During BSURF, we had the opportunity to hear from many amazing professors at Duke. One talk that I particularly enjoyed was that of Dr. Chantell Evans.
Her research is is cell biology and neurobiology. However, that was not always her plan from the beginning. When she went into college, she intended on being a pharmacist. However, after she completed her chemistry degree, she was faced with many options for what to do after college. I think that this is one part of the talk that I connected with. As of right now, things are not very clear as to what I will do after my undergraduate years. What I appreciated from her talk was her laying down all the aspects of her different options from pharmacy school or graduate school to medical school or the workforce.
A common theme that was expressed in many of the talks that were given was the importance of having a good mentor. Dr. Evans also emphasized this point, saying that finding a mentor who actually understands you is incredibly important. With that, finding your people is necessary for success in science. Whether it is for collaborations or just to vent and have a good time, having relationships with those who can understand you will keep you afloat in your career.
I really appreciated Dr. Evans’s talk, and I hope to hear about more of her work in the future!
