Student Perspective: Abram Handly-Santana

When I first moved to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, I wasn’t quite sure how I would adjust to my new life. I had arrived ahead of the rest of my classmates and had never lived more than an hour from where I was born in California. Although I was apprehensive at first, I settled surprisingly quickly into my new home.

I spent the summer working in Lloyd Trotman’s lab studying prostate cancer after which I began my coursework at the School covering a broad array of topics from neuroscience to quantitative biology. It was during my coursework and rotations, when I met with professors to discuss and brainstorm my various projects, that I gained immense appreciation for the welcoming disposition towards collaboration and diversity of the faculty on campus.

The cohesive nature of the faculty and labs on campus is truly unique to Cold Spring Harbor. In some institutions it’s become a “dog eat dog world” with fierce competition brewing just down the hallway. Cold Spring Harbor’s non-hierarchical atmosphere is perfect for students to grow and prosper in. While my journey towards my graduate degree at Cold Spring Harbor still has yet to complete it’s first year, I’ve learned a tremendous amount from the faculty and students here.