Dr. Marguerite Matthews got her start in federal service as a 2016-2018 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Executive Branch Fellow  at the National Institutes of Health, where she supported policy implementation in the Office of Extramural Research. Through her experiences as a Black woman in the sciences, she is invested in ensuring access to resources and pathways of belonging in STEM education and careers.

 

A native of Southern California, Dr. M began her journey in scientific research at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla as a high school student summer intern. She went on to pursue her baccalaureate studies in biochemistry at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. Dr. M then earned a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, studying the adolescent dopamine systems. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral neuroscience at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). During her time at OHSU, Dr. M also served as the program director for the OHSU Fellowship for Diversity in Research Program, tasked with recruiting and retaining postdoctoral researchers from historically underrepresented demographicbackgrounds. In addition to her work at OHSU, she also served as program director for the Youth Engaged in Science (YES!) outreach initiative that aimed to enrich science educational programs to middle and high school students in under-resourced areas of the Greater Portland Metro area. 

 

Dr. M believes unobstructed access to meaningful education/training, mentorship, and network building are at the cornerstone of professional success. As such, she serves as a coach to support individuals in their journey of deeper self-discovery to live a healthy, fulfilling life.