Through the generous support of Regeneron, four times a year River Journal publishes the on-site report of a high school science student from the River Towns who is paired with a Regeneron scientist to experience what it is like to put STEM education to work in the real world.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Regeneron and speak with senior genetics scientist, Erin Fuller Brian. Erin sits within the Regeneron Genetics Center, or RGC, working on next generation sequencing and programming the machines needed to handle genetic resources. She is also part of Women@RGC, an employee resource group that aims to create a safe space for women at Regeneron.
In research, a simple or straightforward path is rare, with setbacks and obstacles at every turn. A good scientist chooses to learn from them in order to grow. For Erin, her path to Regeneron was far from straightforward. Starting her college career at Salve Regina University as a music major, the lack of sufficient challenge in her music classes prompted her switch to a biology major during sophomore year. Erin’s love for molecular biology and lab work was stimulated by her senior research project, learning the basics and foundation for her future career. After earning her bachelor’s degree in biology, Erin began waitressing fresh out of college, remaining ever-eager to get experience in a lab and her foot in the door wherever she could. Eventually getting hired at a genome analysis center at Yale School of Medicine, Erin was able to hone her skills at sequencing DNA and gain valuable experience. Erin talks about these early years as valuable steppingstones on the way to her current role.
The next couple of years were spent in New York City, enjoying life with friends and working at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Working adjacent to a clinical facility helped provide more experience and training, leading to her position at Regeneron. Erin describes her path to Regeneron as “kismet,” hearing news of a genetics center in the making right as she was searching for a new position. About a week later, she received a text from a previous boss at Yale School of Medicine, informing her he was now working at Regeneron’s new genetics center. It seemed as though hard work, perseverance, and just a little serendipity were the perfect combination, leading her to a career as one of Regeneron’s genetics scientists.
Erin wants students to know that pivoting is not something to be afraid of, that students should always be open to switching paths in order to find whatever place or career suits their interests most. This sentiment was valuable to hear as a high school student who is in the midst of figuring out what I want my future to look like. In order to make a solid and substantial conclusion, adequate research and evidence must be acquired. Similarly, exploring different interests and ventures, even if it involves pivoting, is the key to finding the right path.
One of Erin’s favorite parts about working at Regeneron is the environment, saying that finding creative solutions to problems is made easier by her amazing team and work community. Erin’s sequencing work falls within an assembly line of tasks, making effective communication and a good rapport vital for the success of the entire team. Listening to Erin talk about the atmosphere that Regeneron provides for its employees reinforces the importance of having a strong support system when conducting research. It makes me thankful for my teachers and peers who help me throughout my research process, providing just the right amount of guidance.
Learning about Erin’s journey to Regeneron, her daily work, and some things she loves about her job, I also walked away thinking about the research journey in general. Science is about being curious, inquisitive, and resilient. It’s about finding the right path and learning from the experiences along the way, something that was made clear after our conversation. Whether it’s sequencing DNA in a lab or writing a research paper in a classroom, there is value in every step along the journey through research.
