The Stony Brook University MSTP is one of two yearly opportunities for the entire program to meet and share about their research and training experiences. This year, the MSTP invited SBU Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Dr. Charles Robbins, DWS, LCSW, for a workshop on implicit bias in academia. Special thanks to new Program Administrator Alison Gibbons for coordinating the event. Thanks also to Dr. Robbins, as well as the MSTP faculty and students, for their participation in an invigorating retreat.
The 37th Annual Stony Brook University MSTP retreat was held on Saturday, October 20th at the beautiful Sunwood Estate on the Long Island Sound. Students and faculty from the Stony Brook Hospital, West Campus, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories gathered for a day dedicated to reconnecting and sharing their research.
The morning began with lighthearted remarks from Director Mike Frohman, MD/PhD, who prefaced the day with a collection of pithy quotations from historical physicians and scientists such as William Osler. Reflecting on the trials and errors of those who have gone before, Dr. Frohman offered perspective and encouragement—as well as some consolatory words—to those on the lengthy MD/PhD career path.
Of note, MSTP welcomed Stony Brook University Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Dr. Charles Robbins, DSW, LCSW, as an honored guest speaker at a workshop on implicit bias and gender issues in academia. Dr. Robbins shared from his own research and experience as an expert in heal
th care and gender disparities before leading a group discussion on the impact of implicit bias on women and men in academia. Students participated in a thoughtful conversation defining workplace harassment and describing the ways they had observed or been affected by gender inequality in their training. As the workshop drew to a close, students prompted one another to consider what part trainees can play in cultivating supportive and empowering spaces in the lab and clinic.
Throughout the morning and afternoon, the 5th– and 6th-year (GS4 and 5) MSTP trainees delivered engaging talks on their dissertation work. Senior doctoral candidates Allen Yu, Johansen Amin, Joanna Kim, Eric Roth, John Psonis, Agatha Lyczek, and Young-Jin Kim spoke on research
projects varying from stem cells and tumor progression to novel pharmacologic approaches for diseases such as cystic fibrosis and cancer. Junior trainees presented posters of work in progress to faculty and to their peers at a lively poster session, where students represented a broad range of translational research topics in genetics, bioengineering, microbiology, neuroscience and pharmacology. The Best Talk Prize was awarded to Johansen Amin (GS5) for his talk on the role of NMDA receptors in epilepsy and cognitive diseases. The Best Poster Prize went to Nuri Kim (GS2) for her poster on the regulation of cell migration and cell-cycle state.
A major innovation at this year’s retreat was a series of two breakout sessions where MSTP faculty and students took turns dispensing pearls of wisdom. Drs. Markus Seeliger PhD, Paul Fisher PhD, Richard Lin MD/PhD, Maurizio Del Poeta MD, and Helen Hsieh MD/PhD gave advice and fielded questions from groups of junior and senior trainees on medical coursework, F30 training grants, and planning for research in residency. In the second session, successive cohorts met in groups where upperclassmen shared their experiences with choosing thesis labs, finding funding for conference travel, finishing doctoral work on time, and residency applications.
When asked what stood out at this year’s retreat, students responded favorably to the breakout sessions, stating that they were an opportunity to discuss concerns with senior faculty and to collect relevant and timely advice. Another commented that the poster session was especially energetic and praised the high quality of the research talks. Still others soberly noted that the implicit bias workshop had begun much-needed discourses on making academia more accessible for all, hoping that such dialogues would continue and have a lasting impact on our community.