Insight into the mind of a PI
So today I sat down with my PI, John Willis, so I could ask him a couple random questions that he would have interesting anwers to. He's a really awesome guy, fun to talk to and almost as easily distracted as I am! As proof of this quality, I've got all these unrelated terms scribbled down in the margins because I thought they were interesting and need to go look them up haha. So here's our superduperawesome conversation (I'm paraphrasing his replies, and brackets are side notes)
What made you want to pursue a career in plant evolutionary genomics?
I've always been interested in nature - ever since I was young, I liked to hike, go birdwatching, collect bugs, etc. In college, I took a comparative anatomy class that was really interesting. It made evolution seem so obvious [as in irrefutable], and that really got me started in studying evolution.
What college did you get your undergraduate degree at?
Brown.
What were your favorite and least favorite classes?
I had so many favorite classes... uhm... I really liked genetics. My least favorite was organic chemistry. I got a 3 out of 100 on a test in that class once, but it was okay because the teacher dropped our lowest grade.
What was your favorite research project?
All of them, really. I think genetic mapping is fun. Sequencing the Mimulus genome was also really exciting - the genome is entirely sequenced now, but not available to the public yet. However, we have full access to it [how awesome is that?]
What was the hardest part about becoming a professor?
Nothing, it was all just fun. Writing grants stinks.
What was the most dangerous thing you've ever done in a lab?
They don't really let me into labs anymore... it's much safer if I stay away from the lab. I'm too distracted all the time. Maybe field work in risky places? [some Mimulus grow in high elevations]
Have you ever had any lab accidents?
Nah, nothing really bad. I spilled some radioactive material once, but it wasn't bad, we didn't have to evacuate or anything. I just wiped it up.
Do you have any advice for an aspiring scientist?
Oh sure. Find questions you're interested in. You can't study stuff you don't like. Definitely take lots of upper level classes, because those are usually more interesting and you can have better discussions in them. It's a good idea to ask professors for opportunities - just call them up and say "Hey, I'm really interested in this question and I noticed you were researching it, is there any room for me to come and work in your lab?"
Do you have any regrets, like classes you wish you had taken?
I wish I took more statistics classes, and I wish I worked more with computers, and I wish I studied more molecular biology.
Was your family sciency?
Hah, no, not at all. My dad was an English professor. My mom was a historian. Neither of my siblings went into science either.
If you weren't a scientist, what would you be?
I don't know, a cook maybe. I like to cook.
Are you a good cook?
I'm good at eating...
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation, that would be neat. [cue long conversation about mind-reading and Facebook] I wouldn't want to read minds though, that would be too creepy. I like my privacy, so I wouldn't want people to read my mind, and I feel like if I don't want people to read my mind, then I shouldn't want to read other peoples' minds either.
