Emma Morgan recently tied for Best Presenter in November’s NIEHS Scholars Connect Program (NSCP) Three-Minute Communication Challenge. In this event, students practice explaining their work to people who are not experts in the field. During her presentation, Morgan shared her research on how a group of chemicals called PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are absorbed and spread in cells. She is passionate about this topic because PFAS are found in the bloodstream of more than 97% of the U.S. population.

Morgan, a first-year fellow in the Placental Cell Biology Group and senior biology major at North Carolina State University (NC State), recently spoke with the Environmental Factor about her scientific journey, the mentors who have inspired her, and her future plans.

Environmental Factor (EF): How did your scientific journey begin?

Morgan: It really began in elementary school when I started doing well in science and math. In high school, I took a biology class that I found incredibly fascinating, and that became my favorite. My senior year, I took a college-level biology class, where I learned a ton about genetics and various molecular pathways that occur in the human body. I was hooked from that point on and knew I wanted to pursue studying biology in college.

EF: What experiences have helped shape your path so far?

Morgan: I had some fantastic teachers throughout high school who encouraged me even before I stepped into college. The summer after my sophomore year in college, I experienced undergraduate research for the first time when I did a fellowship at Wake Forest University. There, I worked on a project focusing on the mitotic division of fission yeast under different drug stressors, so that taught me a lot about epigenetics. In my junior year, I did toxicology research at NC State. These experiences informed my decision to continue pursuing biomedical science, which ultimately led me to NIEHS.

EF: What did you learn from the Three-Minute Communication Challenge?

Morgan: Only having three minutes to tell people everything I want them to know about my project was so incredibly difficult. It was hard to not jump into too many details. Ultimately, it taught me how to focus on more of the major points and just hit on what's the most interesting and what can be understood by a wider audience.

EF: What mentors have played an important role in shaping your career path?

Morgan: At Wake Forest, Dr. Ke Reid [Ph.D.], was my research mentor, and then at NC State, Dr. Robert Smart [Ph.D.], was another mentor. They both played important roles and introduced me to the beginning stages of conducting a scientific research project.

At NIEHS, my principal investigator is Dr. Charly Guardia [Ph.D.], and he has fostered a level of independence that has been absolutely crucial to my experience as an NSCP scholar. He really encouraged me to recognize the intricate details of my project, and then how those fit into the broader goal of my research. My other mentor, Dr. Asmita Singh [Ph.D.], has been critical to my learning experiences because she’s always so approachable and willing to answer any of my questions.

EF: What’s next? What are your research and career ambitions?

Morgan: I'm thinking of doing lab research in a biotech company. To me, biotechnology provides the opportunity to be a bit closer to the patient by being involved in creating different products that are ultimately going to positively influence human health.