De-Shaine Murray

My Graduate Story

My current employer is Yale University and I am a Wu Tsai Institute Postdoctoral Fellow here. I work at the intersection of biomedical engineering, neuroscience and chemistry to conduct research that aims to create biomedical devices to monitor the injured brain in cases of stroke, traumatic brain injury and most recently brain cancers. I want to provide new tools and devices that help clinicians and patients alike fight back against the growing global burden of neurological disorders. I am also the President of Black In Neuro, non-profit organisation that supports Black scholars in neuro-related fields. We have over 1500 members, a presence in 50+ countries and 50,000 followers across social media platforms.

What does a typical day look like?

My typical day can definitely vary given how postdocs have to essentially be jack of all trades. Some days are more lab heavy; carrying out and refining experiments, whereas some days require much more admin or being in the office, doing a range of tasks from writing, to assembling figures to reading papers. As I also run a non-profit, Black In Neuro, that supports Black scholars in neuro-related fields, I also incorporate tasks that help run the organisation into my schedule.

My Journey to Yale

My journey to getting a job was a little different. I have continued up the academic ranks with no break from the undergraduate level to postdoc level. During the final year of my time at Birmingham, I applied for PhDs as I was enjoying the practical work and being a part of a lab. That led me to a PhD at Imperial College London and whilst there, again in my final year, I was approached about joining the Wu Tsai Institute at Yale as a postdoc. For careers in academia, beyond just applying to the position, I think it is just as important to directly contact those you want to work with. Get to know the principal investigator of the lab, how they work and how they lead. That will ultimately help you decide whether you take a position, as your environment is nine tenths of the equation, not necessarily what you are researching. When I moved to the United States, I also had to consider my immigration status for the first time and that has been very eye opening, with costs, embassy visits, applications, renewals and generally learning a new system by living abroad. Life in the US has some similarities with the UK but there are MANY differences and it took time to adjust.

My Birmingham Experience

My time at UoB and particularly on the chemistry course really helped me to see the intersections between the sciences and engineering. Chemistry is often referred to as the middle science because of how it connects physics and biology but it is also the basis of many other sub-fields and my chemistry degree really showed me that. Exposure to organic, biochemistry, electrochemistry, inorganic and physical chemistry really emphasised the breadth of chemistry and taught me techniques that still form the basis of what I do day in day out. My masters project (4th year) was in electrochemistry and that is where I learnt that this technique could be used to sense the body and brain. This became the foundation of my academic work and research.

Top tips for current students

Keep your options open, explore the range of opportunities that your degree can lead you to and if you can - take your time. There is often a rush and pressure to secure a graduate job but taking the time to figure out what you really enjoy and are passionate about, will save you lots of time in the future. Also, you don't have to have it all figured out at 21, 22 or the age you are when you graduate. Plans can change, you may need to pivot and that's okay. I'm still doing that at 30. As long as you have the underlying skills built from your degree and time at university you'll have a bright future ahead of you. Also, don't be an island, there's so much to get involved with on campus, find your network and your community. They may just last you a lifetime.

My favourite thing about studying Chemistry

I really enjoyed the variety of the course, it really allowed me to see the many ways that chemistry interlinks with other fields and the world around us and that helped me chart a path that was in line with my passions.

What achievement are you most proud of during your time at Birmingham?

It would probably have been getting a first class degree at the end. It wasn't easy and felt great getting to the finish line. That achievement came from consistency and was a lesson for me for future endeavours. Achievements worth having take time, many things in life are a marathon not a sprint.