| A Ph.D Student Story and Photos By Jodi Hutchison from Jonesboro Occasions Arkansas State University Ph.D. student Jose Condori is one of those rare souls who spends his days (and often many of his nights) seeking ways to make the world a more comprehensible place. He is currently enrolled in ASU's new molecular biosciences doctoral program, and his instructors say that Condori's abilities and achievements are remarkable. "He is an outstanding student," Dr. Fabricio Medina-Bolivar, assistant professor of plant metabolic engineering in ASU's department of biological sciences and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI), said. "He is doing things now that one would expect of a fifth year student. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has even applied for a patent." Occasions recently visited with Condori at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute on the ASU campus late on a Friday afternoon. The campus was almost deserted, but Condori was still at work in the lab. The ABI's third floor houses the laboratory facilities where he spends much of his time. The halls leading to Condori's lab are lined with posters displaying overviews of various experiments. They serve as a table of contents for the work going on behind the laboratory doors. At the top of each poster is a list of the researchers working on the specified project along with written experimental details and illustrations. To the average person it is an intimidating stream of complex information. To Condori, the explanations on the posters are as simple as a grade school primer. Recently, he took a much-needed vacation from his research to return home to Lima, Peru, with his wife, Dr. Giuliana Medrano-Condori, to visit their family and friends. "I have been here in Jonesboro for one year and eight months and this is the first time I have seen my family in that time," Condori said. "When I was in my country I spent time in my house...in my bedroom, but I don't know...it didn't seem like my home because I have been here (in Jonesboro) almost two years. It's not very easy sometimes," Condori said. In spite of the difficulties associated with being so far from home, Condori enjoys living in Jonesboro. "Jonesboro is a beautiful city. It is peaceful, safe and the people are very friendly. Everyone says ‘hello.' People at the mall and in restaurants say ‘hi' to you. There are not a lot of places for entertainment, but that is OK for our lifestyle. The place where I lived before was a big city. It was very crowded, a little dangerous in some places and had more places for entertainment. "I have notfound any place with Peruvian food, but at least we can get some of the ingredients at the supermarket," Condori said. Condori hopes to finish his doctorate in four years. The length of time it takes to finish could vary because he works with living organisms such as plants and bacteria, so the progress of his studies fluctuates. His research is being conducted in the ASU branch of the ABI. The ABI was created as a result of the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000 and research through the institute is directed at improving the health of Arkansans. The new building houses facilities that are state of the art, and its design allows for "faculty from different departments and disciplines supporting a truly cross-disciplinary and highly interactive research environment." The program also incorporates an entrepreneurial element that combines scientific research with industry. Reluctant to speak about himself, Condori comes alive with conversation when he talks about science. "My first impression when I came here was the new building. You have all of the facilities that you could want. On the first floor you have different machines (for use in conducting experiments), the second floor is more for chemistry, the third floor is more of the biomolecular part and we also have a greenhouse. All these different laboratories are in one building," Co |
