I was born in Novosibirsk (Siberia) Russia and have done my undergraduate studies there.  It's my first year here at Duke and I love it very much so far (I'm sure, you are also going to like it!).  Most of the time, I, as any responsible graduate student, enjoy performing cutting-edge  biology experiments. Research is, of course, an intriguing and important part of life, but life doesn't stop after leaving workplace, right? As for me, I am very fond of sports (volleyball, martial arts, yoga, etc) and most of them are quite easy to find on campus, even if you don't have a car. Then, Durham is not a megapolis, of course, but if you are up to cultural 'self-education', there are shows, and concerts, and talks by famous guys... Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing - if you really like camping or outdoor activities - you've come to the right place! Being from the place where you can have snow from October to May, I really appreciate this weather! So, if you have any good plans about any outdoor adventures - contact me. If you don't have any plans yet - still contact me, I'll be very happy to share experiences that I have had about thisplace and answer any questions I can answer. Welcome and hope to see you around soon!