He once wrote a novel about a zombie apocalypse. Then there was that summer he and his brother hauled in nearly 100 Dungeness crab on Puget Sound.
Oh, and Seth Schneider is also leading research on the herpes simplex virus that may one day save lives and help with the development of a vaccine.
The Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology graduate student’s research in Dr. Anthony Nicola’s lab has focused on finding new antivirals to combat the increase in herpes simplex virus strains resistant to traditional treatments and gaining a better understanding of how the virus enters cells, which could aid in antiviral or vaccine development.
Seth came to WSU from his hometown of Rochester, Washington, as part of the accelerated Students Targeted toward Advanced Research Studies (STARS) program in the School of Molecular Biosciences, where students can earn a bachelor’s degree in as little as three years, and a doctorate in seven.
“It is an approximately seven-year program where I did my graduate school rotations during my undergraduate years, beginning doctoral research at the start of my junior year,” Seth said.
While his research keeps him busy, Seth also finds time to give back to the community as a volunteer with Concordia Lutheran Church in Pullman, where his many contributions include helping with outreach and events for preschoolers, other children and college students.
With his time at WSU nearing its end, Seth has been accepted as a finalist into the Presidential Management Fellows program administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. “It’s basically STARS for the government,” Seth said. “The program is designed to train future federal executives. My goal right now is to go through with the program, as I would love a career where strategic planning and implementation is the means to an end of specific problems of today. So far, I have applied to the CDC, NIH, NIAID and the Department of State. I don’t know where I’ll end up, but I hope to have an impact wherever that is.”