Odaelys Pollard, Ph.D. ’15, Works To Increase Representation in Health Sciences

Initially intrigued by HIV and AIDS research, Dr. Pollard pursued her B.S. in biology before earning a post baccalaureate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. “At first you see these things and you don’t know how they work, but you learn how these microbes navigate through cells. Learning how things work beyond the naked eye is what fascinates me,” Dr. Pollard said.

Despite enjoying her research while pursuing her post baccalaureate in 2007, it was a difficult adjustment for her, having moved from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Rochester, where the environment and landscape are very different. “Growing up as one of many Black women in my community, we knew we were considered minorities in other regions, but we didn’t experience things Black people in the United States felt,” Dr. Pollard said. “I heard some snide comments [regarding race], and I was feeling a little out of place.”

However, in the midst of the culture shock and inappropriate behavior towards her, Dr. Pollard was determined to persevere and stay on track. “I began to ignore the negatives and focus on the positives. You have to have tunnel vision for a bit when you choose a path you want to take and focus on the work you have to do. She began to enjoy the little things, such as seeing the falling leaves and snow in Rochester, which was exciting to her, growing up in a tropical setting.

Her experience in Rochester made it all the more important to Dr. Pollard when she was able to connect with fellow Black students when she joined NYMC in 2009 to pursue her Ph.D. It started with her and two women in her Ph.D. cohort, who formed a Black Graduate Student Association for all Black students at the College. “We were super excited to have each other and many of us are still friends to this day,” Dr. Pollard said.

Dr. Pollard has since put a premium on the power of representation in health sciences, saying that it’s important for students to see faculty and researchers who look like them or who can share similar experiences. As a science education program and training manager at The Rockefeller University in New York, Dr. Pollard spent six years designing STEM curriculum to increase research and lab opportunities for underserved students. “It’s hard feeling like you didn’t belong. I was grateful for a handful of mentors that I wouldn’t be here without, so, if I can do that same thing for students, I feel like I’m doing something good,” Dr. Pollard said.

In June, Dr. Pollard was named director of research at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) where her duties include analyzing funding opportunities, guiding the grant development process and directing student research programs at BMCC. Although her new position is less hands-on with students, she still intends to help underserved students as best she can, whether it be through programs or mentorship.

“My advice to students would be to find your mentor. For me it was Dr. Dana Mordue [Ph.D., vice chancellor of accreditation and student support and associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology],” Dr. Pollard said. “When I was forming these clubs and doing these things on the side, she was very mindful, supportive and understanding.”

Now in a prominent position, Dr. Pollard hopes to be an example of representation for Black students and all students in underserved communities to show them that they, too, can climb in their profession. "I want them to look to me as someone who can give sound advice because of what I’ve gone through and what I’ve experienced. I want to be the one that not just opens the door but be a mentor to those behind me,” she said.