Undergraduate Research: Forrest D. Rogers
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Hometown: Stillwater, OK
Major: Physiology and French
Research Project: The Effects of Paternal Care on Limbic Dopamine in Microtus ochrogaster (the prairie vole)
Faculty members: Dr. Alexander Ophir, Department of Zoology; and Tomica Blocker (graduate
student) Department of Zoology
What do you think or have you gained personally from this research experience?
As a freshman research scholar, I have learned to take on a great amount of independence and initiative in order to achieve a quality outcome. I have also gained great insight into a field (neuroendocrinology) of complexity and personal relevance through hands on experience and under the tutelage of expert researchers.
What has been your experience with the faculty you have been working with on the project?
Dr. Ophir and Ms. Blocker (a graduate student in the Integrative Biology and Neuroethology Lab) have been exceptional mentors. I have been given the unique privilege of becoming, as a freshman, a member of alaboratory that performs cutting edge research, and in which the principal investigator (Dr. Ophir) and graduate students work hard to not only conduct research but to additionally facilitate undergraduate participation and learning.
How important has this been to your college experience?
Freshman research has been a fantastic source of regularity and additional rigor in my college experience. I feel this is important because it keeps me focused on my current education and future goals. It has also opened doors to further opportunities at Oklahoma State University and elsewhere.
How do you think this experience will prepare you for your chosen field after college?
At the moment, it is my plan to attend medical school to pursue a medical degree and either a masters in public health or a PhD. This effectively makes me (now) pre-medical and pre-research. My current research is relevant to the medical field as a whole, but it is also especially relevant to a career in research because it gives me an experiential foundation on which to build a strong research career. It is my plan to continue undergraduate research in order to continue to build this foundation.