Talia Marc ’24 will spend the next two summers at Dartmouth College conducting research on zebrafish.
Marc has been awarded a Choose Development! fellowship through the Society for Developmental Biology (SDB). The program aims to increase the number of individuals from underrepresented populations in the field of developmental biology.
As part of a research-intensive undergraduate training program, fellows spend the first summer in a lab completing a project with a mentor. The following summer, they present work at SBD’s annual meeting and build relationships with leading scientists.
Marc will explore how certain genes in zebrafish are expressed on the right and left side of the brain to gain an understanding of the behavior it causes.
“I am thrilled to see Talia recognized for her talent and success at Union as she joins the ranks of students increasing the recognition of Union as a place where top future scientists are getting their start,” said Marc’s research advisor, Nicole Theodosiou, associate professor of biology.
A biology major from Dorchester, Mass., Marc was valedictorian at Dr. William Henderson Upper School. She came to Union as a Posse Scholar. The national Posse Foundation recruits student leaders from urban high schools who have extraordinary academic and leadership backgrounds.
Marc plans to pursue research in the biological sciences.
“I am looking forward to framing my experiences at Union as I did in high school,” she said. “By conducting work on breast cancer cells, chick embryos and soon, zebrafish, I am developing a stronger love and appreciation for the field.”
A recent analysis by the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C. shows significant racial, ethnic and gender gaps in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
“Union helped me thrive as a first-year by offering me an early start to career development and leadership opportunities,” Marc said. “It has helped me make good decisions as to what type of person and leader I want to be, as well as how I can support and encourage the people around me to do better.”