STEM
STEM Blog
The Path to Graduate School
By Jake Lowy '19
November 14, 2022
Tags STEM
Q: What sparked your interest in research, and how did Hamilton College shape your decision to pursue graduate school?
A: My interest in research was actually sparked back in my freshman year of high school during my Intro Biology class. I enjoyed learning about all of the topics we covered, but found myself particularly interested in the molecular genetics section of the class. The idea that something as small as DNA could exert such a strong influence on our development, behavior, appearance, and biological processes blew my mind and instilled my desire to learn more. This desire carried me through AP Biology my junior year and on through my time at Hamilton. Hamilton helped me confirm that graduate school was the direction I wanted to take. I appreciated the flexibility of the open curriculum, and I followed my own educational path and decided to pursue graduate school without external pressures or course requirements forcing my hand. Additionally, the courses I took provided a solid framework of knowledge, and the faculty relations I developed provided important support and guidance.
Q: Do you think your time at The Jackson Laboratory has helped you in your current position as a graduate student? Do you recommend taking time to work before pursuing a Ph.D.?
A: I believe my time at The Jackson Laboratory was a valuable experience. At Jax, I learned to work as an independent scientist and manage my time and responsibilities in a relatively demanding and high throughput research environment. My research team was a high turnover group, so I worked alongside a relatively large number of co-workers over my almost two years at the lab. This allowed me to develop my communication and collaboration skills and gave me ample opportunities to improve my troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities. In a more literal sense, I gained valuable knowledge and experience in mouse handling and in the utilization of the mouse as a model organism, and was introduced to the world of “science as a career” by working in a renowned lab.
While I would say that taking some time after graduating from Hamilton to work at Jax before transitioning to graduate school was helpful, that is not necessarily the best path for everyone. For me, I found it useful to take some time off after school and gain some research experience in a more professional setting, but for some, taking a break or gaining more experience is not necessary. I think it’s definitely worth considering, but is ultimately up to the individual to do what he or she thinks is best.
Q: What skills do you think are most important for a graduate student? Or for research in general?
A: Patience is definitely a key to success for graduate school. It is all but guaranteed that things will go wrong in the lab or elsewhere, and it is important to be patient and stay calm in order to figure things out. It is also important to collaborate and communicate with others. Your P.I., lab members, lab neighbors, and friends can be valuable resources to brainstorm with and confide in. Lastly, I would say having a genuine interest and curiosity in your area of research is critical for success in graduate school and research in general.
Q: Are there any aspects of graduate school that you weren’t expecting?
A: One thing I wasn’t expecting was the importance of finding a good lab culture. I knew that establishing a good relationship and communicating openly with my P.I. was important, but at first I did not appreciate the importance of finding a lab with people you like and can work with. Additionally, I wasn’t totally prepared for the degree of independence afforded to graduate students. Of course this is based on the lab and institution, but it is fair to say that in order to be successful in graduate school, one must be self-motivated.
Q: Any other advice for current Hamilton Students looking to get into research?
A: One piece of advice I would offer is to not feel hopeless if you don’t have many (or any) connections. I consistently heard that “connections are everything” and “it’s all about who you know,” and while those statements are not necessarily wrong, I am proud of the fact that I got my job at The Jackson Laboratory and got into graduate school at Duke through my own hard work and merits — without any personal or professional connections to help me out. Additionally, it is important to recognize that who you are and what you have accomplished is more impressive than you realize, and having passion and charisma will go a long way to take you where you want to be, whether with research or anything else.
