Hannah Marie Ferguson Brown
Bachelor of Science, Molecular Biology
Profile
Briefly tell us about yourself (e.g. hometown, family, hobbies, favorite BYU courses, intended profession)
I am from Orem, Utah. I grew up as the only girl in the middle of four brothers. While at BYU I married my amazing husband Aaron and just a few weeks ago we had a little girl named June. I love being in the mountains skiing or hiking and I enjoy making and eating delicious food. My favorite part of being at BYU was being a TA for the Phage Hunters class for three years and doing research with Dr. Grose. I am now looking forward to being a mother and later pursuing graduate studies.
Who were your greatest supporters while earning this degree?
My parents and family, my husband Aaron, and Dr. Julianne Grose
What advice do you have for incoming freshmen at BYU?
Take phage hunters! It is a great way to get a taste for what research is like. I would also suggest finding a lab that does research you are interested in and getting involved right away.
While you’re at BYU appreciate the spiritual aspect of school here. Learning and living by the Spirit is such a blessing.
And get outside! We have the best mountains near Provo and especially during these crazy times, getting outside and enjoying nature is so needed.
How has your experience at BYU prepared you for the rest of your life?
Being at BYU has helped me to learn how to become a lifelong learner. While here I have learned not to be afraid of surrounding myself with people who are smarter than I am. It can be intimidating but it is a good way to learn. If you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing or that you’re not as smart as everyone else then you’re probably in a good situation to learn a lot.
While here as a biology student I have also gained a greater appreciation for life! As I learn more about the complexities of life and how beautifully everything works together I am in awe of the Creator. I have also had opportunities to see some areas where it seems that science and religion don’t agree but I have been able to work through them and be okay with not having all the answers right now. I have found that if we address our questions with faith, learning more about science can be a faith building experience rather than a faith-harming one.