Tell me about yourself.

My name is Marissa Brown and I am an incoming Ph.D. student in the Radiological Sciences (Medical Physics) program. After high school, I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I received my undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering. I originally had plans to start a career in the nuclear power field, however, upon graduation, I decided to take a less traditional route and joined the Peace Corps. I served in Peace Corps Tanzania as a Secondary Education Physics teacher. My service was cut short due to the pandemic and I relocated to Maui, Hawaii, where I have been living for the past year. It is during this time that I decided to further my education. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, muay thai, and surfing.

What is your hometown?

I was born and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Why did you chose UT Health San Antonio?

Having not ever been to San Antonio and not being able to visit, I had to base my decision mostly on my interactions with faculty/students as well as current research being conducted at UT Health San Antonio. All of the faculty and students that I have communicated with have been welcoming, supportive, and willing to take the time to talk about their research projects with me. Also, there are many topics being researched at UT Health San Antonio, allowing me to explore different possible opportunities and collaborate.

What drew you to your program?

There are a few different reasons I choose Medical Physics. Firstly, it allows me to apply my background in nuclear physics to the medical field. Also, I like that there are so many different career and research options within Medical Physics. I will have the option to work in a clinical, academic, or industry setting which all have a number of specialties. Lastly, the field is advancing quickly, and I will be able to see real-world changes over the course of my career.

What are your career goals?

While in the Peace Corps I realized my passion for teaching. Therefore, I would like to one day become a professor so that I can both teach and conduct research with a focus on diagnostic imaging.