A biology major with minors in neuroscience and psychology, Alexander Abramenko ’24 has begun the next chapter of his career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience. His research will focus on the intricate processes by which the brain supports learning and memory — an area of study that first captivated him during his time at Haverford.
“My experiences at Haverford College are really what set me on this career path,” he reflects. “I had so many wonderful professors who were willing to chat with me about what being an academic looked like and provide me opportunities to experience what teaching and research were like through teaching assistantships and research projects. I found I really loved both my work in the lab and my teaching, which made a career in academia seem like a natural choice for me.”
Abramenko particularly recalls the impact of a first-year course, “Neural Basis of Learning and Memory,” taught by Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Patrese Robinson-Drummer. It focused on how physical interactions between proteins at the synapse, where signals are transmitted between neurons, underlie the storage and formation of memories.
“To me, it was mind-blowing to learn that physical, inanimate proteins can interact to form such rich representations of our past experiences,” he says. “It still feels a little magical to me now, even as my understanding of these systems has progressed.”
Professor Robinson-Drummer guided Abramenko through nearly his entire academic journey at Haverford. “She [was the reason] I caught the learning and memory bug early on and taught me most of what I know about research and academia,” he says. Other faculty members, including Laura Been, Megan Nadzan, Courtney Marshall, and Eric Miller, who co-mentored Abramenko’s thesis, also played significant roles in his development. Additionally, “[Director of Academic Resources] Brian Cuzzolina was really helpful in teaching me how to approach science from the perspective of education.”
One of the most significant lessons Abramenko learned at Haverford, he says, was the importance of asking questions.
“Throughout my research and coursework at Haverford, there were many times I really struggled to wrap my head around a concept or to learn a research technique. What I found over and over again is that asking my professors or other people in my lab really helped and that sitting on a problem when you’re struggling can be counterproductive,” he says.
This lesson proved particularly useful during his Ph.D. application process.
“The first thing I did when I began that process was to reach out to my professors for advice,” he says. “I ended up getting help from probably 15 or more professors throughout the process, which made it much less overwhelming and confusing.”
Ultimately, Abramenko has the goal of becoming an effective educator. He hopes to teach and continue his research as a professor, ideally at a teaching-focused institution like Haverford, where he can foster the same supportive and intellectually stimulating environment that shaped his own academic career.
“If my experiences at Haverford taught me nothing else, it’s that a great educator can have a powerful influence on their students,” he says.
“Where They’re Headed” is a blog series chronicling the post-collegiate plans of recent Haverford graduates.