Juan Rodriguez-Alcazar

Juan is a Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Virginia Pascual at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he studies immunology. This year, Juan will be serving as a CURE Fellow, where he will be working on developing a research skills course with undergraduate students in the Emerging Fellows Program. Here, he talks about his excitement around being a part of the RockEDU mentorship ecosystem!

Where were you before Rockefeller?

“I did my BSc in Biochemistry at University of Murcia, Spain, my MSc in Biotechnology at Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, and my PhD in Biomedicine University of Bonn, Germany. Currently, I am a Postdoctoral Associate in the Pascual lab, Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine.”

What is something you did recently that you are proud of?

“Being part of the team that helped WCM postdocs to unionize for gaining better working conditions!”

Share one thing about science that brings you joy.

“Science brings us closer to better understanding how our environment and our body works. We can then use this knowledge to our advantage: curing diseases, improving life quality, reaching new places, you name it! Science makes us powerful!”

Outside of your research and science, what do you do for fun?

“I enjoy getting to know other cultures through their food, music and art. NYC is a perfect spot for that!”

What are you most looking forward to when mentoring students with RockEDU?

“I can’t wait to know their story and what motivates them to do science. I look forward to being a part of their journey and sharing their excitement as they start shaping their identity as scientists.”

What advice would you give to incoming students?

“Be like a sponge, try to absorb everything from this experience in such a vibrant environment where science flourishes. Don’t be shy to ask questions, talk to people, and keep an open and creative mind!”