Dr. Charmaine Royal started off the BSURF program with our first faculty talk, and she really set the bar for the rest of the program. I have gained increasing interest in the intersection of biology and systemic racism since learning about disproportionate lead poisoning effects on historically redlined and poor neighborhoods, as well as taking a critical race theory in education course first semester.
Her work with the intersection of healthcare and racism is incredibly inspiring, not only in its impact, but in her ability to combine her two passions into her career and research. As someone who is currently struggling to streamline my interests into a career path, it is truly uplifting to see a woman of color studying all that she loves and succeeding all the while.
I am honored to have listened to her speak, even if it was only for one hour – I hope to speak to her more in the future. Her work gives me hope for the future of genetics, medicine, and spreading awareness about and working towards deconstructing systemic racism.
