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Simons STEM Scholars Program
HomeSimons Scholar ProfileSimons Scholars Profile - Jena McArthur

JenaMcArthur

Image of Jena McArthur

Cohort 3

Hometown: Manhattan, NY

Major: Biochemistry

Year: Freshman

High School: Columbia Secondary School

Biography:

In Jena's time at Stony Brook, she plans on studying microbiology and immunology focusing on infectious diseases (viruses, bacteria, fungus, and other pathogens). In Jena's free time, she likes to play the electric bass, watch movies, listen to music, and play rugby. Before becoming a Simons STEM Scholar, Jena participated in stuyding at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine studying drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Leading the Future:

"I hope to lead the future of STEM by bringing an indigenous perspective to spaces where it has been excluded and missing. I also want to help create cures and treatments for infectious diseases, focusing on the people most vulnerable due to other systemic and societal factors."

Why did you become a Simons STEM Scholar?:

"I wanted to become a Simons STEM Scholar because above all, I love research. I find joy in the discoveries I make in a lab, the impact I can have on people in the real world, and Simons prioritizes and encourages research."

What would you say to someone who is applying?:

"Apply! Even if you're not sure if you want to do research, this is the perfect place to find out! You don't have to know exactly what you want to study or do in life, if you have a passion for something, explore it. You don't have to stay stuck focusing on one topic, life is dynamic and Simons is a place for you to develop your interests and skills while giving you a group of people you can rely on, talk to, help, and have fun with."

Research Experiences:

Fall 2025 - Stony Brook University: under James Konopka on "Transcription factors in C. Albicans."