Leadership Team

Lead PI, University of Illinois at Chicago

Dr. Morton is an Assistant Professor of Identity and Justice in STEM Education at the University of Illinois Chicago. His work strives to transform the positioning and understanding of Blackness in mainstream education, specifically STEM, seeking justice and joy for Black women, Black students, and other minoritized individuals.

PI, The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Madkins is an Assistant Professor of STEM Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Madkins’ research focuses on supporting educators to understand and implement equity-focused teaching practices to transform PK-20 STEM learning environments for minoritized learners, especially Black girls and women.

PI, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Paula Groves Price is Professor and Dean of the College of Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the nation’s largest Historically Black University (HBCU). She is also the founding dean of the University of North Carolina System Laboratory School, Aggie Academy, a STEAM focused public elementary school for grades 3-5 in Greensboro, NC.

PI, American University

Dr. Watkins is the Senior Research Fellow for the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning and a Faculty Affiliate in the School of Education at American University (AU) in Washington, DC. Dr. Watkins’ research focuses on Black men, and Black doctoral scientists and engineers. Her work contributes to the literature and conversations on training Black S&E students.

PI, Georgia State University

Nickolaus is a graduate of Texas A&M University where he earned his doctorate in May 2018 in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Mathematics Education. Dr. Ortiz is from {East} Atlanta, Georgia, and a 2022 recipient of the Ernest D. Morrell Emerging Scholar Award. Last but not least, he is a musician who loves everything from Gladys Knight to OutKast.

Co-PI, American University

Dr. McGowan is the Provost Associate Professor of Education and Associate Director in the Center for Teaching, Research, & Learning at American University. His interdisciplinary research explores how Black populations experience higher education. Dr. McGowan is a frequently sought-after expert on a wide range of education topics centered around equity and inclusive college teaching and pedagogy.

Co-PI, Tennessee State University

Dr. Tyler is the Director of Graduate Students Services and Executive Director of Title III Administration at Tennessee State University. Her research interests include the educational experiences of Black graduate students in STEM, STEM equity and inclusion, the influence of mentoring on academic outcomes, and STEM identity.

Co-PI & Quant Methods Lead, The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Irizarry is an Associate Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies and founding director of the Numbers 4 Justice Lab at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Irizarry’s research focuses on racial identity and measurement, racialized contexts in education, and minoritized students’ STEM experiences and trajectories.

Qualitative Methodology Coach

Ashley N. Woodson is a sociologist of education and activist committed to democratizing Black history knowledge, particularly with and in defense of Black children. She has a broad background in Black Studies and specific training in critical race theory, Afropessimism, Black feminisms and Afrocentricity.

Research and Evaluation Consultant

Dr. Adams is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Creativity, Equity and Justice in STEM at the University of Calgary. Dr. Adams is from Brooklyn, New York and is now a Caribbean Diasporic agent in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Cross-institutional

Cross-Institutional

Cross-Institutional