018: Juan overcame isolation as a graduate student to ultimately build a fantastic network of friends and become the chair of his department at the University of Florida

Juan struggled with being the only African American PhD student but used this to build a network and expand his way of thinking by interacting with people from many other backgrounds. He credits this with improving the way that he thinks and works.

Juan is the Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor and Chair of the Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department at the University of Florida where he leads the Human-Experience Research Lab.

Biggest Struggle

Isolation, he was the only African American PhD student in computer science in the department and  in the country at the time.

Worst Moment

His adviser left the university and he ended up switching to a different university.

Best Moment

Finishing but also getting the opportunity to go to a new school and work on a new project after his adviser left the university.

Mindful Minutes Segment

Habit: Curiosity and the drive to find answers.

Book:  Read a CV of someone that you want to have a similar job to.

Productivity Tool: Google Calendar, group meeting account, email, and other technology.

Best Advice:  Don't give up, just keep going!

Hobbies:  Exercise, watch movies and hangout with the family, and fish

Alternative PhD study:  He

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Intro and Outro Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music - Happy Rock