Are you a researcher?

As I’m searching out schools in which to pursue a Ph.D. I’m curious to know what others are studying and what schools you’re at.

Currently I’m investigating the effect of contraction type on muscle hypertrophy, but am also interested in nutritional interactions with resistance training (i.e., Tipton’s work).

I’m a PhD student at Wash U in St. Louis.

What is your area of interest?

Right now, Cancer biology, but I’m still in 1st year rotations. I don’t know what my 3rd rotation will be, but I may go into nutrition, such as fat metabolism

Baylor in Texas has a lot of fine Kines people. (Rick Kreider is there).

Check it out.

Kinetix -if you’re into Tipton’s work, then UTMB would be great. The lab is pretty kick ass, and the people are absolutely amazing. The down side for us Canadians: the heat, mosquitos, “Galvetraz”, and the HEAT!:slight_smile:

-Dave Barr

Cassanova,

Do you know Mike Greenwood at Baylor? He was one of my undergraduate advisors when he was at Arkansas State.

Hey D! :slight_smile:

No, I don’t know Mike. But I wish I was down in Texas…

Right now I’m at U of Alberta in Canada, but VERY soon I will be in U of Connecticut in the USA! (BIG GRIN).

I’m at UConn right now. In fact, Cass decided to come here simply because I RULE. Okay, okay, so I’m full of crap. Nonetheless, UConn is a great school for research; we’re doing a fair amount of stuff this fall (a lot of prep work), but the spring will be extremely busy from a research standpoint.

Cass, why are you going to UConn?

Eric,

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the focus of your lab? From what Cass has told me you’re doing some work with Keto diets?

This is my one VERY important suggestion regarding PhD studies:

  1. Make sure you’re going to study something you REALLY like because you could be doing it for 5+ years!

My approach to my PhD decision was to pick a researcher to work with based on what my interests are. I want to become an expert in dietary fat and it’s relation to body fat loss, muscle accretion, athletic performance, cardiovascular health and longevity. So, I perused the current literature and noted who conducted these such studies and where they were located. Then I scanned each university’s website and noted which one offered a degree in sports nutrition/exercise physiology.

I had it narrowed down to a few (Baylor was one) and I ended up deciding on UConn and Dr. Jeff Volek. So, I did the ‘cool’ thing and flat-out emailed Dr Volek and told him that I wanted to be his new PhD student and that I would be an asset to his research team. (I also sent a few nude photos but that didn’t make ANY difference to his decision…no, not at all. hehe). So, after exchanging a few emails and then me flying myself down to San Fran to meet up with him at the ACSM meeting, it was final.

So now here I am, about to become a UConn student and Eric Cressey’s new roomate. (And yes, Eric, you do RULE!).

Also, just to let everyone know, it’s way easier to make a decision to leave the country you were born in, and leave all your family behind, to pursue a degree, only if you’re REALLY ready to make that move. For me, I have no attatchments and I know I want to do this to make my dreams come true. (plus, I get to live with Eric,… did I mention that already though? ) :slight_smile:

That is all.

Cass

So are you in a Master’s program right now?

Cass,

It seems like you’ve got it all wrapped up then. I hope I’m as fortunate when it comes time for me to start my PhD. Sadly, any nude photos of myself would probably guarantee that I wouldn’t be. :slight_smile:

Yes,

I’m finishing my MSc as I type this… but it’s been more like a PhD program. I’ve wrote all my own methods, ran all my own lab work, conducted my research study with NO HELP (my supervisor is NEVER around, and never helpful when he is around), and suffered many painful, sleepless nights from all the stress.

My hypothesis is as follows: Palmitic acid (C16:0) is more cholesterolemic in the sn-2 position of dietary fat from lard, than in the sn-1 position from Palm oil, at high and low levels of linoleic acid (C18:2n6) in normocholesterolemic men.

F-U-N!

Kinetix,

Whatever you are interested in, go for it.

As a wise man said to me: There aren’t that many capable, smart, serious grad students out there, so these researchers will be very happy to have you as their student.

Just go for what you want, and make it happen!

Anything is possible when you have a dream.

Gidday Husky fans…I did my PhD at UConn (Cognition) and now I’m on the other side of the planet, in New Zealand.

…and wishing I could see even one UConn basketball game on TV.

Kinetix,

The Atkins project only comprises a portion of what they do here. Granted, Dr. Volek has been very influential in killing off the notion that CHO-restricted diets are bad for you, but he also does a lot of other stuff.

In Dr. Kraemer, we have the preeminent researcher and exercise endocrinologist in the country. I was actually discussing with him the other day that with him, Dr. Maresh, Dr. VanHeest, and Dr. Volek, UConn takes the cake on a worldwide basis as far as exercise endocrinology is concerned. You might also be interested to know that Dr. Kraemer is Editor-in-Chief of the JSCR, and Maresh, Volek, and Dr. Armstrong (who, along with Dr. Casa, has done a lot with heat tolerance) are all associate editors.

They recently finished the last of three l-carnitine studies (published in JSCR) as well as a heat tolerance study on the football team. This fall, we’ll be doing the first of a few studies on chromium and glycogen synthesis post-exercise. This spring, exercise mode (resistance training vs. aerobics) as it relates to bone health is the main deal, but the Atkins project will certainly be important as well. It really all comes down to the grant money.

You really can study whatever you want for your thesis. Personally, I haven’t decided. You can tell from my articles and posts on the forum that kinesiology and biomechanics are my specialties, but I’m still considering an endocrinology based thesis. It’s nice to know that I have both options, as UConn’s facilities and faculty can accomodate both.

I almost forgot; here’s a link to the Dept. of Kinesiology homepage:

http://www.education.uconn.edu/dept/ekin/

You can also take a look at what they’ve done here by searching Pubmed with the phrase “University of Connecticut.”

lambchop,

If you can find a way to get over here, the tickets are on me. We’ve got two national championships locked up for this winter!