A typical day for me starts at Twinnies with a small white mocha. I bring it to my desk where I set up my computer and open my new favorite program: Matlab. Or, more likely, I just open up my computer, because Matlab is still open from the night before. I begin working on my coding project, consulting google frequently for guidance. At some point Dr. McConnell comes in to notify me of his plans for the day; hopefully he’ll be performing some exciting experiment that I can shadow. If not then I just work at my desk until around 1 when I head out to Blue Express or the Bryan Center to grab a bite to eat.
My afternoon is pretty similar, I’m either shadowing Dr. McConnell in the lab or at my desk working on my coding project. There tends to be a lot of time between experiments in the lab, which is just the nature of the research we are doing. For example, last Monday Dr. McConnell performed lesioning on two rats, but we then have to wait a week for the full effects to take place so that we can continue with the experiment. This leaves a lot of time for me to cultivate my relationship with Matlab, and I’m nearing the point where we can start to collect data for my project. I usually work until around 5, then begin my scenic walk back to Central through the gardens.
Matt
