Kayla Bright, ’27
B.S. Behavioral Neuroscience, Palm Beach Atlantic University (2024)
Email: kmbright@uncg.edu
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Hi! I am originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but I have been living in Florida for the past four years. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience from Palm Beach Atlantic University. As an undergraduate, I was a Summer Research Fellow in the Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Research Program, where I spent ten weeks in the Tarchini Lab conducting genetics research on the sensory organs of the vestibular system. After graduating, I participated in the Summer Internship in Genetic Counseling at the Iowa Institute of Human Genetics. Over the 8-week internship, I observed genetic counselors across multiple specialties and clinics, created patient and provider resources, and attended specialty lectures at the UIHC hospital. During my gap year, I served as a teaching assistant at a performing arts academy for children with special and behavioral needs.
Throughout my life, I have always loved listening to and learning about people through their stories, backgrounds, and lived experiences. At the same time, aspects of my upbringing piqued my interest in heredity and inherited conditions, fueling my passion for genetics and genomics. These interests led to my serious pursuit of genetic counseling during undergrad. Shadowing genetic counselors affirmed this path and showed me the many ways they listen, explore, investigate, and counsel.
In my free time, I enjoy nature walks, kayaking, trying out new matcha, and thrifting! I am always happy to chat with prospective students about any questions they may have—please feel free to reach out to me at the email above!