Name: Vivek Desai (AS '08) Hometown: Newark, DE Major: Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology and Genetics); Philosophy Minor(s): Biochemistry, Religious Studies, Anthropology Favorite Book:Play of Consciousness by Muktananda
Activities/Clubs at UD: Undergraduate Research, Honors Senior Fellow, Chess Club, Dao De Jing Reading Group, organized and helped sponsor Swami Nityananda's visit to UD.
Goals: In the Fall of 2008, I will start research at Princeton University to pursue a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. My goal is to eventually become a top-level research scientist at a leading biomedical research institution or run a lab which specializes in cancer related biomedical research.
Why did you choose Delaware? I always wanted to work in a vibrant research environment, and the Honors program at UD offered just that, for it gives ample opportunity to undergraduates to do research in any field. Besides that, I knew that the smaller size Honors classes would force the student to interact closely with outstanding faculty and students who have equal passion for learning as I do. This was my major reason for choosing UD. I had also noticed that UD provides several extra-curricular opportunities which I knew would not only give me inner satisfaction, but would also open new doors of learning for me.
What has been your favorite Honors class so far? My favorite Honors class was Dr. Alan Fox’s Honors Indian Religion and Philosophy. In this class we discussed all the major philosophies of India, which explore the nature of life, death, mind, and consciousness. Besides that, the Honors students were assigned to read many other books and scriptures and discussion sessions were regularly held in the Philosophy Department to go over this extra material. These afternoon sessions were my favorite. Because of their genuine interest in the subject material, every student enjoyed reading the books and was excited to talk about it, which triggered very engaging and lively discussions.
Who has been your favorite Honors professor and why? Just like with picking a favorite Honors class, it is extremely difficult to pick a favorite Honors professor, but if I were forced, then I would select Dr. Alan Fox. Because of his enthusiasm and thorough knowledge of the subject, he gets the students really interested in what is being taught and wants each and every student to think seriously about the important philosophical topics that are discussed in his classes. Besides holding special sessions for Honors students, he also organizes reading groups in which everybody is invited and during which a scripture is discussed thoroughly.
What has been your most rewarding leadership or extra-curricular activity at UD? My most rewarding activity at UD has been undergraduate research in Dr. Melinda Duncan’s lab, which I started during the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. My project focuses on the mechanisms underlying complications following cataract surgery. Secondary cataract is a major complication after cataract surgery whose treatment, being the fourth most commonly performed surgical procedure performed in USA, takes up 0.5% of the Medicare budget, not to mention the possible horrible complications after it. My findings will allow future researchers to design ways to block the molecular pathway leading to this major complication. This research will enable me to write a senior thesis and graduate with an Honors Degree with Distinction. I am also the first author on a manuscript about my research which I plan to submit as soon as possible.
