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Brie Stark's picture

Instead of thinking, "Is this

Instead of thinking, "Is this right?," Paul taught me how to think, "Is this less wrong?"

Paul opened my eyes to the concept of a very strange thing - being wrong!  I had never before been too comfortable with making my own opinions heard in a paper for a scientific class, but as soon as I began writing for his neurobiology and behavior class, I realized that I needed to start stepping out of my comfort zone.  When I interned with him the summer after this class, he would always ask me, "what else?  Where can we take this?" I learned that this was the beauty of an idea: that it could be forever expanded and made less wrong, and that it could fit any given situation if you were willing to seriously think about it.  So now, some two years after that internship, I always think, "what would Paul say to this idea?" and that helps me look at it from a different angle and really appreciate the depth of knowledge that one idea can tap into.  I also would inwardly chuckle when I thought about what I imagined would be going through his head all at one time: funny ideas, dry humor, philosophical musings and, of course, that love of science.  All mixed together, Paul was quite the character.

Thanks for everything! 

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