Feature Article

Feature Article Preface

            For my feature article, I interviewed Dr. Karen Anderson, a psychology professor here at West Virginia University.  Through interviewing her, I learned what her career consists of on a daily level, her favorite/least favorite parts of her career, and what she enjoys outside of the lab/office.  Dr. Anderson also gave me advice on being successful during undergraduate, and how to pursue a career in the psychology field.

In Another’s Mind

            As I walk into the office of Dr. Karen Anderson, a behavioral psychologist for West Virginia University, the aroma of the freshly baked blueberry muffin on her desk wafts towards me.  My empty stomach growls in response, furious for having to skip breakfast.  There was simply no time for a bowl of cereal as I had been running late for the interview I set of with Dr. Anderson.  As I glance at the large calendar on her desk, I am amazed thinking it is already February. My freshman year is flying by!

 Due to my nerves, every little sound is intensified in this office.  The ticking of the clock sounds like a nail being hammered into the wall, the graduate student walking down the hall sounds more like the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, and the soft whirring of the heater has become more similar to an Oklahoma windstorm.  As I sit waiting for Dr. Anderson to finish the e-mail she was sending, I force myself to take a deep breath and stop my leg from twitching.  As she types the last few words, I focus on my breathing, in-out, in-out, in-out.  I feel myself slowing calm down as she turns towards me with a smile on her face.  “Maybe this interview won’t be so bad after all” I think to myself. 

            As we sat and talked, Dr. Anderson proved to be a very friendly and fascinating person, easing all my nerves.  Her response to what her favorite quote was became my favorite answer from the entire interview. Dr. Anderson replied with, “Helen Keller said ‘Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.’  It reminds me that each day should be lived to its fullest and that it’s okay to take chances.”  She truly does seem to live life to the fullest.  Throughout the interview I learned she ran the Pittsburgh Marathon last year, has been skydiving, and has travelled around the world, with her favorite destination being Sydney, Australia.  In her time off she also revealed she loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her friends and family, and go to concerts.  She truly leads the life of a person who doesn’t let opportunities or time pass her by.

            As I began to ask Dr. Anderson questions more centered on her career, it was easy to see this attitude has pervaded her work life as well.  As an undergraduate student at the University of Florida, she began to work on undergraduate research projects with the faculty which led her to her interest and current profession in Behavioral Pharmacology.  While talking about these research projects, she laughed while saying, “After that, I was hooked and knew I wanted to be a Behavioral Pharmacologist...”  From that point, she built relationships with the faculty in this, and related, areas of study that helped her on her path to this career.

When asked what specifically she does within her career, she explained her research is based upon the relationship, or lack thereof, between drug use and impulsive behavior.  She continued by explaining how she had always been fascinated by the inner workings of the mind and stated that after learning of the circular relationship between our experiences and our actions, she was intrigued.  The majority of Dr. Anderson’s lab work deals with the study of how drugs affect impulses in rats.  Much of the knowledge obtained from these studies can be applied to human behavior as rats and humans have surprisingly similar, nervous systems (specifically as far as drug use/impulses are concerned).  Another aspect of Dr. Anderson’s career is to write scientific reports on the information observed from her studies.  Through these reports, Dr. Anderson has the ability to share her findings with the rest of the scientific community, as well as college students who are pursuing a psychology based career.

As our conversation continued, she told of how the most interesting experience she has had within her career is the opportunity she has to teach both undergraduate and graduate students about behavioral pharmacology in a lab setting.  “I get to work in the lab and teach students how to do science.  That is always interesting!” Dr. Anderson said.  In relation, she said it was overwhelming when she first started working in, and was in charge of, her own lab.  She went saying, “For the first time in my career, I was on my own.”  Dr. Anderson truly is a remarkable person both within her career, and in her time off. 

            Living your life to the fullest and loving the life you live still has its difficulties and challenges.  For Dr. Anderson, one of the more demanding aspects of her career is applying for grants so she can continue her research.  She explained that most scientists are competing for grants to fund their research and with today’s economy it can be very difficult to receive one.  Being a psychologist, or working within the field of psychology, isn’t as glamorous as television shows make it out to be.  As Dr. Anderson said, “They make it sound so much more exciting than it is.  That gives them good ratings though.”  Although Anderson absolutely loves her career, it still has its challenges, as does any career.

            As I walk down the hall of the Life Science Building towards the elevator, Dr. Anderson’s words of advice replay themselves in my head.  In preparation for a career in the field of psychology or any of its subfields, the biggest thing to do is become involved.  Ask professors within the field you are interested in if there are any undergraduate research projects with which you can participate.  Join the psychology club and check the websites for information on internships. Dr. Anderson stressed the importance of getting to know the faculty in the department stating, “Getting to know your professors early in your undergraduate career will give you a huge advantage later.”  I barely notice the growling of my stomach and the elevator music as, in my mind, I pore over all the information I received today.  I laugh to myself as I realize how ridiculous it was to have been so nervous, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Karen Anderson.