About

In 2012 I took an introduction to anthropology class at the Community College of Philadelphia and began considering that I might want to become a scientist. I had always been interested in science, but growing up in South Philadelphia, I rarely encountered people who had actually had scientific careers.

A few years later I graduated from Penn State University with a double major in anthropology and geoscience with a minor in geography. However, I felt isolated when I returned home to Philadelphia. As I prepared for graduate school, I began developing an organization to create community among Black and marginalized people interested in science. In late 2018, I started graduate school at the University of Georgia and co-founded the Black Science Coalition and Institute (B-SCI), a few months later.

Since then, when I’m not focusing on researching how enslaved agriculture impacted soils, I’ve looked to develop my science communication skills. This includes participating in ComSciCon in 2020, Jackson Wild Media Lab 2022, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Fellowship 2024. I’ve also written articles, developed podcasts, and recorded videos. Science communication has become a fundamental passion of mine and I hope any future opportunities include this type of work.