Howdy! My name is Crystal and I'm a '28 from 1899.2 miles away in Fulshear, Texas hoping to study Biology on the pre-health track. Outside of being on the grind in my classes at Dartmouth, I enjoy dancing (poorly and with dance groups on campus), cooking (microwave oatmeal), and taking Buzzfeed quizzes to find out what breakfast food I am. While I'll miss Bucc-ee's and brisket from my native state, I'm beyond excited to explore all that the woods have to offer! Hopefully I'll see y'all around!
Chem 11 is my first pre-health course (and consequently my favorite course thus far); I came into Chem 11 with a bit of apprehension over what to expect since the course takes the place of the two-course alternative Chem 5 and 6 sequence. I’ll admit, there was a bit of a learning curve, especially since I hadn’t taken chemistry since junior year of high school, but Prof. Wenlin Zhang’s office hours have become an excellent way for me to gain a better grasp of the course content and work with other students through new concepts. I’m super glad that I chose this course for my first fall!
My First-Year Seminar, a Dartmouth requirement for all first-year students, concerns poetry that has a unique focus on the visual nature of the work. From pieces that cover an actual description of a work of art, to pieces that form a unique shape, we discuss how form can have a meaningful impact on the interpretation of the poem itself. I originally wasn’t too sure if I would enjoy this class since my experience with poetry is pretty sparse, but I found myself really enjoying the analytical discussions that we have. Features of the class include trips to the Hood Museum of Art and the Book Arts Workshop!
After taking BIOL 13: Gene Expression and Inheritance, last term with Professor Dolph, I knew that I wanted to continue exploring the foundational biology courses offered at Dartmouth, and BIOL 12 was no exception! Even though it’s my earliest class of the day, Professor Schaller makes the class super interesting and integrates real-world applications of what we learn in class through literature reviews. The lab component of this class is super interesting, as we apply techniques we’ve learned about conceptually in class to the lab! Even though the class can certainly be a bit daunting, it poses a fun challenge for anyone interested in learning more about biology! From microtubules to myc-sensitive antibodies, the fun never ends!
Inside the Biology Department: Lunch with Professor Dolph!
A unique aspect of the student-professor relationship at Dartmouth is the ability for students to take their professors out for a meal through a tile on DartHub, the student portal, labeled "Take a Faculty Member to Lunch" (read more about it from Alex' 26!). I took BIOL 13: Genetics, with Professor Dolph, and I wanted to speak with him about what the Biological Sciences Department looks like at Dartmouth. After a quick form submission and an email, I was well on my way to grabbing lunch and learning more about his work!
Crystal: Thank you so much for meeting with me! Please feel free to introduce yourself, including what you teach, your teaching interests, and background!
Dolph: Sure, my name is Professor Dolph and I've been teaching at Dartmouth for a little over 25 years. I teach two undergraduate courses. I teach a large-enrollment genetics course and a senior-level course on cell biology, which is much smaller, about 25 students compared to the 75 in my genetics class.
Crystal: Great! Tell me about your interests outside of the classroom, whether that be hobbies or research. Let's start with your hobbies!
Dolph: I live in a small village and have a lot of land, so I like to garden. It's kind of a major thing that I do throughout the spring, summer, and fall. I used to raise chickens and pigs, but there have been too many bears, so we had to quit.
Crystal: How about your research?
Dolph: As for my research, I study neuronal degeneration in flies. We are trying to understand the mechanisms of how neurons die. So there are Alzheimer's models and Parkinson's models and a retinal degeneration model that I use, so that's pretty interesting.
Crystal: That is interesting! So you currently teach a genetics course. How did you enter the field of genetics as a whole? Were there any moments throughout your undergraduate or graduate experience that led to pursuing genetics?
Dolph: I remember when I was a sophomore in high school learning about Mendelian inheritance, and I just thought it was the greatest thing! I think it's always just been at the forefront of my mind as genetics itself, but later I developed an interest in molecular genetics. For the most part, though, it started way back when I was a teenager.
Crystal: Now, if you were to introduce the Biology department at Dartmouth to a new student, how would you do so?
Dolph: So at most major universities, there's an emphasis on research. Pretty much [the entire faculty] has a lab, and although there are a few professors who strictly teach, for the most part, professors are hired to conduct research. One thing I will say about Dartmouth, though, is that teaching is really very important to people in the Biology department. There is a real major focus on quality teaching, and we've been moving into more innovative teaching methods in the past 10 years with flipped classrooms and different audiovisual techniques. I think in the end, I came here to do research, but I also knew I had to teach; now, it's gone full circle where I feel like the teaching is my favorite part of the job.
Crystal: That's lovely! So then what is your favorite part of teaching?
Dolph: For the most part, I think part of it is because of the students. The students are incredibly strong, eager, and excited about learning, making it a truly positive experience to interact with them. You can see more of that now with the flipped classroom because before, it was really just lecturing, so I wasn't able to really get to know students. Now, I can interact with large numbers of students in the classroom.
Crystal: Great! If you had any advice for any first-year students or undergraduate students in general who are interested in pursuing Biology as a major or just dipping their toes into the biology program, what would it be?
Dolph: I would say to be really careful as you move into the biology field. We have several different ways of getting in with foundational courses. There are courses that are not quite so challenging that are good for getting your feet wet. The genetics course we are talking about moves really fast, and students often find it to be challenging. So I think you just have to weigh your options, and we have a little placement test that is really good at helping you see which way you might want to go. There are many excellent foundational courses in biology.
Crystal: I see! Are there any courses that you would recommend to first-year students who may be interested in biology?
Dolph: Sure, we have an introductory course of sorts called BIOL 11that is always a good choice. We offer it several times a year. We're offering a new course,BIOL 9, in the spring, which is a lab-based course, so the entire course takes place in the laboratory. Students conduct experiments to gain an understanding of biology through hands-on experimentation. That's another good entry point for students. Outside of that, there are the foundational courses, which have a slightly larger enrollment and are somewhat more challenging.
Crystal: Last question. You mentioned that you like to garden. Have you ever tried recreating Mendel's pea plant experiment on your own?
Dolph: Never have! I suppose those lines are available, so you should just be able to go out and get them. But I'm not sure if my gardening is at a point where I want to cross-pollinate and tear off anthers and self-pollinate. I think I just want to grow and eat!
Crystal: Totally get it! Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me and discuss this.
Biological Sciences is one of the most popular majors at Dartmouth, and after sitting down with Professor Dolph and learning more about the department, I can see why!
To learn more about the Biology department, check out their website!
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