Kayly Lembke, Graduate Student

This past weekend I took two hours off from writing and lab work, drove myself to the movie theater, and saw the breathtaking wonder that is Jurassic Park in 3D. JP holds a special place in my heart because, as a little girl, it enchanted me in much the same way as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The power of what humanity can do and not do inspired me, even at 4 years old. … Read More

No term is easy. No experiment is a walk through the park, no class is not challenging (whether it’s like the teacher is spewing out facts in Greek or you are bored out of your mind). “Anything worth doing….” as the saying goes, though sometimes I wish there were more hills and less valleys. Sitting in my Developmental Neurobiology class a couple of weeks ago, the lecturing professor did some cool things. He talked history. … Read More

Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble…*cue witch’s cackle* It’s Halloween time again! Or, as I like to call it, scientist awareness day. For, really, when else is it socially acceptable, arguably expected, to embrace your science induced craziness and dress up like a mad scientist or experiment-gone-bad monster *cue Frankenstein groan*. If there is one thing Halloween has taught society, it is to fully embrace the culture that is science. Don’t … Read More

This past weekend members of PMCB, the graduate program in molecular and cellular biosciences, proved once again that scientists CAN party as we welcomed the new first year class at our annual PMCB Retreat. For us, the new second years, it was an excuse to catch up and see each other after a long summer of Comprehensive exams and research. We also might have imparted some upperclassmen advice to the new firsties. Maybe. Graduate school … Read More

Fifteen minutes of fame. Whether you admit it or not, we all yearn for Andy Warhol’s fifteen minutes of greatness, where we are the metaphoric kings of the world (please excuse the Titanic reference). Of course, let us not be literal, it does not have to be fifteen minutes. It can be the length of a seminar, poster presentation, or hit song. I never understood people who complain about hit songs. Recently, I saw Walk … Read More

Color! Color! Color is all around! The blossoms are falling, the rhododendrons and camellias blooming, and the MacHall fountain providing riparian-esque entertainments.  All these happenings, in addition to the odd sun/rain/snow/hail phenomena periodically expressing itself, suggest that Spring is finally here and Summer just around the metaphorical corner. For me, these seasonal changes are energizing. Just as there is inherent catharsis when walking in the rain, so too exists inherent rejuvenation in the sensory overload … Read More

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which lab is fairest of them all? As I understand it, there are three events in the life of a Biology Graduate Student that sit as milestones on the scientific career roadway. First, entering a dissertation lab. Second, passing qualifying exams. Third, thesis defense. I am sure other, older and wiser students and mentors have their own opinions on where each fits on the importance scale.  To me, those are … Read More

March is upon us! For the PMCB Firsties, recruitment weekends are over and the last three weeks of Winter Term face us like a charging rhinoceros. Soon, some of us will be choosing labs to call home for the next 4-5 years. Others will be finishing that all important third rotation.  Going through rotations is akin to immigration and exodus. The difference between the two depends on how your PI views your staying and going. … Read More

Hello Lady! Yes, that salutation is a clear act of thievery from my favorite New York radio host Elvis Duran, but I just had to include it. The first three weeks of the new term for the downtrodden PMCB firsties have passed, and with them came new classes, new rotation labs, and slushy-experiment-gone-bad-weather (here’s a little present for all you closet Gleeks out there).  Instead of Biochem and Genetics, we are now being navigated through … Read More

Looking outside, the weather seems to mimic my current outlook on life: dark, stormy, and full of gray patches. Luckily, ’tis the season of Christmas lights (or Hanukkah or Kwanza lights, if you would rather) and as we enter December, I feel more illuminated with each glowing yard ornament I see. After all, when else could you have an illuminated, life-sized Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus, Rudolph, angels, shepherds, snowflakes, candy canes, and reindeer in … Read More