This summer, through BSURF, I’ve had the opportunity to hear talks from a vast array of Duke professors, allowing me to gain a better understanding of the many possible paths through academia.
Dr. Chantell Evans’ talk stood out to me–not only because of her fascinating research, but also because of her approach to thriving in academia. As someone especially interested in the cellular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, I was drawn to her research, which focuses on how neuronal homeostasis is maintained through mitochondrial quality control pathways. As she discussed her career path, particularly her recent journey starting the Evans lab, I learned for the first time the intricacies of running and maintaining a lab.
A common theme throughout the BSURF talks this summer, especially those in the last few weeks, was that running a lab was much like running a small business. Before these talks, I had never taken time to think about the process of becoming a PI and setting up a lab. Dr. Chantell Evans humanized this process, telling a light-hearted story about working with a new undergrad to unbox lab equipment, label cabinets, and generally set up the lab space–tasks I’d never realized to be a part of being a PI.
Dr. Evans approached her talk with humor and lightheartedness, while effectively communicating the intricacies of her research. She presented her career choices logically, laying out the pros and cons for each, and humanizing an often intimidating path.
When I think about the type of researcher I’d like to be, and the type of lab environment I’d like to foster, I hope I can reflect the joy for research I saw in Dr. Evans’ work.
Wonderful! This is such a testament to the amazing science being done in the Evans lab and also what an incredible person Dr. Evans is. So glad you enjoyed her talk!