Dr. Isola Brown Continues Vital Work as Director of Online Graduate Programs in Pharmacology and Toxicology
By Chuck Carlson
Feb. 14, 2024
From her time growing up on the Caribbean Island of Antigua and Barbuda with a love of science, Assistant Professor Isola Brown’s self-styled “inquisitive nature” has always led her to ask questions. And, more importantly, to finding the answer.
“I think I knew pretty early on that I was going to be a scientist,” she said. “I’ve always had an interest in scientific research and being a scientist is something I knew I wanted to do. It was just figuring out what my version of a scientist looks like.”
She answered that question as a Chemistry and Biochemistry major at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by earning a Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Toxicology at Michigan State University.
From there she went into post-doctoral work with a stop at the University of Virginia before teaching at the University of Michigan.
Two years ago, she returned to East Lansing as the new Director of Online Graduate Programs in Pharmacology and Toxicology. She coordinates two master’s programs and one certificate program -- the PharmTox and Integrated Pharmacology master’s programs, and the Graduate Certificate in Safety Pharmacology, respectively. She also teaches several online courses, depending on the semester, while running the graduate program that features some 150 to 160 students – all of whom study remotely.
It is a position, she says, that suits her.
“My inquisitive nature has served me well in both academic research and teaching; I know how to ask questions and how to help somebody understand something,” she said. “I think I’ve applied those skills to this position.”
The online master’s program is in its 14th year and has graduated some 450 students in that time.
The asynchronous programs fit the often-varying needs of the students and completion can take anywhere from a year and a half to, sometimes, five or six years, to complete depending on an individual’s situation. It could be marriage, divorce, pregnancy, illness, or any of a million other disruptions in the human condition that can postpone or slow down pursuit of a master’s degree.
But Dr. Brown said the MSU program is built for those contingencies and offers students the opportunity to, for example, take a semester off to deal with a long-term situation and then return to continue their education.
“What makes our program unique is that each student can pursue their own course schedule if it’s a busy time in their lives,” she said. “We try to have that flexibility with students who are working full-time jobs and who are typically mid-career professionals. That’s a testament to our program that we can support them through those transitions.”
Dr. Brown estimates 80 to 85 percent of the graduate students already have full-time employment, especially in the pharmaceutical and research fields. A master’s degree or graduate certificate in PhmTox enhances those careers with promotions or new opportunities that would not necessarily be available without that degree.
“I try to set it up in a way that I’m doing a little bit of a lot of things, and I think that helps me as Director be in tune to what faculty and advisors have to do,” she said. “I think that makes me a better administrator because I’m tapped into their life experiences and their reality because I’m doing it myself. I think that’s important for me. No two days are the same for me.”
And Dr. Brown wants to make sure the program continues to offer the kind of opportunities necessary in today’s evolving workplace.
“I’m proud of the legacy we’ve created,” she said. “Our alums often keep in touch and let us know how they’re doing, and they share their personal and professional accomplishments.”
Then she smiles.
“I’ve gotten a lot of newborn baby photos,” she said.