Meet a Deac – Wayne Silver

December 12, 2011

by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. ('92, MA '94)

In today’s Daily Deac, we meet a member of the faculty. If your students are headed to Winston Hall for Biology classes, they might encounter Dr. Wayne Silver.

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What is your official job title?
Biology Professor.

How long have you worked at WFU, and what do you do?
I started at WFU in 1985 and teach courses in the Biology department. I am a neurobiologist, so the upper level courses I teach are related to that area. I also teach in our introductory physiology course. I am also the coordinator of the undergraduate Neuroscience Minor.

In addition, I advise students at Wake, from first year students to graduate students. Finally, I have a research program in which undergraduates and graduate students participate. We are looking at how chemical irritants found in such foods as wasabi and chili peppers activate nerves in the nose and mouth.

What is your favorite course to teach?
My favorite course to teach is Sensory Biology (Bio 364).

How would you characterize Wake Forest students? What are some common attributes they have?
The students I see at Wake are pretty driven. They are very concerned about grades and getting into the next stage of their lives.

What advice would you give to students?
Work on your time management skills. Make sure you spend enough time to study a little every day. With good time management skills you should be able to integrate academic and non-academic pursuits.

What do you like best about working at Wake Forest?
Interacting with students. I have especially liked taking groups of students abroad. I taken students to Japan, Slovenia, Venice and Vienna. I will be going back to Vienna in the fall of 2012.

A few questions just for kicks:

Books you’re reading now: Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about our Everyday Deceptions and The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice.

What music are you listening to these days: Same as I did when I was in college. Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens ……