Education:
Duke University, Durham, NC - 2015-2021 - Graduation 2021
Doctor of Philosophy, Biology / Minor: Science & Society
Ripon College, Ripon, WI - Graduation 2015
Bachelor of Arts, Chemistry-Biology Major; Latin Minor - Cum Laude
Awards and Honors:
National Science Foundation (NSF) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: 2023 – Present
Race and the Professions Fellowship (Duke University): 2020 – 2021
2019 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring (Duke University): Spring 2019
AAAS/Science Program for Excellence in Science: 2018 – 2019
Nominee for the Michelle P. Winn Inclusive Excellence Award: Spring 2018
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow: 2017 – 2021
Duke University BioCoRE Scholar: 2015 – 2021
Ripon College McNair Scholar: 2013 – 2015
Ph.D. Dissertation Topic:
Biology Department– Duke University, Durham, NC 2015 – 2021
Dissertation Advisor: David McClay, Ph.D
Dissertation topic – Investigating the Immune System and Colonialism in Sea Urchins
Biology Minor Advisor: Jory Weintraub, Ph.D
Topic – Science & Society
Past Research Experience:
Graduate Program Lab Work – Duke University, Durham, NC Fall 2015-Spring 2016
Rotation PI: David McClay, Ph.D
Topic – Immune cell markers and candidate gene interactions in the sea urchin
Rotation PI: Debra Silver, Ph.D
Topic – Dehosing the basal endfeet: FMRP in radial glial cells of the embryonic mouse
Rotation PI: Kenneth Poss, Ph.D
Topic – Exploring tph1b positive cells in regenerating zebrafish fins
NSF (National Science Foundation) REU - University of Chicago, Chicago, Il Summer 2014
● PI: Edwin Munro, Ph.D
● Topic – The role of VAB-1, NCK-1, and WSP-1 in CHIN-1’s localization and clustering in the C. elegans zygote
McNair Scholars Program - Ripon College, Ripon, WI Summer 2013
● PI: Dr. Barbara Sisson, Ph.D
● Topic – Changes in Rotifer Salinity May Lead to Increased Zebrafish Growth
Publications:
Allen, R.L., R.L. Wallace, and B.E. Sisson. 2016. A rotifer based technique to rear zebrafish larvae in small academic settings. Zebrafish 13(4) 281-286.
Tornini, V.A., J.D. Thompson, R.L. Allen, and K.D. Poss. 2017. Live fate-mapping of joint-associated fibroblasts visualizes expansion of cell contributions during zebrafish fin regeneration. Development 144 2889-2895.
Policy Brief Primary Author: Raymond L. Allen - Duke SciPol, “Prevention of Escapement of Genetically Altered Salmon in the United States Act (HR 206, 115th Congress)” available at http://scipol.duke.edu/content/prevention-escapement-genetically-altered-salmon-united-states-act-hr-206-115th-congress-0 (07/25/2017).
Sosa, Karla; Quarles, Brandie; Notar, Julia; Gartner, Valerie; Simha, Anita; Allen, Raymond; Carley, Lauren N. (2020): Duke Biology IDEA Anti-Racism in Science Initiative. figshare. Online resource. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13003163
Sosa, Karla; Quarles, Brandie; Notar, Julia; Gartner, Valerie; Simha, Anita; Allen, Raymond; Carley, Lauren N. (2020): Duke Biology IDEA Actions for Racial Equity Demands. figshare. Online resource. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13003181
Simha, Anita; Allen, Raymond; Carley, Lauren N. (2021): Introduction to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-racism in Biology Syllabus. figshare. Online resource. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13611287
Allen, R. L., A.N. George, E. Miranda, T.M. Phillips, J.M Crawford, D.P. Kiehart, and D.R. McClay. 2022. Wound repair in sea urchin larvae involves pigment cells and blastocoelar cells. Developmental Biology 491 56-65.
Allen, R. L. 2025. Academic training took me away from my Indigenous homeland—but I found my way back. Science 389(6759) 542.
Specialized Coursework and Certifications:
Biology of Parasitism: Modern Approaches (Marine Biological Laboratory; Class of 2025)
Indigenous Peoples as Subjects/Objects (University of Alberta-Faculty of Native Studies)
Wisconsin Boating Safety Education Certification
Ojibwemowin 1 & 2 (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University)
Graphic Design for Biologists (Duke University)
Online Teaching (Duke University Summer Academy)
Introduction to Technology Policy & Ethics (Duke University)
Gene Regulatory Networks for Development (Marine Biological Laboratory; Class of 2016)
Graduate Presentations:
Oral Presentation: The roles of Macrophage Migratory Inhibitory Factors (MIFs) in sea urchin development
Authors: Raymond L. Allen, Michael Wen, and David R. McClay
Concurrent session: Evolution, the Immune System and the Origins of Symbiosis
July 10, 2020 Society for Developmental Biology 79th Annual meeting; Online
Oral Presentation: Investigating cell reprogramming in the sea urchin embryo
Authors: Raymond L. Allen, Michael Wen, David R. McClay
November 2019 Duke Biology – DCMB Seminar; Durham, NC
Poster Presentations: Early mouth specification in the sea urchin embryo
Authors: Raymond L. Allen, Allison Edgar, and David R. McClay
July 2018 6th Annual North Carolina BioCoRE Symposium; Durham, NC
October 2018 2018 National SACNAS Conference; San Antonio, Texas
October 2018 Developmental Biology of the Sea Urchin XXV; Woods Hole, MA
Oral Presentation: Marine invertebrates & their place in the world of research
Authors: Raymond L. Allen, Allison Edgar, and David R. McClay
June 2018 Duke’s Office of Biomedical Graduate Diversity/BioCoRE Retreat
Oral Presentation: Cellular reprogramming in the sea urchin embryo after injury
Authors: Raymond L. Allen, Riley J. Reardon, Julian Kimura, and David R. McClay
October 2017 2017 National SACNAS Conference; Salt Lake City, Utah
Oral Presentation: Cell reprogramming in the urchin embryo after PMC removal and embryo bisection
Authors: Raymond L. Allen, Riley J. Reardon, and David R. McClay
April 2017 Developmental Biology of the Sea Urchin XXIV; Woods Hole, MA
Graduate Internships and Workshop Experiences:
Summer Internship for INdigenous Peoples in Genomics – Uni of Illinois Urbana-Champagne Summer 2019
A week-long workshop for Indigenous scientists and leaders
Topics included ethical, legal & social implications; scientific & laboratory sessions; and professionalization sessions
2019 AAAS Catalyzing Advocacy in Science & Engineering (CASE) Workshop – Washington, D.C. Fall 2019
A program designed to teach STEM students about science policy and advocacy
Learned about the structure and organization of Congress, the federal budget, effective science communication and civic engagement
French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) – Villefranche-sur-Mer, France May 2018
Interned as an international researcher at the Villefranche Oceanographic Laboratory in the Developmental Biology Research Unit in the lab of Dr. Jenifer Croce
Learned new research methods for studying the European species (P. lividus) of sea urchin in order enhance PhD thesis work
Outreach:
Allen, R., Connor, C., and Weibert, C. (Hosts). (2023, Mar 20). Pokescience - Converging Divergencies [Audio podcast episode]. In PikaScience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ggjadKcaooaJng95JysAa?si=7a8223344ead436a
Allen, R., Nicole, B., and Collins, M. (Hosts). (2023, Mar 6). Pokescience - 12 things Hera hates about Heracles [Audio podcast episode]. In PikaScience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1QT6rX87CkMIB2PDnaPMTH?si=f5c65d1a3a774161
Allen, R., Beuschlein, J., and Weibert, C. (Hosts). (2023, Feb 13). Pokescience - Invasive Monsters and Beasts, Oh My! [Audio podcast episode]. In PikaScience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dD50on33WR9Ms80VbXiB6?si=b97b882e6cb14acf
Allen, R., Nicole, B., and Collins, M. (Hosts). (2023, Jan 23). PokeScience - GMM (Genetically Modified Monsters) [Audio podcast episode]. In PikaScience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0LbByJLbDrUyy1WiHAgO1U?si=2ca8831964a2402b
Allen, R., and Collins, M. (Hosts). (2023, Jan 18). Who’s That Podcast Host - Ray [Audio podcast episode]. In PikaScience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0sYuq3DJvqv7J7rB8l91gy?si=d2afed1a7e0d4815
Collins, M., and Czech, D. (Hosts). (2020, Aug 18). Urchin for a Win [Audio podcast episode]. In PikaScience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7GbDtcM70aWMEfSSffWIBB?si=GaFI5h1uRz2WPIWe6-pR6Q