Kevin Brown is a senior at Cal State San Marcos and is now being recognized as one of only four recipients of the Rising Black Scientist Award.
The other winners are from some pretty prestigious universities like Yale, Cornell and MIT.
Brown is a biological science major, with a concentration in physiology. Science and medicine have been his passion from a very early age. A life-changing event sparked his interest in the field.
As a child, has was diagnosed with a heart condition where the lower chambers of the heart beat quickly. He had to undergo heart surgery. During the stressful moments before the operation, he found comfort from his doctor.
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“He explained what was happening and what he was going to do surgery-wise in a way that made sense to my 14-year-old brain, and that stuck with me from the day that I left the hospital,” Brown explained.
Brown knew this was his calling and from there, he worked hard with internships and research projects in different labs all over the world.
Mentors played an important role in his success, one nudging him to submit an article for the Rising Black Scientist Award from the journal “Cell Press,” a very notable publication. The awards were originally created in 2020 to break down barriers and create opportunities by providing visibility and funds to support talented Black scientists in the life or medical sciences on their career journey.
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To be selected for the award, Brown’s essay was chosen out of 350 applicants, the largest number of submissions in the four-year history of the award. Brown, also highlights his passion for paying it forward and helping the younger generation of scientists, especially minorities.
“Just drop that seed in their minds and their hearts, just as my surgeon did for me, and hope that it sprouts something for them to grow into and chase their dreams,” he added.
Brown is hoping to obtain an MD and PhD degree, so he can be a physician and scientist. He would love to go to UC San Diego.
