U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition - December 2000
Carolyn B. Brooks, Ph.D.
Science and Our Food Supply - Careers
"Research the various career opportunities in the sciences. There are many enjoyable areas, such as environmental science, food science, plant science, and meteorology, that are in high market demand, but are usually underrepresented by minorities and females."

Carolyn B. Brooks, Ph.D.
Career Title:
Professor, Executive Assistant to the President, Research Director of Land-grant Programs, Dean, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, Maryland

Field of Expertise:
Microbiology

Academic Studies:
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Master of Science in Biology

Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Ph.D. in Microbiology

Employment History:
Restaurant Busgirl
(while in high school)

High School Science Teacher
Tuskegee and Union Springs, Alabama

Researcher, Sickle Cell Research Program
Tuskegee VA Hospital
Tuskegee, Alabama

Research Scientist/Electron Microscopist
Kentucky State University
Frankfort, Kentucky

Research Assistant Professor
Full Professor
Department Chair
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, Maryland

"If I hadn't chosen my present career, I would have become . . . a research scientist"

 

Q: What do you do in your current job?
A: I'm an administrator, overseeing academic and research programs of six academic departments and the research experiment station of the university. Because of my love for working directly with students and my interest in maintaining my connectivity to microbiology, my field of science, I am the major professor and serve on the research committees of several graduate students. I guide them, oversee their work, establish collaborative linkages with other universities and research centers to extend the academic offerings of my campus and enhance the educational experiences of my students.

Q: In school, was there a teacher who inspired you?
A: In high school, my favorite teacher was Ms. Burke. She was all business, but brilliant. You dared not talk in her class or miss an assignment. I wanted to do well in her class because "A"s were rare. I was one of the few students to get an "A." Although she never engaged in "small talk," she wrote a note on one of my exams saying that I was doing a terrific job. Boy, I was so proud!

Q: What do you like most about your career and why?
A: Working with college students. Students are delightful - not only do they appreciate faculty who care and provide them with quality education, they give back by enriching the lives of those who work with them.

Q: What advice would you give to students who are interested in pursuing a career in science?
A: Scientific careers are extensive. Many students have an interest in science only as it relates to health. I suggest that students research the various career opportunities in the sciences. There are many enjoyable areas, such as environmental science, food science, plant science, and meteorology, that are in high market demand, but are usually underrepresented by minorities and females.



Careers
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