2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

1. Dr. Tonisha B. Lane http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1063-2744 Virginia Tech [biography]

   Dr. Lane’s research agenda broadly examines diversity, equity, and inclusion in postsecondary education with the objective of advancing inclusive and transformative policies and practices. Her primary research strand investigates the experiences and outcomes of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Using qualitative methodologies, she has explored access and success for underserved students of color in STEM and STEM intervention programs. This line of research also seeks to understand the nuances and complexities of participation and persistence in these fields and develop new models for explaining such phenomena. Her secondary research strand focuses on the participation and achievement of Black students and professionals in higher education. She is the PI or co-PI on several grant-funded research projects including the national Black Doctoral Women Study (BDWS), the Women in Engineering Study (WIES), and Bulls-Engineering Youth Experience for Promoting Relationships, Identity Development, & Empowerment (Bulls-EYE PRIDE).

2. Dr. Johnny C. Woods Jr. http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5430-9327 Virginia Tech [biography]

   Johnny C. Woods, Jr. is a Postdoctoral Associate in the School of Education at Virginia Tech, working on an NSF AGEP project that focuses on issues relating to the recruitment, retention, and promotion of Women of Color STEM faculty.

3. Natali Huggins Virginia Tech [biography]

   Natali Huggins is a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Virginia Tech. She holds a master's in public administration from the National Experimental University of Táchira in Venezuela. In addition, she has several years of experience in higher education administration and internal audit in Venezuela. Her international experience brings global and multicultural perspectives to her views as a researcher and practitioner. Natali's research interests include diversity equity and inclusion in graduate education, students' journey, motivation, and socialization. She is particularly interested in understanding and supporting international and Latinx graduate students' agency and persistence to navigate higher education in the United States.

4. Samuel Asare Darko
5. Faika Tahir Jan
6. Dr. Saundra Johnson Austin http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6432-0896 University of South Florida [biography]

   Dr. Saundra Johnson Austin has dedicated her career to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging of elementary, middle, and high school students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers. Her research is grounded in the effective implementation of STEM curricula in urban middle schools. She has published and presented on STEM education and organizational change. Dr. Johnson Austin earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, and Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California.

   At the University of South Florida (USF) she leads the project coordination for the National Science Foundation Florida Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (FL-AGEP), a $2.4M award to Florida A&M University (with a subaward to USF and Virginia Tech), Bethune-Cookman University, Florida International, and Florida Memorial University. Also, Dr. Johnson Austin is the project coordinator and Co-Principal Investigator for the USF Project Racism In School Exclusionary Suspensions (RISES), a $30k grant awarded to explore the suspensions of African American middle and high school students in Hillsborough and Pinellas County Florida.

   Dr. Johnson Austin held positions as: math faculty at Academy Prep Center of Tampa; executive director of Curated PathwaysTM to Innovation; senior vice president for operations at the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc.; president and CEO of St. Michael’s High School; executive vice president of the Community Partnership for Lifelong Learning; executive director of the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science; and Minority Engineering Program director at The Pennsylvania State University. She began her career as a cost engineering at Bechtel Power Corporation. In 2007 she founded Charis Consulting Group, LLC.

   Dr. Johnson Austin was recognized by numerous organizations for her work in promoting equity and access to STEM education. Her most notable award is the 2015 Outstanding Engineering Alumnus in Civil and Environmental Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University. In addition, she was awarded the 2004-2005 Selected Professions Fellowship by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Dr. Johnson Austin was awarded in 2007 the Strengthening Our Communities Inaugural Community Educational Leadership Award at the 2nd Annual Celebrate Literacy Conference. In 1998, she was recognized with the National Society of Black Engineers’ (NSBE) Inaugural Golden Torch Award for Minority Engineering Program Director of the Year and the Outstanding Contribution by a Minority Engineering Program Administrator Award by the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates (NAMEPA).

   She is a member of various STEM organizations including the United States White House endorsed initiative under the Obama Administration, Algebra by 7th Grade, and advisory committee member for the Smithsonian Science Education Center’s ‘Zero Barriers in STEM Education.’ Dr. Johnson Austin is currently the President of the American Association of University Women Tampa, Inc., consultant to the board for the Caribbean Community Association of Tampa, and Treasurer for the Northeast STEM Starter Academy of Mount Vernon, NY.

   Dr. Johnson Austin is a member of the editorial review board for the Caribbean Educational Research Journal (CERJ). She also served as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation’s CS for All Pathways, HBCU-Up, INCLUDES Conference and INCLUDES Launch Pilot.

   She enjoys doing yoga, spending time on the beach, and mentoring young girls and women in STEM studies and careers.

7. Dr. Lidia Kos Florida International University [biography]

   Dr. Lidia Kos is currently Professor of Biology, Associate Dean of the University Graduate School and Associate Vice President of the Office of Research and Economic Development at Florida International University (FIU). She received a BS in Biology from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and a PhD in Neurobiology from UC Berkeley. She was a Fogarty Fellow at NIH where she did post-doctoral studies. Her research focuses on development and pathogenesis of pigment cells. She uses mouse molecular genetics to understand the molecular basis of neural crest differentiation and melanoma. She has extensive experience teaching undergraduate and graduate students in cell, developmental and molecular biology. She has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows in her laboratory. In the Graduate School she oversees over 9.000 students in masters, specialist and doctoral programs. She is responsible for all academic and administrative matters related to graduate education at FIU. She has served as the Executive Editor for the journal Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research and is currently in its editorial board. She has served as a member of grant review panels for NSF, NIH, and AHA and is currently on the NIGMS TWD review panel. She has been funded by NIGMS, NIAMS and AHA and is currently the PI of FL-AGEP and co-PI of an NIGMS T32 and NS BD training grants at FIU.

Are you a researcher? Would you like to cite this paper? Visit the ASEE document repository at peer.asee.org for more tools and easy citations.