conducted by the individual
departments, and I had applied to several to ensure a place in the UTMB
Graduate School. Consequently, hearing back from several departments was
quite exciting, and I was elated by their genuine interest in my
application. However, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology was my first choice, as many of the researchers affiliated with
that department were conducting experiments in areas I found most
interesting based on my prior laboratory experience. Recruitment efforts
by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology were
exceptional in that they provided transportation, entertainment, and
opportunities to meet with both students and faculty of my own choosing.
Further, during this 2 day recruitment event, I met other prospective
students who were impressed by the structural biology research taking
place, and this exchange of ideas between prospective students served to
strengthen my resolve to do my graduate work in this highly
interdisciplinary department.
As the
culmination of years of work (I was then 34), the day I learned of my
acceptance to the Graduate School of Biomedical Science at UTMB was
indeed one of the most proud moments in my life. I was excited by the
prospect of at long last embarking on the fulfillment of a life-long
dream to become a research scientist. The wonderful letter of acceptance
seemed almost to glow in my hand, and represented success both future
and past.
Entering
the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences before the implementation of
the BBSC, the first year curriculum consisted of courses in genetics,
biochemistry, and molecular cell biology taught by members of BMB with
expertise in each topic. Although reputed to be difficult academically,
I was eager to delve into the details, and welcomed the challenge.
Because of the multi-disciplinary character of BMB, the course load
was derived from widely diverse fields of study including structural
biology, thermodynamics, cell physiology, and molecular genetics. Since
much ground-breaking research today draws insight from the integration
of several disciples, the preparation that this diverse and challenging
curriculum provided will be invaluable in today’s research environment.
Yet, one potential drawback associated with attempting to master too
many scientific areas simultaneously may be manifest in missing
information and an incomplete understanding often gained by a single,
more focused course of study. However, the BBSC, intended to diversify
and standardize the first year and implemented as an improvement of the
old department-specific curricula, may actually weaken the educational
experience by reducing the depth and focus on areas critical for success
in a particular field. This can be avoided if the individual departments
offer specialized courses designed for experts in a given field, so that
upon graduation the student has a deep and complete understanding of the
subject.
Given the
great diversity of BMB, my rotation selections were based both on my
own scientific interests and on the publication history of each lab.
Having had contact with most members of the faculty through classes
during my first year, I chose to rotate through labs with potential
mentors whose research impressed me and whom I thought would allow the
best training opportunity. In spite of my choosing another lab, the
mentors of the other lab through which I rotated continued to be
supportive of me and my potential as a student. In essence, my rotations
allowed me to become better acquainted with the nuances and daily
practices of each lab I was considering joining. There is often a
balance between choosing the lab which best matches one’s own scientific
interests and one which best suits one’s personality and style. In my
case, I was able to join a lab which matched both quite well, which was
a direct benefit of well-planned rotations.
Applying
for candidacy was a particularly challenging stage in my progress toward
completing the doctorate. Although somewhat abbreviated in length from
an NIH R03, the preliminary exam served to introduce me to formal grant
writing. The qualifying exam was one of the most difficult 2 day tests I
have ever endured. As an open book exam, I brought in archive boxes of
notes and every textbook I could find, but the time constraints didn’t
allow much opportunity for researching problems. In effect, these items
were only psychological aids, but more importantly, the answers I
provided were derived from my own knowledge of the subject matter
acquired through recent coursework. Thus, when I learned that I had
passed, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment and academic validation,
and I knew that I was well-prepared to face the next challenges in the
lab.
While at
UTMB, I have had the privilege of developing long-standing relationships
with program directors, deans, faculty, students, physicians, and a wide
range of support staff. I have thoroughly enjoyed the community spirit
shared by so many at UTMB, and have been impressed by the willingness to
help students achieve the best education. My relationship with my mentor
has been one of mutual respect and collaboration. Throughout my
training, my mentor has provided most generously all of the laboratory
equipment needed and has spared no expense in supporting me throughout.
As the years passed, our relationship has developed into a life-long
alliance on which I am sure to rely many times in the future. He has
been instrumental in making me the scientist I am today, and I am
indebted to his patience, insight, and devotion to his students.
Involving myself in several projects in the lab, I was a second author
on 3 publications and published my dissertation work in a leading
journal. My efforts in the lab were indeed rewarded with being included
on several quality publications.
As I now
approach the completion of my dissertation and scheduling my final
defense, I am proud to have been an integral part of the UTMB, and I
hope to repay UTMB for dedication to my education through my future
success as a scientist. As a result of the fine education I received, I
have been awarded a post-doctoral training grant by the National
Institute on Aging, and will continue my studies with a leading
molecular gerontologist. For the insightful guidance of my mentor and
the continued support of so many, I will forever be indebted to UTMB and
will sadly leave this great institution having forged many life-long
professional relationships and personal friendships.
University
of Virginia. B.A., 1987
University of Texas at San Antonio, B.S., summa cum
laude, 1996
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 As
I am sure has been the motivation for many who have entered the field,
science has always seemed to come naturally to me. I’ve coasted through
class work and major concepts because things simply made sense.
Fortunately my “que sera sera” attitude has served me well in my choices
of career and education. Declaring that my major was biochemistry as an
undergraduate was the easy part, stating vague intentions to enter
medical school was due to my own naiveté. Threats of disownment from my
mother and the realization that medical doctors are merely
diagnosticians, not people who fashion cures for illness, helped me to
realize that the wonderful academic environment that I was immersed in
was created by people with PhDs.
The
instinctual approach to science that I mentioned earlier made me skip
over the template for drawing the possible conformations of a molecule
and its accompanying energy diagram on my first Organic chemistry exam,
and although I completed the problem, I did so backwards. I also
received zero points from the TA. The professor was impressed and amused
when I approached him, and from that point on I was lucky enough to have
stumbled across an undergraduate mentor. He encouraged me to apply and
accept a position conducting research during the summer of my second
year. He also gave me a great deal of freedom in designing labs and
tinkering with analytical equipment as I progressed into my third and
fourth years. Having worked in industry and academia himself, he helped
me find the scientific path that fit me.
Following the completion of my bachelors’ degree I spent a disastrous
two months working at a private environmental analysis firm, and a
pleasant year teaching in a local high school. All to find that I didn’t
want to do any of these things when I grew up. I had already
decided that I needed an advanced degree in the sciences, but industry
wasn’t for me, I wanted to find new things simply because I found them
interesting. Likewise academia did not inspire me as it would require me
to divide my time between teaching, administrating, and researching; all
of which I would want to do to the absolute best of my ability, and in
my mind would necessitate near exclusivity. While I toyed with the idea
of a masters, I let application deadlines pass me by and decided that
the intermediate wouldn’t get me to the point that I would have some
independence in my research, not to mention that I would be paying my
own way. Although the doctoral stipend is modest, it is manageable, and
much preferable to no income at all.
So I started applying to graduate schools for a doctorate.
UTMB was one of the universities that sent me information based on the
release of GRE scores. I pulled it back out of the pile when I started
looking for places that were doing research in gene therapy and my
computer searches had revealed that it could be found down here. I
applied to UTMB, the University of Colorado, and the University of
Pennsylvania. In the meantime, Jesse Gelsinger had died during a gene
therapy trial at UPenn, and was firmly scratched off the list. I knew
enough to realize that their funding would be a mess for years to come.
UTMB was my first and friendliest interview. Not only was I flown
down first class, but I also had a room to myself in an exquisite hotel.
It would have been shallow to decide to attend UTMB based on
accommodations, but it was the sentiment that went behind the extra
effort, and the kindness that everyone showed while I was here that
didn’t appear to be rehearsed, but inherent.
I was sure that I was making the right choice when I was called by a
professor in the department that I was most interested in, who informed
me of my acceptance, before ever having received a letter.
There
are some things that I regret not being told during the interview
process because they made it difficult for me to find a lab to call
home. While I was interviewing I had wanted to meet with Drs. Brian
Davis and David Brown, both of whom were doing research on gene therapy.
Rather than listening to a current student who told me that he
originally had wanted to do gene therapy, but couldn’t find it here, I
let the professors reassure me that Drs. Davis and Brown had scheduling
conflicts. In actuality, neither of them was accepting graduate
students, but were building their own companies, and were on the brink
of leaving UTMB. Suffice it to say that I couldn’t imagine being happier
in another lab, but my rotations forced me to accept that gene therapy
was simply a technique, and might not be available as a research project
here at UTMB.
What really sold me on the school though was the integrated first year
curriculum.
Although I had a strong background in biochemistry, I expected that
graduate school coursework would be rigorous and demanding, and felt
that I might need some leveling out time that the BBSC at UTMB looked to
be able to provide. I was also leery of making a decision about a
department sight unseen. I secretly feared being stuck in a place where
you never saw more than the five or so faces of the other students
pursuing degrees in similar topics and that the department might
encourage the locking of graduate students in the lab closet. While I am
still happy with my first year of classes I am disappointed in the depth
and breadth of the knowledge base. There were minor details, such as the
names of certain signaling molecules and polymerases, but all in all no
major additions to the information I had gained in college. I found that
the most challenging portion of the coursework dealt with deadlines and
time management, not content. And rather than providing highly specific
information, the modules fell short due to time constraints, poor
organization, overlapping material, and limited topic selections. I can
see how it is impossible to please everyone and the course design was a
necessity considering the diverse background of the incoming students.
The range of experiences that my classmates brought with them was a
bonus, but the watered down science was a disappointment. I almost wish
that it were possible to target those students who may face problems,
due to limited exposure to the advanced sciences, and require them to
arrive a month earlier for an intensive workshop whose purpose was to
bring them up to speed.
On the
matter of selecting a department Dr. Blankenship set my mind at ease.
Addressing a gathering of the first year students he had said that “if
you want a particular kind of research here, you can find it in any
department, or we’ll put it there for you”. He also said that choosing
your department was often a gut decision. This affirmed my feeling that
BMB was the best fit for me. The classes once I entered the department
were better, but rushed. Truly, the knowledge acquired during your Ph.D.
is earned through your own motivation to learn the background of your
field and aided by the skills that were honed over my first two years
here. Most importantly, the department classes taught me habits that
have served me well in writing, and critically evaluating experiments
and papers. This is of course not a practice that can be learned only
through reading and writing, but requires quite a bit of hands on
experience as well. Three of my four lab rotations taught me more than
anything, what not to do. I knew that I would need to complete at least
three to find my permanent home, but I was lucky enough to find the lab
that I am currently in on the first try. I was also spoiled, and no
other lab afterwards would do, but funding was an issue. I had to do a
fourth rotation, stalling for time, with my fingers crossed, hoping that
a grant would come through, but also having to seriously think about
trying to carve a gene therapy project out of another lab. Unfortunately
I was left with few options; the mentor-student relationship that I
wanted was here, but temporarily unavailable. It does not do my ideal
concept of a mentor-student relationship justice to say that I wanted a
mentor who was very hands-on, but I suppose that is the core of the
success that I found in the Chan lab. All I can say is that people in
science, myself included, are stranger than I originally thought, and
despite the fact that I feel like I could make do in a less than ideal
situation, all of my other rotations were too far below the “less than
ideal” bar. Just as I have not once questioned my belonging in graduate
school, I have not questioned my choice of lab when I was able to join
my first pick in late November of my second year.
In
fact, when I received the e-mail that the lab could take me, I was so
excited that I e-mailed all my friends and called my parents. And I was
doubly lucky, the grant that would fund my work was shared between
Teh-sheng Chan and his wife Lillian, so I too, would be shared. I truly
cherish the guidance that I receive from this phenomenal team. Because
Lillian plays such a large role in the program we often discuss current
issues. I’m flattered that my opinions are valued inside and outside the
lab environment. My mentors are not only good scientists; they are good,
courteous, conscientious people. This, more than anything, allows me to
maintain a firm grasp on my belief that science is a joy during the
rough patches, and makes the good days, great.
Much
of the first few months in lab were taken up with department qualifiers;
reviewing course work for the open book, two-day exam; and preparing my
proposal for the oral. I refer to it as the “jumping through flaming
hoops” period. Everyone involved including myself, my mentors and the
university, have invested a great deal of time and money into my
development as a graduate student. As such, I think that it would be a
rare occasion to not pass the qualifiers, but it was time intensive. I
was frankly more relieved than excited to have it behind me when I was
admitted to candidacy.
My
experiments have recently taken a turn for the better and my mentors and
I have all realized there is an end in sight. I’m ready to launch my
animal experiments. They will take a little less than a year, at which
point I can begin writing my thesis. I’m excited to go to committee
again and show them the progress I have made in the last year. I have
only had one update meeting with them since my oral proposal. They are a
very helpful, intelligent, knowledgeable group. I wouldn’t change a
single member of my committee, but I had to realize at our last meeting
that I couldn’t simply update them. It was disappointing to realize that
no one had glanced through my original research plan before they came to
the meeting. It’s not that I expected their worlds to revolve around my
progress, but they hadn’t done an ounce of homework. As such, they are
longer meetings than I would like because I need to reintroduce the
background, but the meetings themselves are not highly stressful.
The
only tangible, and unavoidable, drawback to graduate studies so far are
my lack of publications. Sometimes when I look at my classmates who are
publishing I feel discouraged. Yet, I know that I wouldn’t be happy with
another project, and the nature of this project does not lend itself to
publication along the way. I have what I feel will be one, huge paper at
the end of my experiments. It will tell a wonderful and complete story,
and I am proud of that. But, I believe that it has prevented me from
receiving my own funding. It worries me that funding and awards will not
be an obtainable possibility until my experiments are all but complete.
If this really is the case outside of this small realm of research; the
implications that it has on finding funding when I am on my own and
trying to launch a new project are daunting. However, this is a
milestone that I know I will overcome should I encounter it. I cannot
foresee being better prepared somewhere other than UTMB. I have
blossomed personally and professionally here. I can only hope that my
confidence in my future success is realized.
Undergraduate Institution: Canisius College; Buffalo, NY
Age:
27
Gender: Female
Nationality: USA
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 Academia
is a very demanding field. I truly believed that you need to like it or
even love it. I personally love it.
My
decision to seek a PhD started to develop when I was in my third year of
undergraduate, back in Peru. I was lucky to be involved with very good
scientists that did their graduate studies abroad. They could see that
my profile matched the academician profile. Not to say that the academic
career was going to be easy for me, because it is not. During that third
year I was not sure what they meant, however, after my last year of
undergraduate I was convinced to do deep and rigorous scientific
research.
My
family was very supportive in my decision. They always believed in
finding your own way. The same for my mentors in Peru, they supported me
and encouraged me to get involved in any area of science. They told me
that science has no divisions on its own. It is the people who feel the
need to separate fields and areas, but everything is connected.
When
deciding for graduate studies I tried directly a Ph.D. program and not a
Masters because I read that a Masters degree is not easier than a Ph.D.
program but only is shorter. Earning a Ph.D. means hard work, being
focused and developing critical thinking for four years or more.
Choosing a graduate school is not easy, especially for a foreign
student. Most of the time we have to decide to join a school based on a
web page. In my case, my decision was based on the number of
publications that each faculty in my research area (structural biology
and biophysical chemistry) had over the last few years. I did that
because I wanted to be in a laboratory that is active and well funded.
That was the major reason I joined UTMB.
Luckily I had very good references for some of the faculty involved in
Biophysics at UTMB and that gave me more confidence in my decision. Also
I found out that the facilities at UTMB are among the best in the United
States. The facilities in structural biology are literally state-of-the
art.
After
finishing the application I had my phone interview. It was a difficult
experience but very constructive. I could interact with my program
director and I had a feeling of being “almost” welcomed to the school.
In addition I found out about other faculty that were doing research; I
was interested and I could write to them. So I started getting involved
with the program and its requirements even before going to Galveston.
A
couple of weeks after my phone interview I received the letter of
acceptance from the Graduate School at UTMB. It was a very gratifying
surprise for me. I put a lot of effort into my application and also it
was a long-term goal because I tried to do the best I could during my
undergraduate to have good grades but more important to have a good
preparation for a PhD in molecular biophysics.
I
joined the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology because
of their interdisciplinary research.
I was the first student in a new track oriented to molecular biophysics
named: The Biophysical, Structural and Computational Biology (BSCB)
track. This track comprises a very rigorous collection of courses. They
are focused in solving important biological problems with mathematical,
computational and physical approaches. These approaches could be at a
conceptual level or experimental level.
My
expectations before starting the program were very high and they were
fulfilled. We covered several topics including: thermodynamics,
kinetics, spectroscopy and basic computational programming. The
difference between any undergraduate courses I had in Peru that covered
those topics is that the graduate-level courses at UTMB were highly
applicable with an emphasis in how to analyze and interpret experimental
data.
Definitely the BSCB courses changed my perspective about the
power/capability of the experimental work to address fundamental aspects
of biological systems. Before I had the intention to do theoretical
research to address problems in protein folding or macromolecular
interactions. Currently my idea is to obtain experimental data and as a
second stage use computational or theoretical approaches to understand
in more detail how a system behaves.
One of
my first aims, once I started courses and laboratory rotations, was to
gain experience at the bench. My background and undergraduate research
was oriented to theory and computational analysis. I realized later at
UTMB the importance of obtaining the experimental data of a biological
system. Therefore, I did two laboratory rotations that focused on
macromolecular interactions, ligand binding and thermodynamics employing
mainly spectroscopic techniques. The third lab rotation I did was in
steady-state kinetics. I liked all the three experiences I had. All my
PI’s where very interested in me gaining as much knowledge as possible
about the system I was working on. That meant that I could design my own
experiments and formulate my own questions and then test them
experimentally.
Before
finishing my first year I decided to join Dr. James C. Lee’s laboratory.
That was my first rotation. Several reasons were important for my final
decision but the foremost was to have an ideal student/mentor
relationship. I think it is fundamental to have a mentor that can guide
you or help you at any level of the student life: academic or personal.
Having somebody with more experience and the confidence to talk about
almost anything is very rewarding because the student (and me included)
does not feel only like another employee. I haven’t had regrets in my
decision although some moments of tension occurred. However, as long as
you feel that the arguments are constructive everything is fine.
During
my second year I had my qualifying exams to enter candidacy. The
qualifying exam is a very stressful experience. However, once I finished
I felt that I had done a small but significant step in my career. The
written part of the exam (as a NIH grant, RO1 format) was very
challenging. Presenting strong and convincing ideas in a little space is
a challenge for anybody that is developing skills for grant writing. In
my case, it took me most of my time for one month in order to present
something that I felt was readable with a logical set of ideas. The oral
section was difficult too because I don’t consider myself a good
speaker. However, after rehearsing several times alone I felt I could do
a decent job during the oral defense. Even though I felt I did poorly
when answering questions or giving the rationale of my statements, later
I found out that one of the purposes of the examination is to dig and
ask questions until the student cannot answer.
After
the examination I had to put together my project for my thesis
dissertation. It is related to fundamental aspects in antigen-antibody
interaction. Developing a research project was by far the most
challenging task I had in this two years of Graduate School. It demands
creativity, deep thinking, lots of reading and lots of patience. In my
case it took a long time of constant work.
That
biological area of antigen-antibody interaction permits me to interact
with professors, post docs and other graduate students from different
departments, specifically with the department of Experimental Pathology
and Physiology and Biophysics. The first one because of their expertise
at a more cellular level and the second one because of my interests in
single molecule biophysics. At a more administrative level, I haven’t
had too much interaction with people in the GSBS or the Dean’s office.
Although the few times I had to go, I felt very comfortable.
Having
my qualifying exams behind me, I decided to get more involved in
extracurricular activities. Currently I am actively participating in the
Biological Chemistry Student Organization. My goal is to get the
students of the Structural Biology program more involved in activities
of the organizations within the department and the Graduate School. I
also keep myself doing sports. I play soccer and racquetball constantly.
From time to time I also go out sailing with friends.
Going
to work every day is sometimes not easy. I have to think of it, always,
as a long term reward. Scientific progress is slow (most of the times)
and especially when a student starts his/her project. Sometimes I need
to stay late but I try to use the weekends so I can have the nights a
little bit for myself. I don’t frequently (or ever) have bad days at
work. I consider a stressful day as part of being a graduate student and
part of becoming professional in an area.
The
preparation at UTMB as a graduate student is excellent. The research
environment is very good and when I have to interact with other students
from other schools I feel I am in a very good position. Two main reasons
can justify that feeling: first is that the courses I took in my program
are very demanding and are taught by top people in the field (molecular
biophysics). Second is that my laboratory environment is very demanding
and the student must be highly motivated.
Currently I feel I am getting more involved at many levels. I feel my
project is starting to give its first steps. I feel I am part of a
research community at UTMB. And more important I feel I am pursuing my
own goals and that all my environment aids for that purpose.
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 Before
I begin I would like thank all those responsible
for nominating me and giving me the opportunity
to express myself by means of this essay. I want
to first emphasize how much I have thoroughly
enjoyed my time here as UTMB and how I look
forward to the times and challenges that lie
ahead of me in my future here. I have never once
regretted my decision to attend UTMB and will
always regard the time I have spent here as some
of the most defining moments in my life.
Looking back as to find out why I choose to
pursue a PhD I remember my sophomore year of
college when I entered the biological sciences
program at McNeese State University. McNeese is
not a large university nor is it a very well
known one in the scientific community (this
latter becomes an issue). There was and still is
very little research conducted in McNeese’s
biology department and this allowed me to gain
very little practical experiences in this field
of science. This led me to be unaware of the
possibilities of a career in scientific
research. I soon turned my attention to medicine
as a career and was content to follow this path
until I enrolled in a business course one
semester. This course was established in order
to orient nursing majors to the topics of
managed care in the new century. This course was
extremely informative and at that time I was
working for a private practice OB/GYN, so I was
able to see first hand the awful effects that
managed care has had on health care. That was a
defining time in my life where I began to look
into different career options and in doing so I
took a serious look at pursuing a PhD in
biological sciences. I investigated new avenues
and was soon informed of the possibility of a
future in scientific research. From that point
on I have not looked back and have become more
that just content with the path that I have
chosen to follow.
When it came time to begin applying for graduate
school there were two schools that interested me
as places I would like to continue my education.
I had a choice between UTMB in Galveston and LSU
Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Having
grown up and lived in southwest Louisiana all of
my life, I was quite familiar with both
locations, with neither location being
significantly closer than the other to where I
will always call home. What I decided to do was
weight the factors, meaning the advantages and
disadvantages between the two schools, which
were most important to me at the time. In doing
so three factors became important and played key
roles in making my final decision. First, was
the stipend and benefits offered by UTMB, though
very similar to LSU, were slightly more
lucrative. This was not one of the most decisive
factors but was one of the most appealing.
Second was the locations, UTMB’s campus is
located in a great environment in comparison to
LSU’s which is near the heart of a dangerous
downtown area. Third, was the interview process,
though very late was quite effective at helping
me make an informed decision. The process was
overall relaxing with only a few stressful
moments occurring while being interviewed by
faculty members. Looking back at my personal
interview experience, I would say that it was a
process that in essence “sealed the deal” and
one that I would not mind doing over again.
Overall my interview experience was thoroughly
enjoyable, but what I was not to know at the
time was that after my interview I was
considered an alternate not because of my
interviews or credentials but because I had
graduated from a small and not so well-known
scientific university. Other applicants who did
not interview as well and who later did poorly
in their first year courses were placed ahead of
me because of the sexiness of their former
university when compared to mine. I believe that
applicants should be measured by their quality
of preparedness for graduate work and their
drive and motivation towards perusing an
advanced degree as can be assessed during their
interview process. There was one faculty member
in particular who interviewed me, and believed
that I should be given a position in the
incoming class because I possessed the
characteristics that I mentioned above. This
faculty member believed so much that he
eventually took it upon himself to cover my
stipend for the first year so as to guarantee my
admission into the incoming class. That faculty
member is now my mentor and I owe him for
allowing me this great opportunity when others
deemed not to. If I could pass on one bit of
advice to admissions committees it would be to
not classify students according to any other
factors but their understanding and past
experiences in the biological sciences and their
drive and determination to be successful in
their career and all other future endeavors.
After accepting my future mentor’s offer and
learning of what had transgressed concerning my
admission, I began to wonder if I was indeed
prepared for the BBSC curriculum. As the fall
semester began I soon found that I had been more
than adequately prepared. The curriculum was not
what I expected from graduate level courses in
neither depth nor difficulty. In my opinion, the
curriculum is extremely watered down and has to
be because so many students are accepted from
various backgrounds and do not have a sufficient
knowledge of the biological sciences to be
successful. I admire the gesture of the
curriculum in bringing these students up to
speed, but at the same time it hinders students
who have spent their entire undergraduate
careers in the biological sciences preparing for
this sort of advanced education. The curriculum
did broaden my outlook and introduced me to new
topics that I had previously been unfamiliar
with, but as a whole the curriculum is still
more or less a review for any student with
formal training in biology.
I have recently been accepted into a program and
finally feel at home. I feel that I finished
jumping through the hoops called the BBSC and
can focus on my real purpose here. All of my
experiences dealing with my advisor or program
coordinator have been extremely pleasing. I know
that I can come to either one of them with any
question or concern and they will be addressed
without hesitation in the hopes of making my
graduate school experience more rewarding. I can
say that with only months left before my prelims
begin, I am at the same time both nervous and
anxious yet ready and awaiting the challenges
ahead.
McNeese
State University
25 years of age
2nd year student in BMB
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