“I was a Partner in Whitehead Institute’s high school teachers program for several years, during which time I met with various teachers to share my expertise, answer scientific questions, and serve as a resource. That was a really wonderful experience for me, being able to learn about what current high schoolers and teenagers who are interested in science are talking about, and being able to share with them what I think are the really cool aspects of biology. What I would tell a high schooler about being a researcher is that you get to play with stuff all day. You get to cut up worms, or play with flies, and pour liquids inside of other liquids, play with pipettes and wander around and use your hands. For anyone who enjoyed playing in the dirt as a kid, this is just the best job. And then also, you get these amazing discoveries, these moments of seeing the cell do the thing and knowing that no one else in the world knows the cell does this thing, until you turn to the person next to you and show them.”