Have you read any good books lately?
Reading during the semester needs to be a quick escape for me. I usually don’t read anything too heavy or compelling because once I get pulled into a good book, everything else goes on hold until I finish it which can be dangerous when there are lectures to prepare and papers to grade. That said, the book on my night table now was given to me by a friend: Imperfect Harmony by Stacy Horn. It’s about the benefits of group singing which is something many of my friends do, but I am really shy about. Don’t worry, though I won’t be breaking out in song in the hallways anytime soon!
Any secret talents?
I used to be a semi-professional modern dancer. I still enjoy dance and perform occasionally around Portland and the Northwest with an English folk dancing group.
What do you find to be one of the most interesting parts of Biology?
My specialty from grad school and research employment was neuroscience. I worked specifically with voltage-clamp recording techniques, which analyze the electrical activity of individual neurons. The technique allows you to isolate individual ion channel types and understand the gating properties of each one and how they are contributing to the pattern of activity in that particular type of cell. This area of inquiry lies at an intersection between physics and biology. Mastering it was challenging, but ultimately very rewarding.
Now, though, as a teacher in the Introductory series at UP, I have given up that narrow focus for a much broader view. These days, I truly enjoy learning about any area of biology from plants and ecology to cell and molecular biology. The more you understand about life around you, the more you can appreciate its beauty and complexity.
Did you do anything exciting this summer?
I was able to go to Costa Rica this summer with my extended family. It was a great trip, and besides having a wonderful time with my family, I learned a lot about the biology of the region!