[2] She earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Chicago in 1989, where she was part of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

[2][4] Whilst at Johns Hopkins University Godwin researched how lead can interact with RNA, causing learning difficulties and behavioural issues.

[7] In the collar counties of Chicago, houses were built before the federal government of the United States passed a law banning lead paint.

[1] This observation is of particular relevance for understanding how lead poisoning impacts children, as zinc binding proteins are of important in child development.

[9] Whilst at Northwestern University Godwin was awarded $1 million from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute program to support students move between high school and college.

She was particularly involved with initiatives that assessed lead poisoning in Chicago's soils, which inspired her focus her research in public health.