Janay Franklin Hunt is a North Carolina native who received her B.S. in Biology from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2017. After undergrad, she transitioned into the NIH Post-baccalaureate Research Program at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she developed an interest in addiction neuroscience, and then went on to pursue her Ph.D. at UNC Chapel Hill in 2018 and was trained by Dr. Kathryn Reissner. In 2024, she completed her thesis work, which focused on understanding the effects of chronic cocaine exposure and withdrawal on astrocyte structure and function from a transcriptomic perspective. Throughout her academic career, Janay has continuously mentored undergraduate students who were interested in pursuing a career in biological and biomedical sciences. Additionally, she has an immense passion for increasing exposure of research advancement opportunities to underrepresented populations and is involved in several outreach organizations that prioritize science education and outreach. As the Assistant Director of the Office for Undergraduate Research, Janay is devoted to helping aspiring researchers in various disciplines obtain academic and professional development opportunities to enhance their preparedness to pursue higher education and careers in research.