On Episode 28 of Black in Science, I spoke with Alex Troutman who recently graduated with his Master’s degree in Conservation Biology from Georgia Southern University. To start, Alex discusses the details of his childhood while growing up in Austell, Georgia before transitioning to his time as an undergraduate Biology major at Georgia Southern University. After sharing the specifics of multiple marine, wildlife and conservation employment opportunities he received before starting graduate school, Alex outlines his Master’s research project assessing the arthropod communities within the nests of seaside sparrows residing in salt marshes. Following this, Alex shares his experience applying for grant funding before outlining the community outreach work he does for the Black in Marine Science platform. To conclude, Alex expresses his feelings on the importance of leaning into discomfort, being unapologetically yourself and practicing patience.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Alex’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact him with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @n8ture_al

Twitter: @BlackinMarSci

Instagram: @n8ture_al

Instagram: @blackinmarinescience

On Episode 27 of Black in Science, I spoke with Dr. Gregory Carr, who currently occupies a joint position as a Lead Investigator at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, as well as Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Science at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. To start, Dr. Carr recounts his childhood while growing up in Providence, Rhode Island before segueing into his time as an undergraduate neuroscience major at Kenyon College in Ohio. After sharing the details of his Ph.D dissertation work in the Neuroscience program at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Carr describes the schizophrenia research his lab currently focuses on as part of the Drug Discovery and Development group within the Lieber Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. To conclude, Dr. Carr discloses his feelings on the importance of bolstering your network, identifying mentors and getting experience as early as you can.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Dr. Carr’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact him with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Twitter: @gregcarrneuro

Email: [email protected]

On Episode 26 of Black in Science, I sat down with Dr. Cerrone Foster, who is a newly-tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at East Tennessee State University. To open, Dr. Foster discusses her childhood while growing up in Newark, New Jersey before segueing into her time as an undergraduate biology major at The College of New Jersey. After sharing the details of a summer experience that prompted a change in direction from a career in medicine to a future in research, Dr. Foster rehashes the dissertation work she did for her Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at East Tennessee State University. To conclude, Dr. Foster describes the cardiovascular research her lab currently focuses on before sharing her feelings on the importance of dreaming big, knowing when to move on and nurturing a positive mindset.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Dr. Foster’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact her with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Twitter: Dr_Cerrone

Email: [email protected]

On Episode 25 of Black in Science, I sat down with Dr. Jeremy C. Williams, who’s currently on a pre-tenure sabbatical from his position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology and Kent State University. To open, Dr. Williams recounts his childhood while growing up in Atlanta, Georgia before transitioning into his time as an undergraduate at Hampton University. After sharing what moment motivated him to switch from pre-med to a Marine and Environmental Science major, Jeremy shares his experience as a Ph.D candidate in the Environmental Science program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. After Dr. Williams recounts his time as a post-doc at Ohio State University, he then segues into the research his lab currently focuses on regarding the Permian Triassic Extinction and Black Shale Geochemistry. To close things out, Jeremy describes his mental health struggles in the midst of the pandemic before disclosing his thoughts on the importance of being unapologetic about your passions and persevering through trials and tribulations

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Jeremy’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact him with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Twitter: drjdubbz

Email: [email protected]

On Episode 24 of Black in Science, I reunited with future Dr. Ralph White III to recap our year in 2021 and share some updates for our own podcasts in 2022. To open, Ralph and I both detail our plans for the Christmas holiday before rehashing our experiences in the first year of our podcasts. After sharing our future goals and the changes we each plan to implement on our platforms in the upcoming year, Ralph discloses the current status of his thesis research and plans for graduation. To conclude, both Ralph and I contribute a few words of wisdom about the importance of staying focused on your goals while enjoying the ride and trusting yourself to know what’s best for you.

If you’re interested in staying up to date on Scientifically Sound and exploring all of the podcast’s available content, feel free to follow the platform on:

Twitter: @4thesci_sound

Twitter (personal): @RalphWhiteIII

Instagram: @scientificallysound

Tiktok: @scientificallysound

On Episode 23 of Black in Science, I sat down with Dr. Chantel Nicolas, who recently established Nerd Startup Incubator, an organization that assists aspiring entrepreneurs in establishing their own side businesses. To open, Dr. Nicolas discusses her childhood while growing up in Brooklyn with a Haitian immigrant family before transitioning into her time at Barnard college as an undergraduate chemistry major. Before segueing into her postdoctoral work as a computational chemist and data scientist at the CDC, Dr. Nicolas delves into her Ph.D. dissertation research while attending Clark Atlanta University. After rehashing the details of her journey towards developing her startup company, Dr. Nicolas closes by sharing her advice on the importance of understanding your purpose and working towards your ideal lifestyle.

Be sure to register for Dr. Nicolas’ free Expert to Entrepreneur Master Class: How to Launch your Nerdy Side Business while Holding Down your Busy 9 to 5, which debuts December 14th at 7pm EST.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Chantel’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact her with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Twitter: @nerdincubator

Instagram: @nerdincubator

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://nerdstartupincubator.com/

On Episode 22 of Black in Science, I spoke with Dr. Alexandra Lacey who’s currently working as a toxicologist for the global energy company, Shell. To open, Dr. Lacey discusses her childhood while growing up in the Detroit metropolitan area before segueing into her time in undergrad as a Biology major at Lake Forest College. After sharing her experience while pursuing her Ph.D. at Texas A&M’s School of Toxicology, Dr. Lacey discusses the details of her current regulatory position and her motives for establishing the Black in Toxicology group on Twitter. Before closing things out, Dr. Lacey discloses her feelings on the importance of following your passion, guarding your mental health and being flexible when it comes to your future plans.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Dr. Lacey’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact her with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @BlackinToxico

Twitter (Personal): @BlackToxDoc

On Episode 21 of Black in Science, I spoke with Charise Johnson, who’s currently working as a Policy and Advocacy Lead at Julie’s Bicycle, a non-profit organization that bridges arts and culture with the fight against the climate crisis. To open, Mrs. Johnson recounts her childhood while growing up all over the US before transitioning into her undergraduate experience at multiple institutions as a Psychology major. After discussing her experience as a Master’s student at American University in the Environmental Science program, Charise shares the details of her science policy work at various organizations in the DC metropolitan area. Before describing the responsibilities of her current position, Mrs. Johnson recaps her experience pursuing a career in science policy and environmental advocacy in London, UK. To close things out, Charise outlines the focus of the environmental network she co-founded with other women of color, entitled Solidaritree, before expressing her feelings on the importance of utilizing the resources available to you, recognizing your self worth and following your dreams.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Charise’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact her with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @charisejeanine_

Instagram: @charisejeanine_

If you’re interested in learning more about Solidaritree, feel free to check out their multiple platforms at:

Website:https://www.solidaritree.uk/

Instagram: @solidaritree_

Twitter: @solidaritree1

On Episode 20 of Black in Science, I sat down with Dr. Pascale Guiton, who’s currently an Assistant Professor at California State University, East Bay. To open, Dr. Guiton recounts her childhood while growing up in the Ivory Coast before transitioning into her time as an undergraduate Biological Sciences major at Georgia State University. After discussing the work she did for her Ph.D from Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Pascale shares her experience as a post-doc at Stanford University while studying Toxoplasma gondii. While describing the toxo research her lab currently investigates, Dr. Guiton expresses her feelings on the importance of being yourself, taking initiative and having good mentors.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to Pascale’s episode of the podcast and wish to contact her with questions, feel free to reach out via:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @DrGuiton

Website: https://guitonlab.com