It's Four O'Clock...
With a jolt, I note that the tissue culture room clock reads 3:45 sharp. After popping the cells I just split into the incubator, hurriedly cleaning the hood with ethanol, and shutting down my computer, I dash off to the latest seminar in the French Family Science Center.
Contradicting my initial uneasiness about the seminars, these talks from the most prominent scientists around Duke have been incredibly beneficial. Each speaker opens a window into a new world of science and information. Did you know that the platypus secrets milk through chest and stomach pores, like sweat? Or that variation in influenza virus surface proteins hemagglutinin and neuraminidase inform the names H1N1, H5N1, and H3N2? Beyond the fascinating factual tidbits, I’ve realized how extensive and cutting-edge Duke’s research really is. It’s stunning to watch each presenter unfold scientific secrets, whether about cell cycle regulation or cell invasion. Furthermore, every speaker’s background demonstrates that years of extremely hard work created each brief presentation and moved these researchers to the top of their fields.
But most importantly, the seminars emphasize how incredibly lucky I am to be researching at the same university as these scientists. Their constant drive to discover the world around them amazes me and inspires me to work hard at my own lab. With so much exciting research going on, Duke is a great place to be.
So, as I temporarily pause my lab work to hear each new speaker, rather than feeling annoyed at the interruption, I’m excited. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
