Alumni

Brieyanna C. McWilliams

Major and degree: Science, bachelor of science

Graduation year: 2016

Current position: research scientist, Weissman lab and Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, University of Pennsylvania

Connect: LinkedIn | X/Twitter

What motivates you to do science?

It is my belief that everyone and everything was created in this universe for a purpose. I believe it is my purpose to serve underrepresented communities. Every individual needs to be educated on science and medicine. Some of these endemics, epidemics, pandemics, etc. shape the world and determine how it will behave. Being educated as well as informed can shorten the gap and lessen the pain of health disparities across communities. I further aim to instill hope and to strengthen the chain between the community, science, and medicine. It would be my honor and passion to pass that inspiration on to the next generation to the best of my ability. I would also love to see this field be more diverse and inclusive. I would love to encourage the youth to be more involved with learning about science and medicine so that they can one day, like me, aspire to be scientific researchers and even go further than I have if they wish to. I am further confident that this will help set the stage to allow me to build a solid foundation to providing solutions and cures to our ever-changing medical realities.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Black History Month means knowledge, and knowledge is power. As a female scientist who is a Muslim, African American descendent of slaves, I’ve learned that true power does not only measure intensity but the level of impact one has over the people. As Muslims, we stress the idea of leaving behind an influential and acceptable legacy for the importance of being viewed in the eyes of Allah (God) for the hereafter and for future generations. It is therefore crucial for me to know that one day I will be a part of Black history, whether it be publicly or privately, and to therefore live accordingly. It is also incumbent to know of other legacies that paved the way to ensure that our current work and legacy as a community continues. Case in point, my history is a story over 400 years old about my ancestor who was one of the first of 13 slaves to be imported to Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619. He was taken from Gambia and given the name James Haley. Years later, our stories would be highlighted in books and in the TV series "Roots" by Alex Haley, a distant relative. More interestingly, I just learned from my late great-uncle that abolitionist Frederick Douglass is my ancestor. Lastly, my 103-year-old grandmother is an inspiration to me. Born to sharecroppers in the Jim Crow South, she became a nurse, educator, and businesswoman. These are the legacies that I'm built upon and that I must honor. This is all Black history, learning about who you are, for your future, in order to live and leave a worthwhile legacy!