Sean Decatur, biophysicist and President of Kenyon College, uses his position to advocate for undergraduate science education, something he benefitted from during his time as a student at Swarthmore College. His career in biophysics began when he worked with Robert Pasternak and Alison Williams on an undergraduate research project involving liposome-encapsulation of porphyrin aggregates. He recalls, “The project was an introduction to a range of biophysical techniques, and I was very excited about the application of physical techniques to biological systems.”
Upon graduating from Swarthmore, Decatur went on to earn his PhD in chemistry from Stanford University. He joined Steven Boxer’s group, working on developing a novel myoglobin mutant first created by Doug Barrick in Buzz Baldwin’s lab, with which Boxer’s group had monthly joint group meetings. Decatur made an impression on Boxer early on with both his science and his personality. Boxer remembers, “There was a conflict between two people in the lab during the time Sean was a graduate student. To my amazement and relief, he personally stepped in and managed this conflict largely without my knowing that there even was a problem. It was clear then that he possessed both great talent as a scientist and as a human being and leader.”
Decatur then proceeded to a faculty position at Mount Holyoke College. He was able to set up his own lab and obtain external funding to develop an undergraduate research program at Mt. Holyoke. He says, “I found that I could work on interesting problems, mentor undergrads and use research as a way to introduce them to scientific thinking, and keep my hands active at the bench…I would encourage any grad students or postdocs with interests in this area to investigate this as a career direction. There is a good network of PUI [primarily undergraduate institution] faculty within the Biophysical Society.”
When he started this research program, he aimed to explore protein structure and dynamics with a technique that undergraduate students without a research background could grasp. Decatur explains, “FTIR proved to be a valuable tool for this work. Undergraduates could be involved in sample preparation (via peptide synthesis or molecular biology techniques), the collection of spectra, or the interpretation or modeling of data.” Working with undergraduates and helping them to evolve into independent scientists has been the most rewarding aspect of Decatur’s career. Sarah Petty, a former postdoc in his lab, saw his dedication and the effectiveness of his methods firsthand during her years working with him. At undergraduate institutions, Petty says, “The students have much less time to work in the lab and do not have the same background in course material or lab skills that graduate students and postdocs have, so entrusting large projects to them is not always the best approach.” Sean’s students all had ownership of their own projects, but their result often contributed to a bigger, overarching goal in the lab.
Decatur also encouraged his students to attend the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, where he first presented his work as a graduate student. He explains, “They were the first places where I presented my work and discovered the wide range of biophysics research out there. The connections I have made over the years are invaluable. As a faculty mentor, my students have had their first presentation experiences at Biophysical Society meetings.” Many of his students have gone on to pursue PhDs in scientific fields, but not only undergrads have benefitted from Decatur’s mentorship. Petty shares, “Working in Sean’s lab was the single most important experience in my life. He gave me the freedom to plan my own experiments and make my own decisions, while always being there with suggestions and guidance. He allowed me to grow as a teacher as well, which is something not many people are able to do as a postdoctoral researcher.”
Given his dedication to undergraduate students, Decatur has enjoyed the transition to administration. In many ways, serving as President of Kenyon College, a position he assumed in July 2013, is a departure from his career in teaching and research, but his background in biophysics has been beneficial in this new endeavor. Decatur explains, “The fundamental activities in biophysics – collaborating across and connecting with different disciplines, integrating different types of data and information to address a complex question, and experimenting with new approaches or ideas – have all served me well in my work in academic administration.” His new position has also given him the opportunity to advocate for science as an essential part of a liberal arts education. He says, “Too often, the phrase ‘liberal arts’ becomes shorthand for humanities. Two essential components to a liberal education are developing an understanding of the natural and physical world and practicing experimental/scientific methods for gathering information and constructing knowledge systems. The study of biophysics helps with both of these.”
Decatur has created for himself a supportive community of biophysicists. Many years after mentoring Decatur at Stanford, Boxer is still there to cheer him on. Boxer says, “Sean is a remarkable scientist and human being. He is thoughtful, engaged in everything, tireless, and has a big picture view of science and human activities. It was a great thrill to attend his inauguration as the President of Kenyon College.” Decatur has carried on this tradition of encouragement with his own protégés. Petty recounts, “He would always make time to talk to me and his students about our future plans and dreams and would help us to make them a reality. And, in spite of his incredibly busy schedule, he continues to make time to celebrate our successes: in 2012, he made the long trip from Ohio to give a celebratory seminar at Holy Cross when I was awarded tenure.”
Decatur says, “I am enjoying life as a college president. I want to focus on leading Kenyon, advocat[ing] for undergraduate science education, improving access to science careers to groups historically underrepresented in the sciences, and bolstering the public understanding of science; I hope that my position as a college president will continue to provide platforms for this advocacy and opportunities to advance the national dialogue on these issues.”
When Decatur is away from his post at Kenyon, he spends as much time as possible with his family, and also enjoys running, cycling, and watching sports. He says, “I grew up in Cleveland, which means that sports teams are typically disappointments. But I am eternally optimistic about everything. This could be the season!”
Biophysicists just starting out in their careers, Decatur says, should “choose problems that you find interesting; take advantage of any opportunities to learn new techniques; be willing to take risks on ambitious projects; enjoy the work; and take time to think about how cool some of the experiments and results are.”