September 4, 2024

New biomedical sciences graduate students encouraged to ‘change the world’ 

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of white lab coats to the students. A symbol of academic rigor and scientific excellence, the lab coat also reflects a commitment to benefiting society through research and discovery. 

Walter Chazin, PhD, helps Aylar Atadurdyyeva, a student in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, into her lab coat. Atadurdyyeva, who is originally from Turkmenistan, is a graduate of the University of Kansas. (photo by Susan Urmy) Walter Chazin, PhD, helps Aylar Atadurdyyeva, a student in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, into her lab coat. Atadurdyyeva, who is originally from Turkmenistan, is a graduate of the University of Kansas. (photo by Susan Urmy)
By: Bill Snyder

In welcoming the incoming class of doctoral students in the biomedical and biological sciences, John Kuriyan, PhD, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, urged them to “discover things that change the world we live in.” 

Thus began the 14th annual “Simple Beginnings” ceremony for 138 new graduate students, their families and friends on Aug. 30 in Langford Auditorium. The event was hosted by the Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET). 

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of white lab coats to the students. A symbol of academic rigor and scientific excellence, the lab coat also reflects a commitment to benefiting society through research and discovery. 

The ceremony and lab coats were made possible through the generous donations of alumni, faculty and other supporters. 

Walter Chazin, PhD, congratulates new IGP student Imani Douglas, a Chicago native who grew up in Phoenix and graduated from Fisk University. (photo by Susan Urmy)
Walter Chazin, PhD, congratulates new IGP student Imani Douglas, a Chicago native who grew up in Phoenix and graduated from Fisk University. (photo by Susan Urmy)

The name of the ceremony refers to Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”: “From so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” 

Kuriyan, professor of Biochemistry and an internationally known structural biologist who joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2023, continued his remarks by paraphrasing Sir Karl Raimund Popper, one of the 20th century’s most influential philosophers of science. 

“Knowledge is finite,” Kuriyan said, “but ignorance is infinite.” Then the dean added, “We have to keep trying to push back the boundaries of ignorance.” 

Kuriyan was followed by Walter Chazin, PhD, holder of the Chancellor’s Chair in Medicine and senior associate dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training, who helped the students into their lab coats. 

“You’ve been given a gift of time to learn things … and to ultimately impact people’s lives and contribute to the progress of humanity,” said Chazin, professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry, and director of the Molecular Biophysics Training Program. 

Echoing lab coat presenters from past years, he continued, “From so simple a beginning as graduate school, we cannot yet imagine the breadth of discoveries that will result from the research these students will conduct, or the impact that they will have on our world.” 

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