Maya Pearce

My hometown is Schoolcraft, Michigan, but I've spent the past few years living in East Lansing, Michigan while getting my bachelor's degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Michigan State University. During this time, I also completed two minors in Pharmacology & Toxicology and Theatre. I spent three years at MSU working as an undergraduate researcher. I worked on a variety of projects focused on understanding the epigenetic effects of heterochromatin formation in response to genetic mutations related to tRNA modification in fission yeast. Additionally, I've enjoyed working as a Biology teaching assistant and tutor for MSU's ESSA iSTEM program, where I developed my interest in working with incoming undergraduates to prepare them for their first college-level science classes.

I chose Penn State due to the overwhelming support and direct connections provided during the prospective student interview weekend. The smaller cohort sizes allow for more personalized support while maintaining the freedom to explore other areas of interest, even beyond the department. I feel that this program offers a well-balanced schedule of research and classwork that will prepare students for their future careers. I'm primarily interested in DNA recovery and analysis,  and I hope to pursue a research topic within that area.