Daniel Oppenheimer
Class of 2006
Forging His Own Path
What made you decide to choose UVM?
I was attracted to UVM for many reasons. Biology has always piqued my interest, with hypothesis testing and systematic approaches to finding answers. The biology department at UVM has a faculty of well-known and respected researchers. Additionally, most Vermonters and I hold great concern for the environment and a healthy lifestyle. The climate and topography are other attractive aspects of attending school at UVM. Breathtaking landscapes of the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain provide easily accessible opportunities for hiking, camping and skiing. Lastly, UVM is my parents' alma mater. They met at the University of Vermont thirty-four years ago in the same lecture hall that housed my introductory chemistry course. All of these reasons were influential in my decision to matriculate to the University of Vermont.
I was attracted to UVM for many reasons. Biology has always piqued my interest, with hypothesis testing and systematic approaches to finding answers. The biology department at UVM has a faculty of well-known and respected researchers. Additionally, most Vermonters and I hold great concern for the environment and a healthy lifestyle. The climate and topography are other attractive aspects of attending school at UVM. Breathtaking landscapes of the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain provide easily accessible opportunities for hiking, camping and skiing. Lastly, UVM is my parents' alma mater. They met at the University of Vermont thirty-four years ago in the same lecture hall that housed my introductory chemistry course. All of these reasons were influential in my decision to matriculate to the University of Vermont.
How did your UVM experience influence your direction in life?
UVM inspired my desire to become a research physician. I immediately became involved in the on-campus research laboratory and devoted my extra time to a personal research project. I learned a number of advanced techniques in neurobiology and found a specific area of biology that became my passion and hobby.
What is your current job title and who is your employer?
I currently am employed as a full-time researcher at the Hauptman-Woodward Biomedical Research Institute in Buffalo, NY. The institute focuses on making small crystals of proteins so that they can understand their micro-molecular structure and create potential therapeutic drugs for a multitude of diseases.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
It excites me that I am working on cutting edge research that has enormous prospective value. Every day is stimulating and intriguing; you never know exactly what results to expect. That is exhilarating!
UVM inspired my desire to become a research physician. I immediately became involved in the on-campus research laboratory and devoted my extra time to a personal research project. I learned a number of advanced techniques in neurobiology and found a specific area of biology that became my passion and hobby.
What is your current job title and who is your employer?
I currently am employed as a full-time researcher at the Hauptman-Woodward Biomedical Research Institute in Buffalo, NY. The institute focuses on making small crystals of proteins so that they can understand their micro-molecular structure and create potential therapeutic drugs for a multitude of diseases.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
It excites me that I am working on cutting edge research that has enormous prospective value. Every day is stimulating and intriguing; you never know exactly what results to expect. That is exhilarating!
What was your major at UVM?
I majored in biology and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Who positively influenced you while at UVM?
Dr. Rona Delay was my research and academic advisor. In her neurobiology lab, I created and carried out my own research project, and found her to be a true friend and mentor.
What are your passions in life?
My long term goals as a physician are to engage in a medical career that will allow me to conduct groundbreaking research in my field of interest while treating patients on a daily basis. My two oldest brothers, a sister-in-law, two uncles, and a grandfather are all dentists or doctors. Being the youngest in a family filled with physicians and dentists, I realize what my role is: to learn from those who came before me, to follow what they have done, and to forge my own path.
I majored in biology and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Who positively influenced you while at UVM?
Dr. Rona Delay was my research and academic advisor. In her neurobiology lab, I created and carried out my own research project, and found her to be a true friend and mentor.
What are your passions in life?
My long term goals as a physician are to engage in a medical career that will allow me to conduct groundbreaking research in my field of interest while treating patients on a daily basis. My two oldest brothers, a sister-in-law, two uncles, and a grandfather are all dentists or doctors. Being the youngest in a family filled with physicians and dentists, I realize what my role is: to learn from those who came before me, to follow what they have done, and to forge my own path.
What makes Vermont a special place to you?
Vermont will always hold a special place in my heart. Although the city of Burlington is small and quaint, the entirety of Vermont is expansive. Exploring Vermont’s “hidden gems” has been a great memory of my undergraduate experience at UVM, and I hope to continue to discover more of what Vermont has to offer in the future.
Tell us something that visitors to the UVM website would find interesting about you.
I am a second generation double legacy at the University of Vermont; my mother, Cynthia ’76 and father, Randolph ’76 met each other at UVM in 1973 and married soon after graduation in 1976. I applied to Medical School at UVM for admission in fall of 2007.
In addition, I feel very fortunate to have been able to establish the “Daniel C. Oppenheimer Biology Summer Research Scholarship Fund” and hope that undergraduate biology students take advantage and apply for this scholarship.
Vermont will always hold a special place in my heart. Although the city of Burlington is small and quaint, the entirety of Vermont is expansive. Exploring Vermont’s “hidden gems” has been a great memory of my undergraduate experience at UVM, and I hope to continue to discover more of what Vermont has to offer in the future.
Tell us something that visitors to the UVM website would find interesting about you.
I am a second generation double legacy at the University of Vermont; my mother, Cynthia ’76 and father, Randolph ’76 met each other at UVM in 1973 and married soon after graduation in 1976. I applied to Medical School at UVM for admission in fall of 2007.
In addition, I feel very fortunate to have been able to establish the “Daniel C. Oppenheimer Biology Summer Research Scholarship Fund” and hope that undergraduate biology students take advantage and apply for this scholarship.
(for UVM staff)