What is a “nerdoscientist”?
When people see my handle they often chuckle and say “that’s cute”.
But where did it come from?
“Back off, man. I’m a scientist.” – Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters
I didn’t dream as a child of becoming a neuroscientist. Actually, I wanted to be a fighter pilot, flying F-15s (I attribute this to growing up in the 80s). But nerdoscientism found me.
I went into undergrad with plans of becoming a clinical psychologist. I majored in psychology; I worked in a clinical psychology lab (analyzing audio recordings of positive and negative communication in married couples). I worked as a Psych Tech in a psych hospital. I volunteered on a crisis hotline.
But then I got the opportunity to work in a neuroscience lab studying the effects of estrogen on feeding behavior and exercise activity and immunohistochemistry. And it was great. It was an “ah-ha” moment. I felt comfortable, intrigued… and obsessed.
And I’m told that obsession is the key to being a nerd, but that’s a discussion for another day.
I moved on to a graduate program at “a large Midwestern University” for a PhD in behavioral neuroscience. And there I dated a philosophy grad student who said to me when I called him from the Society for Neuroscience conference:
“Sounds like a bunch of Nerdo-scientists!”
And so it stuck.
Since then I got my Master’s and PhD. And then completed a postdoc studying nutraceuticals, like soy, on behavior and obesity at the ever so awesome leading smell and taste research center: Monell Chemical Senses Center.
Which led me to industry, where now I work at a CPG, or large Consumer Product Group where I bring neuroscience and psychology research into developing new products and advances in consumer science.
I’m a nerd.
I’m a scientist.
I’m a nerdoscientist.
Love it.
Thanks Katie! Trying something new and hope to update with my thoughts on neuroscience research implications.