Dr. Brooke Corbin is the MARC Program Facilitator in the Department of Chemistry.

Main Discipline(s):

Main Professional Societies:

Affiliation(s):

  • Teaching
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • NA
  • Wayne State University, Department of Chemistry
What are your undergraduate and graduate degrees in and from where?
B.S. in Chemistry in 2016 from Oakland University, Rochester, MI
Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry in 2022 from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Give a brief summary (250 words or less) of your current area of research.

As a graduate student, my research focused on the synthesis and study of lanthanide complexes for both magnetic resonance imaging and photoredox catalysis. Due to my position as program facilitator for the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program, I am no longer participating directly in chemistry research, but I am still involved in continuing projects in the Allen Research Group at WSU.

Currently, my work focuses more on teaching and supporting young scientists from underrepresented groups as they navigate research projects in various STEM fields, with a specific interest in biomedical science. Although I am no longer doing any research myself, it is very rewarding to guide new scientists through troubleshooting, data analysis, and various forms of scientific communication. A great benefit of my position is that I am constantly exposed to so many different areas of research, from behavioral science to biomedical engineering, and I have the opportunity to work with and learn from many of the amazing researchers and professors here at WSU.

How did you arrive at your current area of research?

I have always had a passion for teaching and scientific communication. Additionally, I am very motivated by the MARC program’s goal of helping to diversify the biomedical sciences. I think that science as a philosophical practice REQUIRES the input of people from different backgrounds and experiences to best solve real-world problems in creative and new ways. Programs like the MARC program and other DEI initiatives at WSU are only small steps towards reaching that goal, but they are at least steps in the right direction.

What do you see as a current emerging area of research that you would like to participate in and why?

Like other scientists across the world, I am very invested in learning more about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the human body, mental health, society, and culture. I think we have a long way to go in understanding the causes of long COVID and different neurological effects, and I am curious as to what the data will say as we advance through these troubling times. As a woman who was pregnant upon receiving a vaccine booster, I have been able to participate in research from the other side as a participant rather than as a researcher, which is an interesting experience. Although science does not receive the positive credit it deserves, the advancement of knowledge by researchers despite public discourse has been an amazing feat to witness.

Tell us your (one) favorite STEM research paper or book.   Why it is your favorite?
Although I have not read it in a while, Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum helped inspire my passion for science communication and literacy.
Do you have a favorite scientist, engineer or other role model? Who is it and why?
Because of my passion for science communication and literacy, I love Carl Sagan and the work that he did promoting and teaching science to different communities. I am also inspired daily by all of the incredible women in science who came before me.
What do you do for fun outside of your role as a woman in STEM?
My husband and I just bought a house, so most of my free time is spent with home-improvement projects inside and outside of our home. I also found a passion for plants during the pandemic that has carried with me. I am excited to start growing a garden this spring and summer!