Professor Haofei Yu is an assistant professor of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. He earned a bachelor of science degree in environmental engineering from Hangzhou Dianzi University, a master of science degree in environmental engineering from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, and a PhD in Environmental Health from the University of South Florida. After conducting postdoctoral research at Pacific Northwest National Lab and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Professor Yu launched his faculty career, where he now is the principal investigator of the Air Quality Research Lab at UCF. His research interests are pollutant emission estimation, air quality modeling, air pollution measurements, and exposure and health impact estimation.

Professor Heather Holmes is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. She earned her Bachelor and Master of science degrees, and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, with emphasis in environmental fluid dynamics. Professor Holmes’ research group uses ground-based sensors, atmospheric models, and satellite remote sensing to investigate atmospheric physics, air pollution sources, transport, and dispersion, and provide data for human health and public policy assessments. She has a history of collaborative research with the objectives of improving the understanding of air pollution exposure and understanding regulatory impacts on ambient air pollution concentrations.

Mrs. Kimberly Ajy is the President and Partner of River 2 Tap, Inc. (R2T), a full-service engineering firm that provides engineering and consulting services to public and private sector clients, with offices in Georgia, Florida, and Pennsylvania. R2T is in its 17th year in business. Their services include conceptual planning, design development, regulatory compliance, watershed and stormwater management, and design-build construction and operations phase services. R2T is a certified Small Disadvantaged Business with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. In 2018, Kim was awarded the Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence (LACE) Trailblazer Award by the Greater Women's Business Council, which is awarded in recognition of Certified Women Business Enterprise owners who are pillars in their communities, contributing their time and talent to mentoring, partnerships, volunteerism and supporting other Women Business Enterprises. In 2022, Kim was received the 100 most influential women in engineering award in Georgia.

Ms. Deyadira Arellano, is as a Community Building Consultant with the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, a grassroots organization in the Inland Empire that supports local organizing, and regional and national coalitions. She is an experienced organizer with over 10 years of service, and her work supports both urban and rural communities. Her work as a community organizer includes work at the intersection of issues such as environmental justice, immigration, public education, labor, and gender justice. Deyadira’s Mexico and Texas roots help her to bridge Gulf Coast and West Coast communities through collective decision making and other advocacy efforts.

Dr. Jeremy T. Feaster is a Research Staff Scientist and Principal Investigator in the Materials Science Division at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His research focuses on utilizing advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, and electrochemical reactor design to tackle climate change and energy application challenges, including converting CO2 from air into sustainable chemicals and fuels. Dr. Feaster earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University in 2018 and 2015, respectively, and completed his B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2011. A passionate proponent of uplifting communities of color, he started the Jeremy T. Feaster Foundation to amplify a culture of “lift as you climb” in 2012. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Feaster Foundation awards scholarships and provides mentorship to Black and underrepresented students across the nation who are driven to serve their community and help their fellow peers. Donate to the Feaster Foundation or sign up to volunteer: https://www.feasterfoundation.org/

In this episode, I give my reflections on moving institutions pre-tenure and in the middle of a pandemic. If you were wondering about my experiences so far, questioning whether a move is right for you before tenure, or curious about differences across two unique University of California campuses, this episode addresses all these points.

In this episode, I go under the academic hood to talk about the hidden research taxes often incurred by BIPOC scholars, namely academics. I discuss three main taxes: 1) picking your brain, 2) being a hidden figure, and 3) inappropriate citations. While we are familiar with service taxes, research taxes are more nuanced and may be hidden behind the guise of inclusivity. Are you currently in doubt about whether or not your research contributions are being adequately recognized in tangible and quantifiable ways? Hopefully, this episode will help you identify and avoid hidden research taxes.