Courtney Walker, a senior majoring in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, writes about her experiences in the program and at UAB.
Like most of my cohort, I graduated high school with a very clear future goal: become a physician. When I was choosing a major, I thought neuroscience would undoubtedly be interesting, and I also liked that the coursework would prepare me well for medical school. At the time, I didn’t know all that research entailed, and although it was a requirement for my major and honors program, I wasn’t considering it as a career option. During high school, I had learned about different diseases of the nervous system and was especially fascinated by mental illnesses. When the director of the UNP at the time, Carl McFarland, told me there was an opening in a lab studying schizophrenia, I jumped at the opportunity.
I joined Rosy Roberts’s lab when I started as a freshman at UAB and very quickly realized that I didn’t want to be a physician. I wanted to be a neuroscientist. It felt like the right fit, and I liked that I’d be able to help people by making discoveries through research. Most of my time in the lab has centered on electron microscopy of postmortem human brain tissue. Using electron microscopy enables me to see cellular structures including neurons, mitochondria, and even synapses, which is absolutely amazing! For my thesis project, I looked at a region of the brain called the substantia nigra to see if there were any differences in the structure of neurons, oligodendrocytes, or myelinated axons that could be associated with schizophrenia, and with response to antipsychotic drugs as well. What’s been very impressive to me about UAB is the level of research that we, as undergraduates, are able to participate in, and the degree of mentoring and support that we receive.
I think it’s important to maintain a good work-life balance, and UAB has a multitude of extracurricular offerings to take advantage of — there’s definitely something for everyone. I’ve been a co-director of the Alabama Brain Bee, co-president of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Society, and program meetings chair for the Science & Technology Honors Program. I’ve also played the piano at Children’s Hospital through Music Notes for the Soul, an organization started by a current UNP student. All of these experiences and others have made my time in college memorable and rewarding, and have helped me develop important skills, like communication, organization, and teamwork.
UAB’s sciences are highly praised, but you may be surprised to learn that the music department here is excellent as well. I’ve played the piano since I was 6 years old, but didn’t have any plans to continue in college. When I came to UAB, I really missed it and knew I had to find a way to play again. This led me to participate in a piano ensemble led by Tatiana Kasman. Since then, I have had the pleasure of taking lessons with Dr. Yakov Kasman, and it has been one of the best parts of my undergraduate experience. Music is something I can’t imagine living without, and being able to continue playing and progressing has meant so much to me. Thanks to Dr. Kasman, Mrs. Kasman, and the other piano students, I have greatly improved my technique and artistry, and gained a greater appreciation for and understanding of music.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the past four years, and I see that I couldn’t have made a better choice in coming to UAB, because I got a great academic education and had excellent extracurricular opportunities as well. As of now, I’m still deciding what I’ll be doing after graduation, but I am confident that the UNP has prepared me for whatever lies ahead. I’ve had great advisors, mentors, and teachers, and I’ve met so many incredibly smart and talented people here at UAB. I’ve learned so much about neuroscience, research, teamwork, and music, and have achieved more than I could have hoped for.
