Today we have the privilege of showcasing a member of our faculty here at Baylor: Dr. Mary Lauren Benton of the computer science department. Check out our full interview with her about her research with gene regulation below.
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
I think my love of science actually stems from my love of mystery novels. I have always enjoyed that moment at the end of the story where the final piece slides into place to reveal the who, what, when, and how. To me, doing research to better understand the intricacies of DNA is a lot like being a biology detective! When I realized that I could make a career out of solving puzzles, I knew that was something I had to pursue.
How would you describe your work to the public?
I study how DNA encodes the instructions for the proper functioning of every cell in the human body. More specifically, I am interested in understanding how genes are turned on and off in the right place at the right time (called “gene regulation”)—and how disruptions to this process can lead to disease. Because the human genome is large and complex, I use tools and methods from computer science and statistics.
What do you enjoy doing the most?
My favorite part of research is when I finish writing anew piece of computer code that can help us gain new insight about some question in biology(bonus points if it works on the first try)! Outside of work, I enjoy visiting coffee shops in new cities, playing RPGs, and checking books off my ever-growing“ to read” list.
Share an accomplishment that a younger you would have thought unachievable.
When I graduated from high school, I could only type a few words per minute and had never taken a computer science class in my life. I could never have imagined that ten years later I would be teaching and researching in a computer science department!
If you could give a piece of advice to the younger generation, what would it be?
Thinking about my answer to the previous question, my advice would be: don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. If an opportunity sounds interesting to you, then you should give it a shot! You never know when you might stumble into something that you truly enjoy.
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