July 29, 2019, Filed Under: 2019, graduate school, learning, researchImportance of good communication from scientists Dr. Thomas Lindsay recently spoke to us about the important relationship scientists have with their audiences and made the connection easy to visualize via a triangular diagram in which each connection between speaker, audience, and subject are all intimately related but do not necessarily share equal weight. It is never the audience’s fault for misunderstanding the message being relayed, so scientists are encouraged to adjust their communication channels for different groups. For example, in order to fully understand the topic being discussed, an audience full of businessmen might require different terminology or visuals than that of scientists from a similar field of interest. This seminar came at a perfect time for us since we are preparing to present both oral and written versions of our research to different groups of people. Since the audiences will differ from our poster sessions to our written abstract submissions, it is important for us to begin thinking of how we might adjust our communication channels. This can range from limiting the amount of technical terminology used or including carefully labelled visuals that can be easily understood by anyone. The process of writing our abstracts began during this seminar with a peer review. This eased a lot of nerves since we are all comfortable with each other, but still gave us a space to gather constructive feedback on our early drafts. We each made sure that specific questions were answered in each portion of the abstract and things were written in a clear, yet concise manner. Though we didn’t get a chance to do another verbal practice run of our presentations, Dr. Lindsay still covered how to most effectively grab the audience’s attention, keep them engaged by presenting the practical application up front, and help the audience visualize the need and benefits for the solution to the topic of discussion. A look into a poster presentation done by another undergraduate in my lab We are only days away from submitting and presenting our research from this summer, which is mind blowing because these 10 weeks have flown by. However, with the help of Dr. Lindsay, our graduate mentors, and program coordinators, we are more than prepared (and excited!). These communication skills will follow us for our entire career as scientists, and we have an opportunity to exercise them early on. -Jessica Heard, Auburn University
July 22, 2019, Filed Under: 2019, cancer, research, texas4000Letter to Texas 4000 Rider: Diana Zhang (Rockies Route) Dear Diana, My name is Jubin George, and I am currently a rising sophomore from the University of Arizona. Currently, I am at the University of Texas at Austin for the summer researching tumor spheroids and ways to image them. While looking through the profiles of the different riders, I was able to relate to something that you mentioned in yours. Fortunately, just like you, I have never had to deal with any of my immediate family members getting affected by cancer. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that I have been totally immune to the effects of cancer. During my senior year, my English teacher was also diagnosed with breast cancer. A friend of mine lost her mother to lung cancer about 6 years age. Seeing her and her sister having to deal with their mom’s death was heartbreaking. I still remember thinking what I can do to help. Cancer appears to be such huge obstacle and even today, it sometimes makes me think if I could even make a difference. This is where you and Texas 4000 come in. Knowing that I am not alone in this fight against cancer gives me hope. It makes me realize that we are all in this together. And for that, I thank you. Ultima IV 2-Photon Microscope, the microscope I’m using to image spheroids Right now, it looks like you are in Smithers, British Columbia. I wish you good luck for the rest of your journey and hope that you finish strong and safely. And again, I want to say thank you for making me and numerous others realize that we are not alone in this fight. -Jubin George, University of Arizona Diana Zhang is a 2019 Texas 4000 rider currently rider from Austin to Anchorage with the Rockies Team
July 12, 2019, Filed Under: 2019, cancer, learning, researchDeliberate Practice Mastering any skill takes practice. As I continue to learn new things this summer, I have been thinking about how practice actually affects the inner workings of our brain and behavior. In our latest seminar class, we were introduced to the book Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool where the authors discuss how there is power in purposeful practice. Repetition and effort are definitely key ingredients as we strive to improve our research skills, but pairing those along with deliberate practice can help us progress even more. Two of the points from the book that resonated with me are that deliberate practice requires full attention, and it requires feedback. We have to be engaged with our work. If a basketball player practices shooting hoops for hours but doesn’t think about his shooting form, it will be very difficult for him to improve. The same concept can be applied to our work in the labs. On the surface level, lab protocols may appear to be repetitive because there are many fundamental parts to it–passaging cells, counting cells, preparing well plates, etc. However, that is far from reality as the environment is filled with exciting scientific puzzles waiting for us to research and solve. I have an opportunity to work in lab each day and observe patterns, record results, and think about new methods to improve the experiment. The second point mentions how the best improvements are made when feedback is involved. This is highly applicable to my research experience here this summer. I am very grateful for my mentor, Susy, as she has taught me numerous aspects about researching and working with cells, guiding me throughout this entire learning process. Pictured above are some of the supplies needed to passage cells inside the fume hood. Practicing with a purposeful mentality will lead us toward improvement over time. We don’t have to come into research with a considerable amount of subject expertise, but with an optimistic mindset and working smart to achieve a high standard, we can further enhance our research experiences. As we enter into our seventh week of research, my friends and I are nearing the final stretch, and I know we will make the most of it! The cancer research field is so complex, but with deliberate practice, I believe that we can continue learning more about the disease and potential methods to prevent and treat it in the future. -Jaime Chen, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
