Where are they now?
Curtis Bradley
PhD in Psychology, concentration in Experimental Psychology Department of Psychology Year of Graduation: 2018 Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I chose ETSU for my doctorate because of Dr. Matthew Palmatier, his research, and the Graduate Psychology’s mentorapprentice style program. Matt and I have a shared interest in how learning, both associative and operant, mediate the relationship between a drug’s effect and behavior.
What is your current position and/or research? I am currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bridgewater College. Bridgewater is a small liberal arts college where most of my work is focused on teaching, but I also contribute a considerable amount of work to my scholarship. My scholarship refers to my independent research I conduct with undergraduate research assistants. My research is currently focused on the motivation to obtain caffeine, alcohol, or both in a mouse model of drug self-administration. I call it my Four Loko study.
What does this position/research entail? As a tenure-track Assistant Professor at a small, liberal arts college, the majority of my work consists of teaching (roughly 7 to 8 courses per academic year). After teaching, most of my time is spent conducting research with six to 10 undergraduate students who share a common interest in my research. The final component of my position is service. My service contribution to the college includes being the chair of the New Faculty Development committee, serving as an advisor to the Pre-Health Club, and the BC Disc Golf Club (my favorite service).
How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? My time at ETSU prepared me for my career on two fronts. First, my advisor Matthew Palmatier prepared me to function as an independent researcher. These research skills include: research design, animal welfare, data collection, data management, data analysis, research dissemination, and just enough engineering to make and fix my laboratory equipment. Second, the graduate program prepared me to teach small and large classes at the college level. In my time at ETSU, I taught three sections of PSY 101 (Introduction to Psychology). I learned to quell my fear of public speaking, create proper assessment material, synthesize class material into manageable lectures, and disseminate that information in a way that students could understand.
What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? First and foremost, work WITH your advisor on all fronts. As graduate students, we sometimes get so overwhelmed with work and responsibilities that we can harbor resentment towards the people who hold us responsible for our work. There will always be someone or something holding you accountable, and carrying through your work begrudgingly will only make it worse. Your advisor did you a BIG favor by taking you under their wing. Whether you realize it or not, you represent them with everything you do (your classwork/attendance, research, and general behavior), so hold up your end of the bargain. In addition, make sure you communicate with your advisor. I saw a few advisor-advisee relationships sour, and some students withdrew from the program because of problems stemming from a lack of communication. No one knows you need help unless you say something.
Anything else you would like to add? Take advantage of what is free! Attend sporting events. Attending the men’s and women’s basketball games at ETSU was some of the most fun times I’ve had as a graduate student. Finally, get a Trust Pizza from Scratch and go play disc golf! The tri-city area has some of the best (and free) courses in the world (Winged Deer Park & Warriors Path Park)!
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