Young Alum of the Month
Name: Cicely Schramm
Hometown: Laurens, IA
Major: Genetics
Graduation Date: May 2003
Employer: Graduate Student, PhD Program in Neuroscience
University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN
Major job responsibilities:
During the first couple years of grad school, I spent quite a bit of time taking and teaching neuroscience
classes. Now, my main responsibilities include designing and carrying out experiments and interpreting the
resulting data. As such, the challenging but rewarding process of learning and molding different
experimental techniques is a large part of my job. Lately, I've been spending most of my time using
pharmacological manipulation of peptide release from sensory neurons and teased-fiber electrophysiology to
answer my experimental questions. Keeping up with current literature in my field, giving public talks, and
writing are also among my responsibilities.
What I like most about my job:
The best thing about my position is that it's always engaging and challenging. It's very rewarding to make
a living by learning, thinking, and discovering interesting new things that could potentially make other
people's lives better. The insurance benefits and flexible schedule are nice perks, and having the
opportunity to travel to scientific conferences around the world has been a really big bonus, too!
Advice to current students:
Keep your mind and options open, and get as much experience as you can- not just a good amount, but also a
wide variety. You might be surprised what sparks your interest and leads you down a new path. Don't be
afraid to ask your professors for advice or opportunities. Most of all, don't forget to have fun and enjoy
what you do!
