"Ms. Spencer?"
I look up from my microscope, "Yes Dr. Kuhn?"
She smiles, "The reporter from The Journal of Neuroscience is here. I set you up in my office."
I take a deep, shaky, breath, "Thank you Dr." I take another deep breath, trying to compose my nerves.
Dr. Kuhn chuckles, "Natalie, you'll do fine. Just be yourself, talk about your research."
I nod, "I just don't want to look like I'm bragging. I'd hate to seem ostentatious."
Dr. Kuhn places both hands on my shoulders, "You're not bragging. You've worked very hard for this and no one can take that away from you. This research that you've done is going to change lives. You are a very gifted student and people need to know."
I smile at the kind words. This lab, this school, and frankly this entire faculty has been like a family to me since I got to Duke. I knew this research was huge, but for someone of my age to be winning the Gruber Foundation Neuroscience Prize was unheard of, technically I think it's supposed to be impossible.
I make my way to the office pausing with my hand on the doorknob, "Ok Natalie, you can do this." I open the door to an older gentlemen, He smiles and stands up.
outstretching his hand he speaks, "You must be Natalie Spencer?" I nod, taking his hand in my own. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jeff Sommers. How about we get this interview started?"
I sit down and feel myself begin to fiddle with the hem of my sweater, a nervous habit I've had since I was a child. I can almost hear my mother's voice chastising me for ruining the expensive fabric, "Natalie Elizabeth, that is a silk top and you're making it look cheap." I look up realizing that I've missed the question being stuck in my own head.
I can feel my palms sweating nervously already, "I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?"
He gives me a tight lipped smile, clearly not impressed with me so far, "I was just wondering if you could tell me a little bit about yourself. A little bit about your family, where you're from, and why you wanted to go in to neuroscience."
I nod slowly, "I'm from New Canaan Conneticut." I see Jeff's eyebrows go up and I internally roll my eyes, "Wow, New Canaan. So what do your parents do?" I hated talking about my parents, well, I hated talking about my family in general.
"My father is an Attorney and my Mother works in medicine." I try to keep it short and vague, but I doubt I will be able to get away with it this time.
Jeff scribbles something down, then looks up, "Can you be a little more specific Ms. Spencer?"
I sigh, "My father is Eric Spencer, he is a Medical Malpractice Attorney, and my Mother, Norah Spencer is a Neurosurgeon at Yale New Haven Hospital."
"You come from a very impressive lineage, Ms. Spencer. So was it your mother that got you in to Neuroscience?"
I clench my jaw. This is why I hated talking about my parents. It was always assumed that I got to where I was because of them. They had nothing to do with where I was, I got here by my own hard work and determination. I had made a point to not let my parents pay for my school, my car, or my apartment once I turned 18. I worked multiple jobs in high school to make sure I could save money for college.
"No, she had nothing to do with it." All of my nervousness had been replaced with resentment.
"So why did you get into it?" This was an answer that I had actually rehearsed, trying to conceal enough information to keep some of my life private. I didn't want anyone to know about how dysfunctional my family was.
