Latasha Wright

“When I was in high school, my science teacher, Robert Pursley, made learning science fun. He was this really eccentric person who used to do corny things like sing Christmas carols based on the periodic table. He was so enthusiastic about science that it was infectious. We used to do crazy experiments like making bubbles with gasoline and lighting them on fire. I guess I have always been curious and a bit mischievous. These characteristics came alive in chemistry class.”

“I am an avid reader. I read a lot of scifi. I also really enjoy exploring the community art scene in New York City. If I hadn’t pursued science, I would be a scifi writer.

Latasha Wright came to the city for graduate school at NYU Langone Medical School. After earning her Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, she continued her scientific training at Johns Hopkins University and Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is now Chief Scientist at BioBus, a small non-profit where she shares her love of science with the next generation of potential scientists. Latasha and her team at BioBus are on the road every school day giving kids age 5 to 18 an opportunity for engaging, hands-on discovery using research-grade microscopes (all aboard a “tricked out vintage transit bus” as David said in last week’s ScioNY post). BioBus also has the BioBase, a high-tech community science lab that aims to launch students ages 8 to 18 towards STEM careers through in-depth, project-based lab courses. Each year, the BioBus & BioBase reach 30,000 students, focusing on youth underrepresented in STEM.

Latasha on what she’d grab if the building was burning:

“My phone. How else can I find those Pokemon?! …jk”

Scientists come from a huge variety of backgrounds and have so many different stories to tell. Through Scientists of New York (ScioNY), we hope to shatter stereotypes of what it means to be a scientist and highlight lots of rad scientists in NYC



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