Dr. Daddy

by Ernesto Bedoy

Just as I was starting my PhD, my wife and I decided to start our family. We were both in our mid-30s, so we felt like if we didn’t have kids at that time, we never would. A family was important to me; maybe even more than graduate school. Despite being aware of the challenges ahead, I did what my heart desired: I strived for both. I now have two boys, a 4-and 6-year old, in addition to a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh.

Graduate school is difficult and time-demanding. Not only is course material more complicated than undergraduate material, but experiments often take longer than planned. Parenthood is just as challenging. Moreover, there is always a sense of urgency when it comes to your children’s untimely requests. The diaper is dirty now. Your child is hungry now. These things can’t wait a few hours or days. Moreover, kids grow up quickly, and I knew I would regret it if I was absent from their early lives due to the demands of graduate school. Thankfully, there is flexibility with graduate school in that we can set our own graduation date by setting the number of hours we put into our work. Therefore, I delayed my graduation by one year so I could avoid a life of stress and guilt, and instead build beautiful memories that I will always cherish with my family.

Some people might think that it would be impossible – or at least unwise – to raise two kids while earning a PhD, especially when one’s partner works full-time, as my wife does. However, I showed that these double accomplishments are not only achievable, but also enriching and fulfilling. My kids now call me Dr. Daddy: a name that befittingly summarizes my two strongest desires during graduate school: a PhD and kids. When planning your lifetime goals, do not shelve your heart’s desires because of other people’s limited vision. Instead, figure out what you really want and then pursue it. Whatever you end up doing in life, it will be challenging. Pursuing things you really want will make the journey less painful and your achievement much more rewarding.

Ernesto Bedoy was a member of the Interactive Measurement Group from Fall 2012 to Spring 2016. He earned a BA in Psychology at UNLV in 2016 and a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh in 2022. Although much of his background was in the social and life sciences, the laboratory in which he did his dissertation was engineering-intensive, which allowed him to integrate more technical skills into his repertoire of knowledge. Ernesto is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on developing and testing techniques that can be used to evaluate and treat sensorimotor deficits. After his post-doc, he hopes to work in the industry or government sector to develop and test medical devices to treat neurological impairments or to enhance function in able-bodied people.