Bailey Villarreal
2025 Hoyas for Science Recipient
M.S. in Integrative Neuroscience
Importantly, diversity and cultural understanding play a substantial role in the way I think about and solve problems. My experiences as a student and researcher with disabilities help me think deliberately and compassionately about novel approaches to impactful scientific questions.
About Bailey
Bailey is from Greenville, South Carolina. Before coming to Georgetown Biomedical Graduate Education, he earned a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech and a Masters of Arts from Georgia State University.
How do you approach challenges in your life?
How I approach challenges in life largely depends on the nature of the challenge itself, but I lean on my personal and educational history to navigate them. Importantly, diversity and cultural understanding play a substantial role in the way I think about and solve problems. My experiences as a student and researcher with disabilities help me think deliberately and compassionately about novel approaches to impactful scientific questions.
What experiences or goals led you to pursue graduate studies?
My undergraduate studies in psychology and philosophy laid the foundations for the questions I would come to ask about the human mind and how it works. After college graduation, I was diagnosed with a genetic illness that affects my vision and hearing, which motivated me to transition to translational research within neuroscience. Having already completed a master’s in neurophilosophy, I was ready to shift focus to applied scientific research.
Why did you choose your program at Georgetown BGE for your graduate studies?
I chose the neuroscience master’s program at Georgetown BGE because it offered comprehensive laboratory training and the opportunity to conduct translational research within neurodegenerative disease. Moreover, the program provides a solid educational foundation in both molecular and cognitive approaches to questions within neuroscience.
What do you want to do after earning your degree?
After completing my degree, I plan to continue my education and obtain a PhD in neuroscience. My goals as a scientist are to continue making contributions to our understanding of neurodegenerative disease and work towards discovering novel therapeutics. Personally, I understand the importance of discoveries made in the lab to those affected by neurodegeneration. This understanding both motivates my work and inspires me to continue moving forward.