Who is Robert Carter III?
Environmental Researcher in the Military
Robert Carter III was born in Lake Charles, LA. He
first expressed an interest in science around the age of 8. He was
fascinated with how things functioned and how the body worked. He was very
curious about how animals communicated with humans, feelings of animals,
etc. Although at that point he didn’t have a term or name to call it, he
knows now it was physiology! His first interest was in studying veterinary
medicine.
Deciding on a Career
Robert worked a summer with Dr. Dennis French, from
Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. French
practiced large animal medicine, in addition to conducting experimental
studies related to supplemental minerals for growing Holstein heifers and
animal parasitology. It was at this time that Robert realized his strong
interest in experimental research and investigation. Dr. French influenced
Robert’s dedication to study science and pursue graduate work in the
biomedical sciences.
Getting Degrees
For his undergraduate degree, Robert decided to
attend Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA, mainly because
he was offered an academic scholarship, as well as a track scholarship. He
graduated with majors in biology and chemistry in 1995. He went on to take
graduate-level courses in the Department of Biological Sciences at
Southern University and at Louisiana State University, both in Baton
Rouge, LA. Robert attended these schools to take courses until he decided
where and which area of biomedical science he wanted to pursue for his
doctorate degree. It was while he was at Southern University that Robert
was selected to participate in a new bridge-to-doctorate program between
Southern University and the University of North Texas Health Science
Center (UNTSHC) in Fort Worth, TX. After completing the bridge program and
finishing his Master’s degree in biology at Southern University in 1997,
Robert moved to Texas and began working toward his Ph.D. at UNTHSC. His
interests and goals at that time were to conduct epidemiological research
related to physiological studies of blood pressure regulation and
hypertension. During the time he was working on his Ph.D., UNTHSC started
a School of Public Health, which received full accreditation in 1999. So,
after Dr. Carter was awarded a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the
Department of Integrative Physiology in 2001, he decided to pursue a
Masters in Public Health in epidemiology to compliment his PhD degree. He
received his MPH in 2003.
Joining the Army
During the time he was in graduate school, Robert
decided to join the US Army Reserves because of his patriotism and his
interest in working as a military scientist after graduate school. He was
commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army Reserves. After
receiving his Ph.D. degree and completing his MPH, Dr. Carter was assigned
to the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) in
Natick, MA, as a principal investigator. He arrived at USARIEM in January
2002 to complete a three-year initial assignment. Most uniform military
Ph.D. scientists use their initial assignment as a postdoctoral
fellowship, just like all other new Ph.D.s. However, there are other
responsibilities that come with being a commissioned officer in the
military, such as staff officer duties, equal opportunity officer
responsibilities, having to wear a military uniform, continuing military
education, etc.
Environmental Physiology Research
Dr. Carter’s current work involves designing and
conducting research involving the fields of environmental physiology and
clinical medicine as applicable to the laboratory and field study of human
physiological responses attributable to heat, cold, and high terrestrial
elevations. He is also assessing physiological responses to actual
climatic extremes and assessing the physiological limitations on work
performance and susceptibility to climatic injury. He also conducts
epidemiological studies related to heat injury and death related to hot
weather exposure. His current projects are 1) effects of hypohydration on
cognitive and endurance performance in the cold; 2) effects of
hypohydration on cerebral artery blood velocity, blood pressure, and
autonomic regulatory control; and 3) trends in hot weather-related injury
hospitalizations in the U.S. Army.
In addition to his military duties, Dr. Carter is
also an adjunct professor of biology at his former school, Southern
University. He travels there at least one week each semester to lecture on
human anatomy and to give a research seminar.
Just this year, Dr. Carter moved from Massachusetts to continue his
work at the Centre de Recherche du Service de Sante des Armees in
LaTronche, France.
Spare Time
In his free time, Dr. Carter is a member of the
Greater Boston Track Club and competes in 200- and 400-meter sprint
events.
He also serves as a volunteer for Big Brothers of
Massachusetts Bay. He is involved with various community activities
through Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which is involved in voting
campaigns and educating young men about teenage pregnancy.
Advice for Graduate Students
Take advantage of any opportunity presented to you:
collaborative research, new technique, travel, etc. Attend scientific
conferences and meetings, both large (like Experimental Biology) and
small. Start thinking early about your post-graduate career interests.
Visit institutions or companies that you are interested in working at
after graduate school. Gaining an understanding of physiology from the
molecule to the whole animal is important. If your primary interest is
molecular biology, then maybe you should consider completing a rotation in
a whole animal or human physiology laboratory, if possible, and vice
versa.
Recent Publications
1. Carter III, R., and
H.P. Jones. The Vascular Biology of Atherosclerosis, in Lipid
Metabolism & Health. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2005.
2. Cheuvront, S.N., R.
Carter III, M.A. Kolka, B.S. Cadarette, and M.N. Sawka. Branched-chain
amino acid effects on performance in the heat when hypohydrated. J.
Appl. Physiol. 97: 2004.
3. Cheuvront, S.N., R.
Carter III, S.J. Montain, and M.N. Sawka. Daily body mass variability and
stability in active men undergoing exercise-heat stress. Int. J. Sport
Nutr. Exer. Metab., Oct 2004.
4. Wilson, T.E., R. Carter III, M. Cutler, J. Cui,
M.L. Smith, and C.G. Crandall. Central command modulates skin blood flow
and sweat rate responses during recovery from exercise.
J. Appl.
Physiol.
96: 668-673, 2004.
5. Cheuvront, S.N., R. Carter III, and M.N.
Sawka. Fluid balance and endurance exercise performance. Current Sports
Med. Rpt. 2: 202-208, 2003.
6. Cheuvront, S.N., and R. Carter
III. Ginkgo and memory [letter]. JAMA Feb. 5: 246-249, 2003.
7. Carter III, R., T. Wilson, D.E. Watenpaugh,
M.L. Smith, and C.G. Crandall. Effects of mode of exercise recovery on
cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses.
J. Appl.
Physiol. 93: 1918-1924, 2002.
8. Carter III, R.,
D.E. Watenpaugh, and M.L. Smith. Genome and hormones: Gender
differences in physiology selected contribution: gender differences in
cardiovascular regulation during recovery from exercise.
J. Appl.
Physiol. 91: 1902-1907, 2001.
9. Carter III, R., D.E. Watenpaugh, S.L. Wasmund, W.L.
Wasmund, and M.L. Smith. Central command and muscle pump during exercise
recovery in humans.
J. Appl.
Physiol. 87: 1463-1469, 1999.
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