Dr. Marlene Healey has been in charge of the Research in Molecular Genetics program at Pascack Valley since the inception of the course 18 years ago. However, many students do not know the background and passion of the teacher behind it all.

The research program is an elective course for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in which students have the opportunity to further their knowledge in the biology field. The class provides students with the opportunity to expand their knowledge of biology. 

Healey heavily enjoys interacting and watching each of her students grow into their own person. 

“Engaging with [students] and watching [them] become [their] own person is the best part. Watching [students] grow and spark into that young adult [is] such a privilege,” Healey said. 

However, her career did not start with teaching at PV.

Background

At Paramus Catholic High School, Healey had differing opinions about each subject she learned, including math, english, history, and more. 

“I always liked my math classes. In high school I didn’t really like english and history that much, but I had some really great teachers [where] I liked their class because I liked the teachers,” Healey said.

Healey’s pursuit of science as a career stemmed from her natural curiosity about the world around her and her love of nature. But, when she was younger, Healey initially did not consider science a field she wanted to go into. 

“I was always very inquisitive. I asked a lot of questions, and I was interested in the natural world. But, science was taught very differently when I was younger, so there was a lot more memorizing facts and memorizing information, and I wasn’t as good at that. So, I didn’t see a place for me in [science],” Healey said.

Healey attended Bergen Community College right after high school where she studied psychology. It was there that Healey took an Environmental Studies and Field Ecology course that were both taught by her professor Dr. Westman. 

“I think [Dr. Westman] probably had the most influence on me as a student and in my overall pursuits…I didn’t see a place for me in [science] until I went to Bergen Community College and I had [Dr. Westman], who not only showed me that I actually did have the skills to [pursue science], but also that it wasn’t just about memorizing everything,” Healey said. 

After graduating from Bergen Community College with her associate’s degree in psychology, Healey transferred to Stockton University as an environmental studies major. 

“I majored in environmental studies and I got a Bachelor’s of Science. You could have gone two tracks, Bachelor of Arts, which was more politics and policy, and Bachelor of Science, which was more science. So, I worked on [the science track],” Healey said.

After graduating from Stockton University, Healey became a teacher for one and a half years at her alma mater Paramus Catholic, and two years at West Caldwell High School. However, she decided to return to graduate school where she attended Rutgers Medical School and received her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences with a concentration in biochemistry/molecular biology.

“That’s when I [realized] my love was really biochemistry,” Healey said.

Healey, having graduated with her Ph.D. from Rutgers Medical School, began working at Wyeth Pharmaceutical Company, now known as Pfizer. However, she felt her job lacked the human connection that she experienced as a teacher. 

“I was disillusioned with the research industry. [My colleagues and I] all went and did our work, came back, shared, and then went back to work. [I would spend] hours by myself in the lab, and [while] I liked being in the lab, I felt like there was something missing,” Healey said. 

Healey reflects on the time she realized that she wanted to return to teaching, noting that this is what she missed from her job at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

“I had been talking to some of my friends [when] we went out for lunch, and I would always reminisce about my time as a teacher. Then, one of my colleagues said, ‘You seem to love it so much and we need teachers who feel that way [so,] why don’t you go back into teaching?’ Healey said. 

Return to Teaching

Healey was hesitant to return to teaching. 

“I was worried that teaching was not going to [provoke] that curiosity side of me because it was going to be the same material [each year]. I was a little worried that [teaching] would be redundant,” Healey said. 

However, Healey’s ultimate decision to return to teaching was influenced by an article that she had read. 

“I read an article about Dr. Edelberg and this research class he was teaching in [Pascack Hills]… I said, now, ‘if I can find a place where I can [teach a research class], this is what I would do. I would love it,’’’ Healey said. 

After deciding to leave her job at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Healey applied for multiple teaching positions in different districts.

“After a lot of soul searching, I said ‘let me throw some [teaching] applications out there and see what happens,’” Healey said. 

Finally, Healey received a call from Dr. Gundersen, the former PVRHSD superintendent, who offered Healey exactly what she was looking for: the opportunity to teach a research class.

“I’m not somebody who believes in fate, but I do believe that the circumstances were right. The door was open. I said ‘If I’m gonna go back to teaching, that’s where I want to go,’” Healey said.

Healey considers it a laughable coincidence of the time between when she first read Dr. Edelberg’s article, to the time when she was offered the position at PV.

“It was actually kind of funny because the interview [for a position at PV] was only a little while after I saw the article [about Dr. Edelberg’s Research class]. I didn’t put two and two together at first,” Healey said. 

Teaching at PV

Healey describes her teaching style as “tough but fair.” She sympathizes with the stress levels of high school students but believes that each student has the capability of meeting expectations. 

“I think if we show students how to [meet expectations], and we ask them to raise the bar, they’ll raise the bar. And [my students] prove that to me all the time,” Healey said.

Healey also takes teaching inspiration from her childhood teachers; chemistry teacher Mrs. Roth, and english teacher Mrs. Sullivan.

“The thing that [Mrs. Roth and Mrs. Sullivan] did, that I hope I do for my students, is that I don’t let their grade influence how I interact with [them]. So, even though I may have been struggling, they still always made me feel welcome in their class, like they were happy I was there,” Healey said. 

Megan Graziano, Supervisor of Science and Technology at Valley, commends Healey’s ability to help students visualize difficult concepts. Graziano provides an example of how Healey tried to help students in her Honors Biology class visualize the relationship between form and function in cells.

“Dr. Healey actually sat on top of a desk and then she used her chair, trying to pretend like she was eating her food off of the chair, illustrating how that format and function doesn’t match up. But, if you were to use it the way it’s designed, it makes a lot more sense,” Graziano said.

Graziano also admires the way that Healey can make biology understandable to each of her students.

“[Healey] simultaneously has high standards for her students, and she holds her students to those standards while also making it very accessible and understandable. Because of her complex background in research science, she has the ability to explain one concept in several different ways,” Graziano said. 

Graziano’s favorite part about working with Healey is how they “engage each other in meaningful discussions about science, the process of education, and the best ways to positively impact students.”

When asked what her favorite aspect of teaching is, Healey says that teaching kids helps her stay in tune with current events in younger generations. 

“I don’t feel like I’m getting stagnant,” Healey said. 

Healey said that each year she can teach her students while simultaneously learning from them as well. 

“I teach [my students] and [my students] all teach me stuff [with] all [the] projects that [they] do, and the questions that [they] ask…every year I learn new things….it’s a very symbiotic relationship,” Healey said.

Graziano believes that Healey’s Research in Molecular Genetics course is a valuable resource, unlike any other class at Valley. 

“What [Healey] has contributed through the Research in Molecular Genetics class is immeasurable. That course, in my opinion, is one of the most meaningful experiences that a student who’s really interested in science can have. It’s such a unique course,” Graziano said. 

When asked if she could create her “dream class,” Healey hesitated to answer.

“I don’t know if I could tell you,” Healey said. “I feel like I already teach [my dream class].”