Ann McKelvey

What degrees do you hold and from what institutions?

I am a bachelors’ degree recipient from American University in Washington, D.C., as well as masters degrees from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

What excites you about joining Texas A&M College of Medicine for your PhD studies?

The span of my work as a scientist has encompassed a wide variety of work, but the constant in all my endeavors is my commitment to improving the human condition.  Likewise, Texas A&M demonstrates the same commitment and versatility.  What attracted me to the Texas A&M College of Medicine was the vision the faculty have of empowering their students to achieve their goals, of teaching their students to both lead and collaborate, and of preparing their students to think critically about key questions of human health.

If you could meet any scientist throughout history, who would you want to meet and why?

There are too many to name!  Yet, I think my passion for science began with my childhood daydreams of becoming an astronaut.  My heroes from those days included Dr. Patricia Cowings, a scientist at NASA who pioneered the physiological studies that allowed astronauts to control their autonomic responses to spaceflight.

Tell us something you are passionate about apart from research.

Education and music.  Volunteering as a tutor, serving as a STEM-focused Girl Scout troop leader, directing choirs are some of the ways I have exercised my passions.