BIOL 121: Human Biology and Disease BIOL 201: Introduction to Biology
Q: What brought you to U.Va., and how long have you been teaching here?
A: I came here in 1991. I've been here a dozen years. I was almost finished with my graduate work and my advisor was recruited to be the director of the brand new immunology research center here. For me, it made all the sense in the world to follow him out from Washington University in St. Louis where I was doing my graduate work. So, I came out with him, thought I'd be here for a year, finished up my graduate work; same time met my wife, started to do the post-docs and started teaching in 1998.
Q: Where is your favorite place to eat in Charlottesville?
A: It always changes. I go to Bodos. I have averaged one meal a day there for the past 12 years. There were times as a graduate student that I would eat there three times a day -- it was ridiculous. I don't know what I would do if I got away from Charlottesville. I need my daily Bodos and Greenberry's. That's my survival.But in terms of real restaurants, one of the current favorites of mine is Mas, a "tapas" bar, not to be confused with a "topless" bar. It's in Belmont, basically behind Spudnuts.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite thing about U.Va.?
A: I love the area of Charlottesville. I think it has everything but lakes. I'm from Minnesota, so that's the only thing I miss. The students. I am always just so impressed by the students. I can't imagine teaching someplace where there wouldn't be that quality of students. And the faculty here gives me a tremendous amount of freedom. My least favorite thing would probably be the parking and transportation.
Q: If you were 90 years old, and you could choose either the mind or the body you had when you were 30, which would you choose?
A: I think I would choose the body because I look forward to the gained wisdom that I'll have, and I guess I'm optimistic that my mind will continue to improve. I'm not worried about losing it -- I think I'll be a better person mentally when I'm 90 than I am now.
Q: If you could give students one piece of advice, what would you say?
A: I think that college is a great time for students to explore what they might want to do for a career. For example, I think too often I see students who are interested in a career in medicine but they've never been exposed to clinical science. They've seen maybe E.R., or something where it's very glamorized. So, to use one's summers wisely, use them to gain exposure to something you might want to do as a career, I think is key. Another one I've been thinking about today is not being afraid to shift directions. I think a lot of us, especially people here, are very driven, and are not quitters. And yet I think that to quit something or to change directions for yourself, as opposed to what someone else's expectations may be, is something that can be incredibly valuable. I've seen too many people who have been unhappy in a career that they've chosen, but they weren't willing to quit and do something else. Just today I got an email from a former student of mine, one of the best students I've ever had, who started medical school here at U.Va., and about a year ago she decided to leave. She decided it wasn't what she wanted to do. It's a very difficult decision when it's something that you can do, when you've been excited about the opportunity and you've been given that opportunity, and then to decide that it's not what you want; it's very courageous. But that person is likely to look forward to not having the next 30 years of being miserable.
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