ABOVE: THE MARLIN LAB, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Bianca Jones Marlin grew up in a home bustling with foster siblings on Long Island near New York City. From a young age, she knew she loved biology, and her family relationships with children placed in foster care made her question how environmental triggers such as stress and trauma can influence brain development. She also enjoyed teaching and the performing arts, and thought the best way to combine her interests was to be a science teacher.
After high school, Marlin stayed in New York and attended St. John’s University, where she started studying education. One day, she noticed a flyer advertising a program to help students pay for their college tuition and prepare for PhDs by providing paid research assistantships. At the time, she says she didn’t even know what a PhD was and had never considered a career in research. But her interest ...
