Eric Heinze
Graduate Student, The Brisson Lab
You work in a laboratory. What are you currently researching?
I am a second year E2G2 PhD student in the Brisson Lab. I study the microevolutionary patterns of the male pea aphid wing dimorphism, a key model system in the study of plasticity and development. I use a combination of population genetics and gene expression analyses to better understand gene regulatory networks and improve our current evolutionary model of pea aphid evolution.
What do you enjoy most about working here at the U of R?
Our department is the perfect size, small enough that everyone knows each other, but large enough that there’s a wide range of expertise and research topics. The welcoming atmosphere that this creates was a big reason I decided to come here.
What advice would you give to prospective students looking to study in our department?
School is extremely important when starting grad school, but your wellbeing is even more important. Explore your own hobbies. Go to events around the city. Do things you’ve always wanted to do. 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ is an incredible city and has just about everything one could possibly want.
How do you unwind when you’re not in the lab?
In the warmer months, I like to go on long bike rides along the Erie Canalway Trail. This is a trail that goes across the entire state and it’s the perfect place to get away from the city and traffic for a while. Outside of that, I spend the rest of my time telling my cat that she eats plenty of food and, despite her objections, is not starving to death.
What is one thing about yourself that you’d like more people to know?
I’m passionate about baseball and I played at the Division III level at Gallaudet University. Playing in college was one of the best experiences of my life and I love going to Red Wings games from time to time.