We wanted to know: Why did our scientists want to become scientists in the first place? What are they working on, and what do they still want to discover? You can read their answers to these questions and more – including how they motivate their working groups and what they could really do without – as part of this series, which successively introduces some of the people behind the research conducted at Goethe University.
Name: Erin M. Schuman
Profession: Psychologist and Neurobiologist
Place of work: Max Planck Institute for Brain Research
Department of Synaptic Plasticity
Why did you become a scientist?
I like to discover new things; biology fascinates me.
What are you currently working on?
How proteins are supplied and degraded at synapses.
What do you still want to find out/discover?
How proteins are managed to give rise to long term memory.
What does your ideal workday look like?
Exercise, meet with lab people, nice dinner.
What could you easily do without in your daily work?
Reading and responding to documents about rules and regulations.
What I like about my job is…
…The questions we ask and the people in my group.
How do you motivate your working group?
By asking great questions.
To me, Goethe University Frankfurt is…
…not always maximizing its chances for success.
How do you get your mind off research?
This is not a goal of mine. I love what I do – and it infiltrates all parts of my life.
Prof. Dr. Erin M. Schuman is member of the SCALE cluster project. The research cluster aims to use modern imaging techniques to uncover how cells organize themselves.
More information on Prof. Schuman’s research topics is available here.
Photo: Gilles Laurent
