Dr. Korie Grayson (B.S.’12)
Korie Grayson has paved a trailblazing path for minorities and underrepresented individuals in the field of STEM. As a first-generation college student, she earned her bachelor's degree from Norfolk State University in Chemistry: premedicine. While at Norfolk State University, she found her identity as a scientist. After graduating, she entered the medical device sector and assembled life-saving technologies for dialysis
patients. Furthermore, she enrolled in Cornell University's PhD program in Biomedical Engineering, where she investigated state-of-the-art treatments for prostate cancer in both 2D and 3D settings. In addition, as a Science for Development Fellow at USAID, she uses her influence in future research and policy for the representation of minorities. She has received widespread recognition for her outreach and advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, going viral on social media and appearing on BET, Forbes, Essence, and Yale Scientific. She continues to regularly talk to universities, K-12, and other institutions regarding her research and advocacy, science policy, science communication, and many other fields in STEM. Additionally, she is a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Biomedical Engineering Society. Throughout the years, she has been honored and awarded by Cornell’s Diversity Programs in Engineering (DPE), including the graduate Student of the Year and the Cornell DPE Robert Mozia Graduate Distinguished Service Award. She was also featured in The List of Influential African American Women to Follow on LinkedIn and The Cell Press 1000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America.