Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-06-15]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Biographies.]]>
Dr. Gray attended The Citadel Military College of South Carolina, where he faced rigorous and discriminatory environment. His undergraduate experience, particularly working in an aquatic toxicology lab, solidified his interest in research. After completing his master’s at The Citadel, he faced barriers in pursuing a Ph.D. but persevered, eventually enrolling at UNC Greensboro. Dr. Gray’s journey through academia has been marked by resilience and a commitment to mentoring future scientists, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. ]]> 2021-06-15]]> Permission to publish materials from the Black Excellence in STEM Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Biographies.]]>
Dr. Lemer's career highlights include her postdoctoral work at Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology, where she advanced her skills in bioinformatics and gene expression analysis. She later joined the University of Guam, where both she and her husband, also a researcher in population genetics, were offered positions.

Key points from the interview highlight Dr. Lemer's challenges and experiences as a woman of color in academia. She discussed the cultural differences in racial perceptions between France, the U.S., and Guam, emphasizing the microaggressions in France versus the overt racism in the U.S. Dr. Lemer finds Guam to be more inclusive, though she notes ongoing issues with sexism. She advocates for greater support and inclusivity for Black researchers and emphasizes the importance of speaking up and helping others advance in their careers.]]> 2021-06-15]]> Permission to publish materials from the Black Excellence in STEM Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]>