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Off-topic: Wish me luck!

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Posted 10/5/2009 1:18 PM (GMT -7)
I've decided to apply to graduate programs to get my Ph.D. I'm almost done with applications, as I just have to have my GRE scores sent and make sure my letters of recommendation get send in.

I'm pretty nervous and excited, I hope that I hear back with something sooner than the general deadline of March or April. As a plus, my boyfriend said he will probably move with me to whatever school I get into, and the programs I'm applying to pay stipends. I'm pretty sure I'll get into at least one (an entomology program at my undergraduate institution) as some of my recommendations are coming from program faculty, but that's really my safety. I'm really hoping to get into UTMB as they have amazing labs for the kind of work I want to do.

But yeah, excited/nervous.
Posted 10/5/2009 1:22 PM (GMT -7)
Good luck!!  I've got a PhD, so I know how nerver wracking it can be to wait to hear back.

And are you the one interested in virology? If so, I paged you a while back, but you might have missed it. I work quite a bit with one of the top plant virologist in the US...he's a USDA scientist, but is based at Oregon State University in Corvallis. He's also a heck of a guy and I know he'd be understanding about any issues that might come up with your UC (he donated $100 when I did the Take Steps walk earlier this year). Let me know if you want his contact info!
Posted 10/5/2009 1:28 PM (GMT -7)
How exciting! Good luck and let us know what happens.
Posted 10/5/2009 1:31 PM (GMT -7)
fruitgirl-Yeap, that'd be me. Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd prefer to work with human diseases rather than plants. I have whatever the opposite of a green thumb is. That, and i don't know if I can afford another application fee.

ack-Definitely will! =)
Posted 10/5/2009 1:36 PM (GMT -7)
Ok! Well, when working with plant viruses, the object is to sometimes kill them, so a black thumb of death isn't necessairly a bad thing. I just wanted to make sure you'd seen the post. There are some pretty cool plant viruses out there, but maybe I'm biased!

What are your eventual career goals?
Posted 10/5/2009 2:03 PM (GMT -7)
Good luck with it!....
Posted 10/5/2009 2:17 PM (GMT -7)
Good luck! I hope it all works out perfectly for you! :)
Posted 10/5/2009 2:18 PM (GMT -7)
Good Luck, I have a PhD too. It is hard work, but a cool achievement (only 1% of women in the world have a PhD) that stat kept me going when it got hard and I realized how many women would love to have the chance to study for a PhD!

You will spend a lot of time thinking that it was an admission mistake while en route to the degree (the literature on PhD students call it the imposer syndrome)--just try to remember that everyone has those thoughts.
Posted 10/5/2009 2:46 PM (GMT -7)
fruitgirl-I haven't really studied much on plant viruses, but plants have always owned me in my bio classes. As for career goals, I want to work for either the CDC/WHO or a research university on emerging and tropical diseases. My three big uns are viral hemorrhagic fevers, influenza mutations, and vector-borne disease.

rio and calm-on-the-outside-much thanks!

hefud: one percent? seriously? Also I'm working on my first scientific article now from some research I did as an undergrad, so I'm getting a taste of that now.
Posted 10/5/2009 2:51 PM (GMT -7)
Best of luck to you!

:)
Posted 10/5/2009 3:04 PM (GMT -7)

Malkavian said...
fruitgirl-I haven't really studied much on plant viruses, but plants have always owned me in my bio classes. As for career goals, I want to work for either the CDC/WHO or a research university on emerging and tropical diseases. My three big uns are viral hemorrhagic fevers, influenza mutations, and vector-borne disease.

rio and calm-on-the-outside-much thanks!

hefud: one percent? seriously? Also I'm working on my first scientific article now from some research I did as an undergrad, so I'm getting a taste of that now.

That is awesome that you are working on your first article! You go girl! That should help the admission process.

Yep 1%, but that is in the world--think about all the countries that still don't condone women going to college or even being literate for that matter.
Posted 10/5/2009 3:11 PM (GMT -7)
hefud---1%...what a stat!!! Yay for us! :) And yay for Malkavian for joining "our" ranks someday soon!
Do you happen to have any figures that are say, just for US, Canada, and Europe? Or maybe just developed countries?

And that's great, Malkavian, you're already working on a pub! And your career goals sound awesome!
Posted 10/5/2009 3:13 PM (GMT -7)
Wow, very impressive...let us know how things are going for you! ;-)

Posted 10/5/2009 3:25 PM (GMT -7)
pb4 and lonie-Thanks, and will do when I hear something.

fruitgirl-Yeah, should lead to an interesting career. But then, you get to eat fresh fruit all day at your job, soo...

fruitgirl and hefud-Yeah, I'm excited about getting it published, though the other authors are just kind of shoving me into it and going "good luck, call if you need us!" It's really a learning by doing thing. But, a first authorship as an undergrad is impressive from what I hear.
Posted 10/5/2009 3:25 PM (GMT -7)
Go girl!!! best of luck to you!!
Posted 10/5/2009 3:36 PM (GMT -7)
YOU GO GIRL!!!!

Best of luck.

Posted 10/5/2009 3:37 PM (GMT -7)
Yay, good luck! And aw about your boyfriend, how sweet.

1%.. I wanna be part of one percent. But can one get a PhD in a language? Maybe something else... I always thought it'd be really fun to teach English as a second language. Anyways, yeah, good luck! lol
Posted 10/5/2009 4:02 PM (GMT -7)
ElephantPipe-You can get a PhD in a language or language education, or probably several things related to languages.

Malkavin-It is a VERY BIG DEAL if you got an article out of undergrad!

Fruitgirl-I just went to the national center for education statistics (NCES) and in 2006-2007, 60,616 doctoral degrees were granted to females in the US. The population in the US then was about 303 million so about 2% of US women (if I got my math right--I am a qualitative researcher).
Posted 10/5/2009 5:00 PM (GMT -7)

ElephantPipe said...
Yay, good luck! And aw about your boyfriend, how sweet.

1%.. I wanna be part of one percent. But can one get a PhD in a language? Maybe something else... I always thought it'd be really fun to teach English as a second language. Anyways, yeah, good luck! lol

I often dream of living in different parts of the world. Teaching English makes good money in countries where people's first language isn't English. I could live in a different country every year. It would be awesome!!

I just don't know what to do with my boyfriend. He doesn't want to move.
Posted 10/5/2009 5:01 PM (GMT -7)

Malkavian said...
I've decided to apply to graduate programs to get my Ph.D.

Good luck Malkavian!
Posted 10/5/2009 5:16 PM (GMT -7)
Girl you are 22 and working for your PhD!? YOU ROCK!
I can't even decide if I want my masters! I'd love to be an infectious disease specialist but the course I'm taking with my education definitely will never get me there.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope to be reading a scientific journal someday and be reading your article! wink
Posted 10/5/2009 5:25 PM (GMT -7)
Wow, lots of responses. Thanks again!

Also, elephantpipe-you can get a higher degree in pretty much anything.
Posted 10/5/2009 5:50 PM (GMT -7)
subdued, that's true. However, I think I'd like to (for the most part) work at a college or something... I know lots of exchange students are in English as a second language classes (and some of them need it; my friend was telling me about two of them trying to use an eyewash station as a drinking fountain lol). Why not do that?

Malkavian, yeah I thought so, but usually I just see language education and linguistics. But I'll be looking into it some day lol.
Posted 10/6/2009 4:09 AM (GMT -7)
Ah yes, the PhD journey! Requires devotion and stickwithitness, but pays off in the end. If you get a faculty job afterwards you have a dream job. I am grateful for my prof job every day, it allows me to keep studying what intrigues me, to teach - which fulfills me, and to have a measure of control over my work times and duties. For someone with years of UC and IBS, I am fortunate. You will be too.
Posted 10/6/2009 4:16 AM (GMT -7)
Very impressive! I am so happy for you! :)
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