Tara happened to message me saying the same thing . It was coincidental , but essential . We talked about our frustrations , stresses in our research , and honestly , just being tired .
I said we need some type of program to help students in this same way but on a wider scale , and that hopefully could help improve the URM experience we both knew well . We envisioned a mentoring program within our division , and the administration and Dean Kit Pogliano were really enthusiastic about it . She and BioSci Development quickly helped us secure funding for the program .
By September , we had about 80 faculty signed up , 80 post-doc and grad students , and about 150 URM undergrad students and master ’ s students who have signed up as well . Never in my wildest dreams did I think that BUMMP would start off so strongly .
Willie , what are your thoughts ? BROWN : I think it ’ s fantastic because that wasn ’ t really going on when I was around — such an emphasis on mentorship . In my day , and like Sonya said , these sort of relationships were coincidental , you had to stand out somehow . It ’ s great to see broad support like this made a priority . Where I helped students discover their potential and attract the attention of professors , programs like this could make such connections consistent and accessible .
What do you envision for mentorship and academia in the next 60 years ? NEAL : I would love to see a shift in academic culture . To really address diversity and inclusion , we must change the way in which academic institutions are viewed as elitist and exclusionary . I hope our BUMMP program can be the start of that shift , and that 60 years from now , the notion of inclusion and support isn ’ t just coming from programs and initiatives but instilled in the broader academic culture , so folks from all different backgrounds can have access , find support , and thrive , thanks to the very nature of academia itself .
Some of Professor Willie Brown ’ s early teaching mentors were also founding faculty — we talked to Stu Brody , Don Helinski , and Mel Simon about the early days of BioSci :
“ The goal was to create a modern biology department , one that was experimental and not focused on
[ BIO ] RIGINS
merely descriptive biology . This meant an emphasis on discovery in genetics , biochemistry , and cell biology — using data to explore their simpler systems , then making hypotheses and running experiments . Not so much the kind of biology that ’ s , ‘ Hey , look at all these things we found under this rock .’”
“ It was the opportunity of a lifetime — to see something grow and have an influence on . UCSD wasn ’ t the place where it was chipped in the top of the wall of each building : This is physics . This is chemistry . This is biology . It was a place where they ’ re going to mix all these things so they could interact .”
“ That was an important part of the philosophy of Dr . David Bonner ( who established the Biology Department at UC San Diego )— to bring people with different points of view together to learn from each other . It was breaking down barriers — between departments , disciplines , even between buildings .”
“ Well , there were only two buildings when the biology department moved up from Scripps . There weren ’ t even any students when I got here . That was the point , to build the school from the graduate students — and they certainly set a high standard that holds today .”
“ It ’ s also worth noting how this notion of bringing together basic science with practical application set the foundation for the medical school , having biology faculty teach med students during their first two years . It was called the
‘ Bonner Plan .’ He thought doctors should learn science from scientists .”
“ Over my 43 years , I ’ ve had about 150 people in my lab , and most of those students went on to medical school . That training in biological research was very important for them , and I know the rest of my students went on to do wonderful things in science , too .”
“ What am I most in awe of after 60 years ? I ’ m amazed at the cooperation between universities now . People are very willing to share their knowledge , their techniques , even equipment .
“ And as for me , I ’ m in awe of the fact that we were able to grow a school that had 1,200 students into one that has 38,000 — and not lose one iota of quality . That is just astounding .”
BioSci ’ s 60th anniversary continues with the “ Deep Look ” lecture series , presenting current research , timely topics , and new discoveries in biology . Learn more at : tritonmag . com / deeplook
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