Biosciences faculty (CNS) Wei Wei, Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Chicago, has received a PhD Teaching Award in recognition of her commitment to graduate student mentorship and collaborative scientific training.
Wei, whose research explores how neural circuits in the retina process visual information, said one of the most rewarding parts of academic life has been working closely with students in the lab.
“I realized that what's even better is not making discoveries alone, but instead, having a team of talented graduate students to work on problems together,” she said.
In her lab, Wei emphasizes collaboration, encouraging students to brainstorm ideas, troubleshoot experiments together, and actively shape the direction of the research. She credits her students’ creativity and enthusiasm for strengthening both the science and the lab community.
“Every student brings new ideas to the lab, and that allows my group's research to take a trajectory that is really shaped by the students,” she said.
Wei described the award as a shared recognition of the relationships and discoveries built alongside her students over the years.
“The reason I’m receiving this award is because I’ve had the privilege to get to know such an exceptional group of students,” she said. “The award is just as much theirs as mine.”
A version of this story is published on the University of Chicago college news website.