Happy Tuesday, everyone! In this episode of Grad Pod, Haya sits down with Annie Hinson, a fifth-year PhD candidate in Microbiology and Immunology at VCU and one of the 2025 COVES Fellows. From finding her “why” in oral health advocacy to building networks and stepping into legislative spaces, this episode explores how graduate students like Annie can expand their impact beyond academia and into real-world change through the Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Fellowship.
HAYA: There's a moment in every graduate student's journey when they realize their work doesn't just belong in the lab, or in the classroom. It belongs out in the world. Maybe it's that time that you explained your research to someone outside your field and aw their eyes light up, or maybe you've felt it in those moments when the work you're doing feels like it could shift something in your community, in policy, or in how we imagine the future to be.
HAYA: Welcome to the Grad Pod and happy Tuesday, everyone! Today we're spotlighting one of the most exciting opportunities available to VCU graduate students, the COVES Fellowship, a program that brings science and policy together in a way that's tangible, relevant, and deeply impactful. The COVES Fellowship or Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science Fellowship is a 12 week experience offered through the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine, or VASEM.
It's designed for graduate students and postdocs who want to see how their academic training can translate into real-world problem solving and legislative offices, and executive agencies, nonprofits, and companies right here in Virginia!
Fellows work alongside policy makers, conduct research that directly informs decision making, and learn how to translate complex ideas into accessible and actionable information. They also get paired with a mentor from VASEM, someone who's been in their shoes and now helps guide the next generation of science policy leaders.
Annie Hinson is a fifth-year candidate for PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, and she is one of the 2025 Cubs fellows. Annie will be spending the summer working on the front lines of science policy. She was placed in the Virginia Health Catalyst organization. This Fellowship offers an opportunity for people like Annie to expand their impact beyond just our campus here at VCU, beyond their disciplines, and into the heart of where decisions are being made.
So let's get into it. Today we are sitting down with Annie Hinson to talk about the road that led her here and what excites her about the CS Fellowship and how she's hoping to grow through this experience.
HAYA: Welcome to the grad Pod, Annie!
ANNIE: Hi. Thanks for having me.
HAYA: Yeah, so let's get into it. Can you tell us a little bit about your academic background to begin with, and what brought you here to VCU?
ANNIE: Yeah, so actually for me, since like early in childhood, school has always been my safe place. Like somewhere where I felt grounded and in control, and that early connection to learning gave me a sense of purpose. And, then after that, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a kid and from that, I started asking a lot of questions about health and the science behind it.
That curiosity never really left me. Um, it's what eventually pulled me into biomedical research, and as someone who's the first in their family to take this path, I'm a first-gen student. I've had to learn how to be resourceful, resilient, and how to define success on my own terms. In undergrad that I started doing research, and that's when I really fell in love with research.
And then I was like, well, I guess I'm gonna go to grad school. And, I started looking around and I did a tour of VCU and I met with one of the, directors of our program, the microbiology and immunology program. And I just fell in love. I felt like they could be a good mentor, and this could be a good place to, you know, conduct research for my graduate studies.
And so I applied and coming to VCU for my PhD felt like the right move because it's been a place where I can grow as a scientist and explore how research connects to real-world impact. And, I've been able to dig deep into not only the research, but also like branching out into professional development, community engagement, mentorship, and now obviously science policy.
And that's something that kind of brings everything that I care about together.
HAYA: Wonderful. Thank you for sharing that. And so, speaking of the COVES Fellowship, which you know, does combine a lot of community engagement, scientific values, and pretty much everything that you came here to pursue at VCU, how did you come about this experience specifically?
Or this fellowship specifically, and how did you go about getting matched into the placement? And then maybe tell us a little bit about, you know, what you're gonna be doing once you start the fellowship officially this summer?
ANNIE: Yeah, absolutely. So I realized, by like my third year, I wanted to find something outside of academia.
And so I was, you know, looking up different careers, and I came across like science, communication, science policy, and it never really occurred to me that was a possibility. And I just, so, I just kept doing some research, and then I came across the COVES Fellowship. It's only been happening. I think for the last six years, maybe.
But after like looking through it and doing some research on it, I also reached out to either other people that have done it or just other people that have experience with science policy, whether they are actually like in a career of science policy or if they're just a, you know, postdoc or graduate student that dabbles in science policy. So, that’s kind of how I came about it.
And with the fellowship, they, so you apply and if you know, if you get it, then you go through this interview process. So with the, uh, variety of host offices that are participating for the year, You pick at least eight of them. You can obviously pick more, but at least eight you do interviews with them and they'll give you project descriptions of things you could be working on that summer.
So, for instance, one project that I could have worked on is gambling prevention in Virginia, with the department of behavioral health, which was pretty cool. Another project was with the State Council of Higher Education, basically creating a website that's geared towards college and career readiness for students and, so, yeah, you do the the eight interviews and you, out of all the interviews you do, you rank which office you basically would prefer to work with the most. And then the host offices also rank the interviewees, so all of the fellows that they interviewed with.
And for instance, if the host office picks a fellow to be their top choice and that fellow picks that office to be their top choice, it becomes an automatic match, which is how I got matched with my host office. The Virginia Health Catalyst, they're a nonprofit organization. That's their mission is to improve access to comprehensive healthcare, including oral health. And in my graduate studies, I study oral microbiology, which, so I study the bacteria involved in disease, and along this journey.
I've grown a strong appreciation for oral health and advocating for good oral health and dental public health. And so I, I was already aware with of Virginia Health Catalyst and what they do because of my interest in oral health. And, before the fellowship I was reaching out, trying to basically build a network.
So going from academia to science policy, you don't necessarily have a set network. You have to figure that out. So I just started cold emailing anybody and whoever would respond. Um, that's, that I got in touch with them, but one of them was Dr. Brickhouse and she, she's, the advisor for the dental intro to dental public health class, and you have to be a dental student to actually take that class.
Well, after meeting with her, she, allowed me to sit in on that class this semester. And through that I had a few lectures from Virginia Health Catalyst, for instance. One of them was about water fluoridation, and the guest lecturer was Sarah Holland. She's the currently the CEO of Virginia Health Catalyst.
That lecture just stuck with me. She, you know, she started her. Her lectures with why are we in this, in this field? You know, the, the public health, you have to have a reason. You have to have a purpose. You're not here for the money, obviously. You have to, you know, have a reason. And she put up a picture of a little boy, and that little boy died from a tooth infection.
That's a completely preventable infection. The system failed him, and she was like, thiis why I do this, because we can prevent this. This is very much a preventable disease. That's just something that. It sticks with me and it motivates me to, to get involved in this type of field.
HAYA: Thank you for sharing that, Annie.
When you first started talking about, you know, connecting with people who have completed this program, previously or have completed this fellowship previously. I was thinking about the importance of networking, which is something that came up a lot in our conversation with the National Scholarship Office, and you have done a great job of going above and beyond with that and even taking it to new levels where you've connected with the professor of intro to dental public health and how that has allowed you to not only deepen your understanding of the importance of oral health as it relates to microbiology and immunology, but also strengthen your “why”. And so you've done an amazing job of, you know, exemplifying the importance of network. And I, I wanna give you your flowers for that.
Up next, I wanna talk a little bit about your mentorship and growth. Obviously, you've just been doing an amazing job of building that community for yourself and being very resourceful, you yourself, and then building a resourceful community, and that's amazing to hear. You're gonna continue, you know. to grow this community as someone who will be working in public health.
And so I wanna ask you about being paired with your future VASEM mentor through your fellowship and what you're hoping to learn from that relationship.
ANNIE: Yeah, so actually my COVES mentor will be from Virginia Health Catalyst. So I approach mentor-mentee relationships with real intention. I'm not just seeking advice.
It's a chance to learn from their path, their pivots, and the purpose that drives their work. So I'm hoping to, you know, gain that perspective on long, long-term career planning and how to balance technical expertise with that broader impact.
HAYA: You talked a little bit about your why for pursuing this fellowship and your experience, your personal experience with scientific policy and what caused you to start questioning things and wanting to get involved. But for someone who might not have a stronger “why” or a personal story, tell us about why you think it's important for scientists to be involved in policy making, and how does that impact decision making?
ANNIE: Yeah. So, scientists offer a data-driven analytical approach, and that's essential for making informed, effective policy decisions. But science alone isn't enough. Policy needs to reflect both evidence and the lived realities of the people it affects. So. That's why it's so important for scientists to be at the table.
We can help bridge that gap. For instance, I can speak both languages between the data and lived experiences, and I've seen what happens when policy doesn't work for the people who need it most, and I wanna help change that.
HAYA: Awesome. And I'm, I'm sure you will through these experiences and beyond, but how do you think it'll shape your specific career path as someone who has pivoted now into dental public health, and your strong “why”, you know, tell us a little bit about how it's gonna shape your future.
ANNIE: Yeah, so the this fellowship is giving me permission to reimagine what a scientist can be, not just someone in a lab coat, but someone writing legislation or shaping systems and building bridges between research and real-world impact.
It's also reaffirming my commitment to mentorship. And expanding access in STEM and public health spaces. I see my future not just in generating knowledge, but in helping ensure that knowledge reaches the communities who need it and creating pathways for others to do the same.
HAYA: And then last but not least, what are you most excited about for this fellowship?And is there anything that you're particularly stressed about, or you know, something that you're maybe a little hesitant about? You know, we wanna cover the good, the bad, and the ugly.
ANNIE: I'm super excited to just really get in there. I've spent the last five years in the lab, and while I've enjoyed most of it, I'm just ready to try something different and get my foot in the door.
And I, obviously, I've done an interview with Virginia Health Catalyst, so, and I've emailed them a few times and the team seemed. Super great to work with, so that makes it even more exciting On top of the topic itself, like, you know, obviously I would've been excited with any host office, but in particular, like this topic sits.It's close to my heart, so that makes it even better.
Challenges, I think, again, just the fact that I haven't had experience in it and for the last five years I've been in this lab and just so just, you know, stepping outta my comfort zone, trying something new can always be a little nerve wracking, but nothing that I don't think I can handle.
To me, science policy is about turning knowledge into action, making sure discoveries don't just stop at the bench, but they reach the people who need them. I'm excited to help build that bridge and advocate for policies that reflect both evidence and empathy. I hope more scientists realize the incredible impact they can have beyond the lab.
So step up and step into the conversation because change starts with showing up.
HAYA: Awesome. Thank you for sharing that. And you're gonna be such a great asset to the Virginia Health Catalyst. I can't wait to hear about it once you're done, and you know, we'll cover that in a new story as well. So, stay tuned to hear about Annie's experience.
Annie, thank you so much for your time here today, and we wish you the best of luck with your COVES Fellowship.
CREDITS:
Grad Pod is produced by VCU's Graduate School. Haya Hamid is our host. Our producer and editor is Grace Albritton. Our theme music was composed, performed, and recorded by Austin Sellek and Claudia Andrade, students of Felipe Leitao, assistant Professor of Composition and Sound Design at VCU School of the Arts.
Do you have a question for us? Email us at grad school@vcu.edu and we may answer your question on an episode!
Share this post