Under The Hood with Dr. Sunshine: Recent Episodes
Dr. Sunshine
Welcome everyone to a brand new space for aspiring, current, or retired STEM students and professionals. This is also a space for friends and family of STEM people where you can hear first hand accounts of the behind the scenes experiences of those you care for who have dedicated their working lives to careers in STEM.
Professor Rachel Morello-Frosch is an esteemed professor of environmental health sciences and community health sciences in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. For over 20 years, her research has examined social determinants of environmental health among diverse communities with a focus on inequality, psychosocial stress and how these factors interact with environmental chemical exposures to produce health inequalities. Much of her work has examined this environmental justice question in the context of climate change, ambient air pollution, exposures to environmental chemicals and effects on fetal growth and developmental outcomes, often using community-based participatory research methods for data collection. In collaboration with communities and scientists, Prof. Morello-Frosch has also developed science-policy tools for assessing the cumulative impacts of chemical and non-chemical stressors to improve regulatory decision-making and advance environmental justice. Prof. Morello-Frosch has received numerous awards for her distinguished teaching and research, she and was recently inducted into the National of Academy of Medicine for her “[leadership] in the application of community-engaged data science.”
Professor Rachel Morello-Frosch is an esteemed professor of environmental health sciences and community health sciences in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. For over 20 years, her research has examined social determinants of environmental health among diverse communities with a focus on inequality, psychosocial stress and how these factors interact with environmental chemical exposures to produce health inequalities. Much of her work has examined this environmental justice question in the context of climate change, ambient air pollution, exposures to environmental chemicals and effects on fetal growth and developmental outcomes, often using community-based participatory research methods for data collection. In collaboration with communities and scientists, Prof. Morello-Frosch has also developed science-policy tools for assessing the cumulative impacts of chemical and non-chemical stressors to improve regulatory decision-making and advance environmental justice. Prof. Morello-Frosch has received numerous awards for her distinguished teaching and research, she and was recently inducted into the National of Academy of Medicine for her “[leadership] in the application of community-engaged data science.”
Professor Rachel Morello-Frosch is an esteemed professor of environmental health sciences and community health sciences in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. For over 20 years, her research has examined social determinants of environmental health among diverse communities with a focus on inequality, psychosocial stress and how these factors interact with environmental chemical exposures to produce health inequalities. Much of her work has examined this environmental justice question in the context of climate change, ambient air pollution, exposures to environmental chemicals and effects on fetal growth and developmental outcomes, often using community-based participatory research methods for data collection. In collaboration with communities and scientists, Prof. Morello-Frosch has also developed science-policy tools for assessing the cumulative impacts of chemical and non-chemical stressors to improve regulatory decision-making and advance environmental justice. Prof. Morello-Frosch has received numerous awards for her distinguished teaching and research, she and was recently inducted into the National of Academy of Medicine for her “[leadership] in the application of community-engaged data science.”
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.
Maggy Harake is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the chemical engineering program at Stanford University. She is exploring areas of research focusing on area-selective atomic layer deposition in Dr. Stacey Bent’s group. She graduated with top honors from the University of California, Riverside in 2020 with B.S. in chemical engineering. As an undergraduate researcher in Prof. Jinyong Liu’s research lab, she was awarded the Chancellor’s Research Fellow for her work on chemical degradation of PFAS in aqueous film-forming foam. She also won a UCR mini-grant allowing her to present her work at the American Chemical Society Fall 2019 national meeting in San Diego, CA. Upon completion of her graduate studies, she looks to pursue a career as a researcher in a national laboratory and maintain her focus on surface science. *********************
Timestamps:
Part 1: Maggy’s Research Journey 3:34
Part 2: Choosing a Graduate Program 19:44
Part 3: Application Process 33:11
Part 4: Financial Aid 39:11
Part 5: General Advice 50:11
Casey Finnerty is a doctoral candidate in the environmental engineering graduate program at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from UC Berkeley in 2013. Casey was an NSF GRFP recipient from 2017-2020. His aspiration is to develop integrated technologies and approaches that create safe and sustainable access to clean drinking water. He is exploring the fields of water quality improvement and water access.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Due Date: Mid-October, varies by discipline
Official application website: https://www.research.gov/grfp
Application guide: http://renuwit.org/diversity/resources/application-guides
Winning proposals: https://www.alexhunterlang.com/nsf-fellowship
Timestamps
Part 1: General Best Practices 2:48
Part 2: NSF Review Criteria 13:32
Part 3: Research Statement and Personal Statement 24:47
Part 4: Letters of Recommendation 35:51
Part 5: Application Barriers 43:35
Part 6: General Information 52:47
Dr. Sharon L. Walker, PhD, is Dean of Drexel’s College of Engineering and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. She also holds courtesy faculty appointments as professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, as well as Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science in the College of Arts and Sciences. A Yale University-trained water quality systems expert focusing on the fate and transport of bacteria and nanoparticles in water, Dean Walker is also a fellow in the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) and in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Prior to joining Drexel Engineering, Dean Walker served as Interim Dean at the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), where she was John Babbage Chair in Environmental Engineering and professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering; she was also an associated faculty member in the Department of Bioengineering. Dean Walker’s scholarship has focused on working with bacterial pathogens and engineered nanomaterials, investigating the fundamental physical, chemical and biological processes that control their fate in natural surface and groundwater environments, as well as analyzing engineered systems including water and wastewater processes.
Part 1: Career of Dean Sharon L. Walker 1:22
Part 2: Work-Life Equilibrium 1:11:48
Part 3: Allyship 1:27:15
Mitch Boretz was formerly the Technical Communication Specialist for the Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside. He helped faculty and researchers identify funding opportunities, develop pursuit plans, and write and submit winning proposals. While at UCR, Mitch’s group managed approximately 600 proposals per year and generated about $50 million per year in grant and contract awards. Mitch joined UCR in 1996. In 2008, he was named a Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP), one of only a handful of Fellows from the non-profit sector. Mitch has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and worked for about 12 years in newspapers before the transition to proposals. He retired at the beginning of 2021. Linked Resources: Federal Grants: www.grants.gov FedBizOpps: www.fbo.gov California Grants Portal: https://www.grants.ca.gov/ Pivot-RP: https://pivot.proquest.com/ EPSCoR: https://www.epscorideafoundation.org/
In this episode, we go under the hood to discuss the nuances of relocating for new positions as a STEM professional.
Dr. Sunshine introduces Under The Hood, a space where we go under the proverbial academic hood to explore the nuances of studying and building careers in STEM.