April 6, 2005

Dear Dr. Chesselet,

I would love to be included in a dinner "reunion" this spring which includes my former fellow students and mentors.  But I must bow my head as I write this, for I am not a prolific researcher.  I am writing a book regarding sex differences in the brain for the nonscientist to read, and am challenged by walking the tight rope between writing scientifically and technically one one side, and engagingly to the nonscientist on the other, for they are practically contradictions in terms.  I spend most of my time working on the very aspect that my previous research was often used to argue against--the role of the environment in influencing people--namely my children.  Several times a year I give classroom talks to elementary and middle school children on the brain, and they are absolutely delighted with the brain samples that I have to show them.

I am glad that you are forming a website with other graduates and post docs from the Dept. of Neurobiology as I would love to know what they are doing both personally and professionally.  I hope to meet you soon.

Sincerely,
Laura S. Allen, Ph.D.