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When I first started here 10 years ago, É«ÏãÊÓƵ was launching its big mission to improve itself, including the creation of centers for excellence, one of which was in neuroscience. It was an exciting and dynamic time for the university. There was a real sense of vision — that É«ÏãÊÓƵ was going to grow from this regional or local institution to one with a nationwide profile of being excellent in areas of undergraduate.

Being in a place that’s growing, improving, and on a mission to get better is inspiring. We offer a unique education. I think that if you come here, in a way it can be like you're at a major university because we have excellent teachers. We have scholars who are leaders in our field and running research projects. Students have the opportunity to get involved and receive hands-on training and can even publish in major journals if their projects go well. There are areas of deep expertise and focus where our students can get a top-quality education — especially if they are motivated and seek out those opportunities.

The faculty in my college are a strong group of teachers and scholars. To have that concentration of high-caliber people at a smaller institution like ours is incredible. In a way, I think we have Southern Maine to thank for that. People want to live here — they want to be here.

The part that I enjoy the most is the collaborations. I have close colleagues in the psychology department, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and even the College of Pharmacy. We coordinate for my students to interact with their students. We call my research lab a collaborative because it really is one. Many diverse students and faculty all work together to try to solve these research problems. The breadth of teamwork and collaboration allows for access to countless resources and intel from various backgrounds. That’s what I enjoy the most about coming to work.