Brandon Roy
He/Him
I am gay and I am a virologist. I am a biologist.//
Growing up as a queer person I found so many unknowns about my own life, and was drawn to the ‘finite nature’ of science. I eventually pursued a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Lebanon Valley College. During that time, I conducted research for four summers and found that science isn’t black and white how I had imagined. With so much gray, I knew this was just life and that you have to take it head on to ever get through it. I came out to my family and friends during the first year of my PhD in Plant Pathology at Cornell University. While not the best outcome with family and some friends, I’m optimistic for the future. I’m still learning. Learning about myself, learning about plants, learning about viruses, and so much more. I hope to bring visibility about being queer in STEM, while not always having everyone on board for their PhD. It’s okay to let go of those who won’t let you flourish and do your best!