Because of Byrd’s academic and research achievements, she has been awarded a Gates Millennium Scholarship and a Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowship, both through the United Negro College Fund. Last fall, Black Entertainment Television profiled her in its program “An Evening of Stars of Educating our Future.” That honor “validates all the hard work,” Byrd says.

Kenneth J. Moore (kennethjamesmoore@yahoo.com) is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer covering biochemistry, microbiology and food and crop sciences.

See BET’s special video presentation about Angel Byrd from its 2011 An Evening of Stars television event:

See an interview with Angel Byrd following ASBMB’s 2011 Hill Day: