Peter

Peter:

Graduate Student

Fischbach Lab

What’s the hardest part about your research?

“Psychologically, research can be hard because you are doing things that might not work and that’s the reason that it is important to do it. It’s uncertain whether or not you are going to be able to achieve it or not. And that’s exciting but it is also incredibly frustrating. You’re not guaranteed to be successful and for a long time you are not successful. So that’s one of the challenges.”

What’s the most rewarding thing about your research?

“I love learning and I think that as a researcher you are constantly learning. And that can be rewarding for its own sake, to just continuously encounter knowledge.”

How has your research changed any of your viewpoints about cancer?

“I think my attitude changed mostly because when I started doing cancer research I was thinking of it only as a biological problem and I spent most of my time working with microscopes and petri dishes in the lab. But when I started doing the partnership with the [Finger Lakes] Cancer Research Center, my attitude toward cancer really changed. I started to see more of the human side of cancer and how it affects individuals and families. That’s part of the reason I started this class [Dimensions of Cancer], to show that it’s not just a biological problem but also a social problem. So that’s how I expanded my own knowledge of what cancer is.”

What’s your stance on public engagement in science in cancer research?

“I am a big advocate for public engagement in science. For me, public engagement of science has had a huge impact on my own life. I have learned so much from the people who have come and told us about their experiences living with cancer. Being a good listener and understanding how your research is relevant and what you can do as a scientist to improve the well-being of people with cancer, not just through experiments and results, but also through have conversations and being a part of their support network and community can be really good.”