Thanks for the memories: ENP Days 2012

A year ago at the Ecole des Neurosciences de Paris (ENP, French for "Paris School of Neuroscience") ENP Days retreat, the students of my PhD funding school were called to action. (Another word for that might be threatened, but who's to quibble over details?) We were told that we were lucky to have a program that would put aside funds to sponsor our academic and social pursuits, but that it was on us to build our community. Inspired (out of fear of having 400€ of my monthly salary docked), I volunteered to serve as a student representative. A year later, I'm happy to say that I won't have any salary docked, that we have satisfied our administration's request for community building, and that most of all, I made some wonderful new friendships in the process.

The task wasn't entirely straight forward, and I could never have done it alone. I am extremely grateful to the team of students with whom I worked. Together, we laid out a set of goals, sent out surveys to gague interest and solicit student opinions, and created a proposal which we sent to our doctoral program administration. We were given a budget, we laid out a dynamic year's worth of events to run, and we did our very best to stay open to student initiatives, suggestions, and advice.

Over the past year, we ran a host of events that fell under three main categories: academic, community outreach, and cultural/social. As shouldn't surprise those of you who know me, I spearheaded the cultural/social movement. I'm very proud (and a little surprised) to say that we hit my target of at least one cultural/social event per month over the past academic year. With much help and enthusiasm from the students and my fellow reps, I oversaw
-The new students welcome party (October 2011)
-The celebration of our very first ENP doctor: Aijaz! (Also October 2011)

Toasting the ENP's first PhD, Oct. 2011

-An ENP students movie night (November 2011)

ENP movie night, Nov. 2011

-The annual ENP Christmas/holiday party (December 2011)

ENP holiday party, Dec. 2011

-A new year pub night (January 2012)
-A games night on a snowy Friday evening (February 2012)

Hiding from the cold on a snowy Friday evening: ENP games night, Feb. 2012

-A celebration for our second PhD alum, Pierre-Jean (Also February 2012)

Victory! Celebrating Pierre-Jean's thesis defense, Feb. 2012

-A guided tour of the European Photography Museum (March 2012)

Waiting for our "existential" coffee at the café of the European Photography Museum after our guided tour, March 2012

-An international potluck (April 2012)

A handful of students gathered around the feast just before diving into our international potluck, April 2012

-A guided walking tour on a sunny Saturday afternoon on the theme of Hemingway and the Writers and Artists of the Left Bank (May 2012)

Our guide leading us through the Fifth on our walking tour, May 2012

-A "Tea and Hat" themed picnic in the Bois de Boulogne (June 2012)

"Ladies can be neuroscientists too." A proper tea and hat picnic (and yes, we did invite the boys), June 2012

-A celebration of the Master's students' thesis defenses (July 2012)

Toasting the success of our newest Masters of Neuroscience, July 2012

-A let's-feast-on-gourmet-pastries-and-champagne picnic on the banks of the Seine (August 2012)

A picnic of pastries and champagne along the banks of the Seine, Aug. 2012

-A Saturday night out at the historic jazz club Caveau de la Huchette (September 2012)

Two ENP students get their moves on to the live music of Jean Paul Amouroux at the Caveau de la Huchette, Sept. 2012

Yesterday I stood up alongside another student rep in front of the ENP community at our annual retreat, the ENP Days, to present the year's work. It was very satisfying, in presenting for the ENP, to feel reason to be proud in the midst of so much PhD-related frustration. And I was more than a little impressed by the retreat venue: the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, an abbey constructed in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries which has been converted into a conference center. (Have I mentioned that there are some pros to doing a PhD in Europe??)

ENP Days 2012 at the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay

The additional responsibility I'd taken on as a rep, which was initially little more than a stressor, morphed slowly into a rock of stability during a tumultuous year, a sense of purpose beyond being a research monkey *ahem* doctoral researcher, and a great opportunity to use generous funds to enjoy the city and the company of an international group of neuroscience students. That said, I certainly feel a sense of relief in handing over the reins to the next generation. It's time for me to hunker down for the final year (or two) of PhD craziness.

As a generous send-off, the ENP staff awarded all three reps little glass plaques (mine is pictured in the collage above) to recognize our "outstanding commitment to ENP students' life and scientific animation. " (Their words, not mine. And thanks to the other two reps, there was actually some scientific animation in between the picnics and evenings out.) To top it off-- get this-- we were each given a gift certificate for a tasting menu, drinks included, at the Jules Verne... the restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower! Looks like we reps have one more reason to celebrate on the ENP's dime. :)