as told by Anna Engstrom, (B.S. PharmTox ‘11)
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., thanks to an Undergraduate Travel Award I received through the Dean's Priority Fund at the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy. The week I spent at the meeting was packed with information sessions, poster presentations, personal conversations, networking opportunities and museum touring from start to finish.
"Amid poster sessions and even casual conversations, I had the opportunity to talk with scientists from around the world and every corner of the United States about their exciting projects."Just as the field of toxicology encompasses a wide variety of research interests, the toxicologists I met at the meeting were also incredibly diverse. Amid poster sessions and even casual conversations, I had the opportunity to talk with scientists from around the world and every corner of the United States about their exciting projects. Indeed, the great thing about this particular conference was the sheer quantity of research being presented. There was bound to be a poster, workshop or lecture that caught my eye at any given time, and I definitely took advantage of the science smorgasbord! The SOT meeting had many opportunities to connect with academic and industry leaders in the toxicology field. For example, the evening I arrived, SOT hosted a student mixer where I talked with graduate and post-doc students. At the dinner, I also registered for "breakfast with an expert," which provided undergraduate and graduate students with a way to connect with professors and industry leaders over the course of the conference. So, later in the week, I had the pleasure of starting my day with a very helpful conversation about how to pick a mentor and research project in graduate school with a prominent scientist in the developmental/reproductive toxicology field. In addition, a large assortment of industries had booths at the ToxExpo that was open throughout the week, and I could peruse row upon row of everything from big pharma and CROs to start-up biotech companies and suppliers. When I say my week at SOT was bursting with professional opportunities, it is not hyperbole! As luck would have it, I actually sat next to the Director of Immunotoxicology at Covance Inc. on one of my flights home, and he kindly endured my stream of questions for the duration of our flight.
While the SOT meeting offered a plethora of networking opportunities, the event was also academically beneficial. Besides giving me an outlet to test my knowledge on cytochrome P-450s, the conference was a chance to see some of my own work presented at a poster session. I conduct independent research in a lab in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division at the School of Pharmacy, and a post-doctoral candidate I work with presented a poster about her work, which included my project. Being involved in generating the results and seeing all the work that went into putting the presentation together gave me a better appreciation of what it takes to contribute to toxicology research. On a side note, our epic struggle trying to roll the poster and replace it in the poster tube was a humbling experience and provided minutes of entertainment for our neighbors! As a senior in the Pharmacology/Toxicology B.S. program, I want to pursue a Ph.D. in Toxicology and spent this past semester interviewing with several graduate programs. For this reason, the conference could not have come at a better time because it gave me a chance to talk with the graduate students and faculty from the programs I was considering. Those conversations were invaluable and weighed heavily into my final decision.
If I had to sum up the week in five words or less, I would say this: I was a sponge. Certainly at the conference, but also walking around Washington D.C., I tried to absorb and engage as much as possible. I would start my day with a run to the Capital building or the Jefferson Memorial and then spend the duration of the day at the convention center. In the afternoon or evening, we toured some of the museums in the area, including the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Natural History Museum, before returning to the hotel to scout out what we wanted to see at the SOT meeting the following day. I would hesitate to say there was any downtime during my day; I spent any spare moments in conversation with my fellow lab mate from Madison, who was not spared from my barrage of questions. Even though this experience was extremely beneficial and relevant for me—as a soon-to-be graduate student in toxicology, I believe the meeting would be just as constructive for an undergraduate considering a career in industry or a professional degree.
I am proud to be affiliated with the wonderful community and strong academic programs here at the School of Pharmacy. I would like to thank all of the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy alumni and friends who have contributed to the Dean's Priority Fund, for giving me the opportunity to attend the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. It was an amazing experience.
Anna Engstrom is a 2011 graduate of the Pharmacology & Toxicology program.
