Former students in Biology 107: Jaren Madden
Last revised: Monday, January 6, 2003
- B.S.--1998--Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- M.S.--1998--Botany (combined program as a University Scholar)
- 1998-2000--Visiting Lecturer, Department of Botany, Connecticut College, New London
- June 2000-present--Assistant Scientist, Enzymology, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA
I began my college career as a Molecular and Cell Biology major. I enjoyed Cell Biology and Genetics, but I became truly fascinated by botany when I was an S.I. Leader for Biology 108. After taking Plant Development and Morphology (an EEB course), I was hooked. I switched my major to EEB and did research for my Honors Thesis in the Plant Science Department (School of Agriculture). As a University Scholar, I wrote a plan to earn my B.S and M.S. in 5 years. Research and thesis writing were time consuming, and it took me 5 years and 3 summers to earn both degrees.
After my M.S., I considered a Ph.D. but decided to take some time off first. I spent 2 years as a lecturer at Connecticul College, a small liberal arts school. I taught labs and did some team lecture teaching in Intro Biology, General Botany, Plant Development, Plant Physiology, and Cell Biology. I really loved teaching but knew if I wanted to progress in academia I would need a Ph.D. Before making a 5 or 6 year commitment to graduate school, I decided to see what the "real world" is like. I am now working in the Enzymology Department at a pharmaceutical company. My specific division, High Throughput Screening, looks for small drug-like molecules that inhibit enzymes. The company is developing drugs for many therapeutic areas, including cancer, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, viruses such as AIDS and hepatitus, and many other diseases.
I really like working at Vertex. As an assistant scientist, I help develop, run, and analyze experiments. I still have the opportunity to read about current literature (we even have a library here). The atmosphere is extremely team oriented, so there are always collegues to work with and to bounce ideas off of. I learn a lot not only about my project but also about other projects in development at the company as well as the overall process of drug discovery and development. I also love the company culture--there is a gym here, people play intramurals, and there are many other company activities.
I think the most important thing I have learned is that there is more than one path to take as a science major. Not everyone gets a Ph.D. and not everyone goes to graduate school. Some people go straight from a Bachelor's to an advanced degree, while others take some time off before going back to school. Some people know exactly what they want to do and some change their minds. There are many ways to reach your personal goal, and there are many ways to achieve success. I think people should know it's OK to change majors, and it's OK to be undecided for a while. How, at the age of 17 or 18, do you really know what you want to do for the rest of your life? I never would have thought that I would get a M.S. in Botany and end up in an Enzymology department brushing up on my biochemistry. Whether you choose academia, government, or private industry, there are so many opportunities in the world and so millions of ways in which you can make a difference in society.
If I were to go back and do college all over again, I wouldn't change very much. I loved being in the marching band, becoming involved with campus tours and orientation, and most of all, attending UCONN athletic events. On the academic side, I feel as though UCONN taught me how to be a good scientist, and for that I am grateful. When I was teaching, I would encourage students to be open-minded to new ideas and new courses because you never know where you will find the thing you want to spend the rest of your life doing. I would also encourage students to get involved in the campus community. You can't study 24/7, and by getting involved in the community you have the opportunity to have fun, to make great friends, and to give something back to the college. College isn't just about learning from a book--it's about learning about life. Finally, I would encourage science majors to gain laboratory experience as a undergraduate. It is the best way to find out whether or not you truly love labwork. And if you don't love being in the lab, it doesn't mean you can't still be involved in science. In today's world, people with a science background can have extremely successful careers in writing, business, computer science, and many other fields.
The school you attend and the major you choose do not limit you in the future. Only you limit yourself.
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