Demetrius Lee was a Neuroscience Major in the College of Liberal Arts and graduated in 2019. He is currently a Research Technician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

What is your current position like?

I am currently a technician in a neurogenetics that aims to find treatment for a variety of different pediatric epilepsies brought on by mutations in specific ion channels. What I like the most about my job is that I learn something new every day whether it be about organization or the intricacies or the developing brain. 

Describe your career path.

Before graduating, I was an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Debra Bangasser’s Neuroendocrinology & Behavior Laboratory.

How did the CLA Neuroscience Program prepare you for your current position?

I was able to really ingratiate myself into research on the local and national scene. This pushed me to really understand the politics and the time commitment required to be a successful researcher. 

What advice do you have for current students in the CLA neuroscience program?

Study, study, study. Get into a lab and hone your research skills. I look at it like a trade. Learning different techniques will be a marketable skill that you can carry with you for the rest of your life. 

What is something that you know now that you wish you knew as an undergraduate?

Everything in science is absurdly expensive!