THE DAVID ROCKEFELLER GR ADUATE PROGR AM 2011-2012 Published by The Rockefeller University Office of Communications and Public Affairs The david rockefeller graduate program 2011-2012 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2 DEAN’S MESSAGE 5 ACADEMIC PROgrams 6 RESEARCH Areas 12 FACILITIES 17 STUdent LIFE 20 AdmissiONS AND SCHEDULE OF COUrses 25 LIFE AFTER ROCKEFELLER 30 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “For MORE THAN A CENTURY, THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY HAS FUL- FILLED THE MISSION MY GRANDFATHER HAD ENVISIONED, TO PRODUCE DISCOVERIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT HUMANKIND. IT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE world’s GREAT MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTions.” DAVID ROCKEFELLER, LIFE TRUSTEE For me, neuroscience was love at first sight. Understanding the brain and wanting to know how to deconstruct and resolve its complexity fueled my career initially and still motivates me in my lab today. People fall in love with science at differ- ent times in their lives and bring their own perspective to learning and doing science, but the common denominator is an excitement and curiosity to understand the world around them — that’s what The Rockefeller University’s graduate pro- gram is designed to nurture. It is also what fuels Rockefeller’s world-class faculty, who push the boundaries of knowledge with their innovative approaches to scientific discovery. In an environment without departments that supports freedom to explore different areas of science, both students and faculty chart their own paths. For faculty, it enables research that has led to pioneering discoveries with the potential to erad- icate disease and reduce suffering for millions. For students, it provides flexibility to work with more than one professor on their chosen thesis topic. For both, it enables collaboration and interdisciplinary research, which are the university’s hallmark. Rockefeller is truly unique, as it exists solely to support science; thus, every aspect of the administration is dedicated to the success of our scientists. In fact, every member of our scientific administration is an active faculty member, with an active lab. Vital to the success of the faculty and students in these labs are modern and well-equipped buildings, an infra- structure that has been further strengthened by the recent opening of the Collaborative Research Center, which promotes interactions between scientists in modern lab spaces and open areas. We’re also well served by scientific resource centers that provide state-of-the-art research support services. At Rockefeller, we believe students should learn science by doing science, shoulder to shoulder with some of the world’s leading researchers, who guide and mentor them every step of the way. We care about the learning and progress of every student and want to ensure that each and every experience at Rockefeller is maximized. As a student at Rockefeller, you’ll be part of a diverse and supportive community that is a haven for creative, independent thinkers. Your time will be spent on an extraordinary campus, a green oasis nestled in one of the most exciting cities in the world. Deciding where to pursue your graduate training is not easy, as there are many outstanding institutions from which to choose. However, Rockefeller stands out among its peers, providing developing scientists an unparalleled educational experience. We hope you’ll join us. Marc Tessier-Lavigne President 2 | THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY THE DAVID ROCKEFELLER GRADUATE PROGRAM 20 11–20 1 2 | 3 4 | THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY Dean’S MESSAGE “AT ROCKEFELLER, CURIOSITY IS CELEBRATED IN A WAY THAT IS VIRTUALLY UNEQUALED IN THE ACADEMIC UNIVERSE. OUR FACULTY ASK QUESTIONS THAT ARE PUSHING THE VERY BOUNDARIES OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. OUR STUDENTS ARE AT THE CENTER OF THIS RESEARCH ENTerprise.” PAUL NURSE, PRESIDENT EMERITUS Rockefeller has a graduate program unlike any in the world. Since its beginning more than 50 years ago, five principles have guided the program: Recruit the best students, regardless of citizenship. International diversity is both intellectually and culturally stimulating. Our global approach is possible because we have significant private support for our students. Our current student popula- tion consists of approximately 200 students from 32 countries. Provide a flexible academic program. Students are all different and have diverse interests and needs. We support indi- vidual development by giving our students the freedom to design their own curricula. They fulfill credit requirements with courses of interest and have the option to conduct several rotations or immediately affiliate with a lab. Provide generous professional and personal support. Relieving worries about practical matters allows our students more time to be creative with their scientific pursuits. They receive a yearly stipend, free health and dental insurance, highly subsidized housing on or near campus and an annual research allowance for travel and lab support. Strongly encourage interactions. Students are often the catalyst for collaborations between labs, and some of the most revolutionary ideas span disciplines. To foster interactions, we have an annual student retreat organized and run by stu- dents, numerous scientific lecture series where students interact with speakers from around the world and a series with speakers from the arts and humanities to provide alternative perspectives. Ensure careful mentoring throughout the graduate career. The freedom of our graduate program requires supportive advice and mentoring. In the first year, counsel is provided by the Dean’s Office, and in later years, by the research adviser and a faculty committee. The program has been an extraordinary success. Of more than 1,000 graduates, two have won the Nobel Prize, 26 are members of the United States National Academy of Sciences and our alumni occupy influential positions in academia, industry and many other fields. Graduate school is an important step in becoming a professional scientist. Although it has a well-defined end point — the Ph.D. degree — it really is just a beginning. All of the things that go into becoming a scientist — learning new ideas, perfect- ing new experimental techniques, refining analytical abilities — are lifelong endeavors. Our goal at Rockefeller is to equip you with both the skills and the self-confidence to begin your journey. Sidney Strickland Dean THE DAVID ROCKEFELLER GRADUATE PROGRAM 20 11–20 1 2 | 5 ACADEMIC PROGRAMS “THERE ARE MANY REASONS THAT THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY IS SPECIAL. IT’s WONDERFULLY SMALL AND THAT MEANS NO ONE GETS LOST. THE HOPE IS ALWAYS THAT SOME VERY IMPORTANT SCIENCE CAN OCCUR THAT MIGHT NOT EVER HAPPEN OTherwise.” MICHAEL W. YOUNG, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS For over 100 years, biomedical science has been The Rockefeller University’s singular priority. Founded in 1901 by John D. Rockefeller as The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, it was the first institution in the United States devoted solely to understanding the causes of disease. Today, renamed The Rockefeller University, it is one of the foremost research centers in the world, with a world-class faculty including six Nobel Prize laureates and 37 members or foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences. The graduate program admitted its first students in 1955, and since then more than 1,000 scientists have received degrees from Rockefeller. As a Rockefeller graduate student, you will be part of a diverse community of over 2,000, including students, postdocs, faculty and administrative staff. Though Rockefeller is a small school, our location adjacent to Weill Cornell Medical College, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center puts us at an epicenter of scientific activity. Our students truly have the best of both worlds: a personal, highly flexible training program and access to a broad range of collaborators and resources. PH.D. Program Rockefeller’s Ph.D. program is based on the concept of learning science by doing science, and our laboratories are at the center of the Ph.D. training program. There are 74 laboratories at Rockefeller, each headed by a tenured or tenure-track member of the faculty, that study a wide range of biomedical and related sciences, including biochemistry, structural biology and chemistry; medical sciences and human genetics; molecular, cell and developmental biology; immunology, virology and microbiology; neuroscience; and physics and mathematical biology. Students who arrive with a particular mentor or project in mind may immediately join a laboratory; those who prefer to explore may rotate through several laboratories to gain exposure to different areas of research. Students choose a labora- tory by the end of their first year and present a thesis proposal before the end of their second year. The collegial nature of the laboratory environment links younger students to previous generations from the same lab, as well as to postdocs and faculty mentors. The collaborations that result from these relationships are not only the basis on which our scientific education is built, they are the engine that drives the discovery process. Many collaborations pro- duce exceptional results that lead to publication in prominent journals. And the relationships formed within laboratories often lead to lifelong associations. While formal coursework is minimal, several classes each semester offer foundations in particular specialties, and three required courses taken during the first year serve to develop students’ abilities to critically interpret scientific data, to 6 |