The Research Her

Dr. Arianna C. Stokes graduated from Jackson State University with her B.S. in History Education. While at Jackson State University, she was active in several organizations. Throughout her undergraduate career, both through organizations and independently, she gave service to children and those in need.

In May of 2018, she received her M.Ed. in Educational Technology from Belhaven University. She is an advocate for frequent technology use in the classroom. On August 3rd, Dr. Stokes defended her dissertation "Faculty Perceptions of Persistence Among African American Students Enrolled in Distance Education Courses at Community Colleges."

Dr. Stokes chaired the 8th Annual Graduate Research Conference for the Executive Ph.D. Program at Jackson State University. She has accepted a position at the Mississippi Community College Board as a Professional Development Specialist in the Division of eLearning and Instructional Technology

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Instagram: @_drstokes

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Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer -

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

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In the episode, we discuss

• the research behind hair drug tests and cultural bias.
• how hair products that are mainly used by people of African descent can bathe drugs in the environments on the hair
• what leads to higher rates of false-positive drug test results for Black people

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show sources:

JONES v. CITY OF BOSTON

Ethnic hair care products may increase false positives in hair drug testingby David A. Kidwell, Frederick P. Smith, Arica R. Shepherd

Title: Owning Your Imposter Status: Biomedical Scientist Turned Education Researcher

Subtitle: The Power of Work Outside of Lab While Pursuing Your PhD

Dr. Kilan C. Ashad-Bishop is a biomedical scientist and advocate for inclusion who has carved her niche at the intersection of science, health, and social change. She is a proud alumna of Morgan State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology, and the University of Miami, where she earned her Ph.D. in Cancer Biology. Dr. Kilan is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development and the Director of College Access for Breakthrough Miami.

Black woman researcher who inspires Dr. Kilan: Beronda L. Montgomery, PhD

In this episode, we discuss:

• The importance of participating in activities and finding a passion outside of your Ph.D. studies despite societal norms.
• How to secure letters of recommendation when you have a challenging relationship with your research advisor.
• Her experience getting a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology and transitioning to a postdoc in Education and Human Development

Connect with her:

Website: kilanbishop.com/

Instagram: @kilanbishop

Twitter: @kilanbishop

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

More about Dr. Kilan

Dr. Kilan's professional experience spans academic research, policy, and the nonprofit and private sectors, but her goal remains to improve the health and well being of communities of color.

Dr. Kilan is an outspoken advocate for equity and inclusion in health, science and society and the responsibility of science (and scientists) to advance positive social change. She is a regular volunteer and advisor to various K-12 and collegiate STEM programs designed to mentor, uplift, and support the next generation of scientists. In this interest, Dr. Kilan co-founded STEMNoire, a research and wellness community for Black women in STEM. Her advocacy efforts are interdisciplinary, as she also serves as the Vice Chair of the City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee, where she leverages her research background and community outreach to advance policies that prioritize low-income communities in resilience planning.

Ebony Butler, Ph.D., a native of Mississippi, is a Licensed Psychologist and Food Relationship Strategist who has made it her mission to help women of color heal and thrive in the areas of trauma and diet recovery. Dr. Ebony is a visionary and teacher. Dr. Ebony earned her B.S in Psychology from Jackson State University and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston.

In this episode, we discuss

• the need to direct research to the community that it is done upon.
• her desire to see more scientists reach back to the community that they studied and thank them for allowing research to be done.
• demystifying the idea of "food addiction" by looking at how we view it and our relationship to it.
• reasons why you need to pay attention to the origins of the diets that you select.
• why she focused on mindset, triggers, and habits with clients and beyond.

More about Ebony

Dr. Ebony specializes in guiding women to develop skills that increase their effectiveness in interpersonal interactions, including communication and asking for/getting what they want and need. Dr. Ebony is specifically interested in issues that impact marginalized communities, including minority women and LGBTQ+ persons.

Given the extensive amount of attention placed on body size and dieting in our society, Dr. Ebony understands how these pressures can impact one's relationship with food and their bodies. Thus, Dr. Ebony is passionate about helping others recover from diet culture while also learning to shape their health in a more empowered manner.

Connect with her:

Website: drebony.com

Instagram: @drebonyonline

Facebook: @drebonyonline

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Malika Grayson (@drmalikagrayson) is a STEM speaker, engineer, and author who has her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University where she became the 2nd black woman in Cornell's history (and 1st Black American) to receive her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. She is inspired by another great sister of ours Dr. Jedidah Islah.

On this episode, we discuss

• How Dr. Grayson's got started on her book Hooded: A Black Girl's Guide to the Ph.D.
• The origin of her blog Black Girls Guide to Grad School being on outlet for the trauma experienced while working on her Ph.D.
• Her experience leading students for the first time and feeling intimidated.
• Being supported by Black women and men as she transitioned into her small university.

Dr. Grayson also leaves us with these three tips to guide us through grad school:

1. Leverage your undergraduate experience or take undergraduate courses
2. Get a study group that you can depend on
3. Find a mentor who does not look like you

Listen for more about Dr. Malika Grayson

Dr. Malika Grayson's Book: Hooded: A Black Girl's Guide to the Ph.D.

More about Dr. Malika Grayson

As an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Alumna Scholar, Dr. Grayson has been the recipient of many awards including the Zellman Warhaft Commitment to Diversity Award, National Society of Black Engineers – Mike Shin Award for Distinguished Member of the Year, Adelphi University's Top 10 Alumni Under 10 and BEYA STEM's Modern Day Technology Leader. Since her Ph.D., Malika has been working in the defense industry as a systems engineer and most recently, an application portfolio manager.

Malika is a STEM advocate and is passionate about increasing the number of minority women who pursue advanced degrees. Her passion can be seen through her blog (@blackgirlsguide2gradschool) where she reviews personal statements and scholarship essays free of charge. She has reviewed over 100 essays and has mentored a number of women through the essay writing process.

Through her LLC Steminist Empowered, she has shared her journey as a black woman in STEM on a number of platforms and collaborates frequently with universities to speak on topics including Impostor Syndrome, Activating Your Network, and Mentor/Sponsor Relationships. Malika is also a 40 Under 40 Youth Influencer in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago for her work in STEM. Her graduate school experiences are further highlighted in her book 'HOODED: A Black Girl's Guide to the Ph.D.' launched September 30th.

Connect with her

Website: blackgirlsguide2gradschool.com

Website: malikagrayson.com

Instagram: @drmalikagrayson

Twitter: @BGG2gradschool

LinkedIn: MalikaGrayson

Connect with me

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

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In this episode with McKenzie Stokes, we start off learning that researchers who inspire her are Dr. Elan Hope, Dr. Qiana Cryer-Coupet, and Kimberlé Crenshaw.

McKenzie Stokes and Dr. Elissia Tenea discuss:

• Why the Intersectionality Theory coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw is understudied.
• How closeness to one's mother contributes to racial identity
• The research surrounding racial socialization for multiracial youth
• The psychological trauma of being questioned about one's Blackness
• How racial identity impacts the wellbeing of college-aged Black students at PWI's

About McKenzie

McKenzie Stokes is a first-generation college graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University. There, she studied Psychology and African American Studies. She is now a Doctor of Applied Social and Community Psychology candidate at North Carolina State University.

McKenzie's research examines the role of race-based protective factors (e.g. racial socialization, racial identity), race-based risk factors (e.g. racial discrimination, racial trauma), and parent-child relationships on the wellbeing of racially marginalized adolescents. She specifically hopes to disrupt narratives of racial essentialism in this work and the world more generally.

Connect with her:

Instagram: @becomingdrstokes

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

We often ask those who are in STEM why they chose their field, but we don't ask why people didn't choose STEM. Research often focuses on understanding younger people's decisions related to STEM. Adults are often left out of the conversation. Raven Baxter decided that she would probe this idea during her PhD studies.

Black women rarely see themselves represented as scientists in the media. Raven the Science Maven showed women her video "Big Ole Geeks" and got their response. She wanted to know whether Black women would have been more likely to choose STEM and feel more represented. In this episode, we learn about this study. We also talk about why twerking is important for Black women.

Raven got pursued two PhD programs at the University of Buffalo. We discuss how Raven decided to go from studying Cellular and Molecular Biology to working on a PhD in Science Communication. During her time working in an industry laboratory, she was faced with racial charges, which really inspired her to find the perfect research environment for her. She speaks about her accomplishments as a STEM-themed music creator.

More about Raven

Raven Baxter is a nationally acclaimed science communicator and molecular biologist who works to progress the state of science culture by creating spaces that are fun, educational, and real. She is recognized as a global influencer in Fortune Magazine's 40 Under 40 list for 2020.

She is known for her unique style of combining science, music, and cultural awareness as an entertaining content creator and musician as Raven the Science Maven. She creates STEM-themed music that teaches and empowers both students and professionals in STEM and beyond. Raven speaks internationally to students, educators and leaders about the importance of STEM diversity and innovation in science education.

Raven is the founder of STEMbassy, a science advocacy organization that embraces a diverse and accomplished membership of scientists, engineers, and tech professionals that serve the next generation of STEM as leaders and mentors. She is also the founder of BlackInSciComm, an organization that works to build relationships in the science community, equipping others with the knowledge and resources necessary to share science with the world in their own flavor.

Connect with her:

Instagram: @raventhesciencemaven

Twitter: @ravenscimaven

Facebook: @raventhesciencemaven

Website: scimaven.com

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

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In the episode, Teressa Alexander shares her journey from being an associate degree student to a Ph.D. student. She talks to us about her many research endeavors. After working for a challenging advisor, she knew what to look for as she searched for more research opportunities.

She talks to us about how in one of her studies one of her test subjects started giving birth in the midst of an experiment. She talks to us about how an email got her at Harvard doing research and he difficult time getting into graduate school.

ABOUT HER

Teressa Alexander is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in plant physiology at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. Teressa did her undergraduate degree in physics at Morgan State University while working in research labs studying cancer biology and insect biomechanics. After graduation she spent two years as a research fellow at Harvard, discovering a passion for plant physiology. Her desire to work on tropical plant models drew her to the West Indies. Here, she focuses on linking genotypic differences to drought tolerance in Cacao trees (Theobroma cacao) under climate change.

Teressa has always had a strong desire to contribute to the significant upliftment of women and girls in science, build a network of Caribbean STEM professionals, and engage Caribbean youth in STEM. She co-founded STEMNoire, a scientific research conference and retreat for women within the African diaspora. Further, in an effort to amplify Caribbean voices in STEM and inspire Caribbean youth, she founded STEM Caribbean Media. Alexander also hopes through the communication of her scientific research, she can educate persons on the importance of farmers and the effects of climate change on this generation.

Connect with her:

Facebook: Teressa Melca

Instagram: @teressamelca

LinkedIn: Teressa Alexander

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

TikTok: @TheResearchHer

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. We are starting a crowdfunding campaign to provide Black women in graduate school funding to pay for 6 months of therapy. If you want to contribute $0.50 to the Black women's therapy fund, you can send payments to the following accounts.

CashApp - $ElissiaF

Paypal - [email protected]

Venmo - @researchher

To improve the content of The Research Her podcast, please fill out this survey.

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In this episode, I give an update about The Podcast and our feature in Blavity News. We talk about our new crowdfunding campaign to improve the wellbeing for Black women. I give an update on my mental health and academic status. I also give an update on why we need you to complete the listener survey.

Episode 40 of The Research Her - Science of WAP

Blavity Article

Listen Survey

Slack Community

Paper published in Analyst

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Dr. Korie Grayson is a biomedical engineer and a diversity advocate for women in STEM. She is a proud alumna of the HBCU Norfolk State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. Korie recently obtained her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University where she researched the "Cellular Delivery of TRAIL to Treat Metastatic-Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer."

During her grad school career, Dr. Grayson was the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Graduate Coordinator and a Graduate Resident Fellow for the West Campus Housing system that helped create a positive, vibrant, and academically engaging residential community. Korie has been awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, along with the Robert Mozia Graduate Distinguished Service Award and Graduate Student of the Year from the Diversity Programs in Engineering Department at Cornell University. Korie is the Diversity Chair for @womendoingscience, an IG account that showcases women in STEM from all over the world, and she is on the planning council for STEMNoire, a holistic wellness and research retreat for Black women in STEM. Recently, Korie accepted a postdoctoral research fellow position at the University of Michigan under the tutelage of Dr. Lola Eniola-Adefeso in Chemical Engineering. She will be starting there in the Fall."

Connect with her:

Instagram: @teamkorie

Twitter: @teamkorie

Website: koriegrayson.com

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Ways to subscribe to The Research Her podcast

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Apple

Stitcher

Spotify

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Have feedback?

Download the FREE "The Research Her" APP on iOS and Android (to directly send feedback)

Email [email protected]