2019-2020 Cohort 2

Khukheper Awakoaiye is a biology (pre-med) student double minoring in chemistry and psychology, from Oakland, California. Awakoaiye’s career interest is to pursue an MD-Ph.D. surrounding neurodevelopmental disorders and become a research-physician. He chose to attend Howard because he feels he knows the school the best as a result of his two siblings attending Howard before him. So far, he has enjoyed his experience at Howard, meeting many people like him with incredible drive and high aspirations. Awakoaiye was drawn to STEM and specifically biology because of a neuroscience camp he attended focusing on neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. He was amazed at the complexity of the brain and how and why these diseases manifest. Outside of neuroscience, Awakoaiye aspires to investigate Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, a disease that prevents patients from feeling pain. He wants to work to develop a drug to block or hinder pain in chronic pain patients. Awakoaiye looks forward to earning his MD-Ph.D. so he can contribute to the medical field and make a meaningful impact.

Racheal Ayankunbi is a biology major and chemistry minor from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She aspires to pursue an MD-Ph.D. to become a cardiothoracic surgeon while also conducting research on lung cancer cells. She decided to attend Howard University because she knew she would be surrounded by individuals who could inspire her and motivate her to achieve success. She hopes to enhance the quality of life for individuals affected with cancer, especially in her parents' native country, Nigeria. Ayankunbi has already taken an active role in her achieving her goals – she recently conducted research on lung cancer cells in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She found the experience to be extremely rewarding and is excited to see what the future holds for her.

Anisa Baines is a chemistry major with a French and biology double minor from Grand Blanc, Michigan. She obtained her high school diploma along with 32 college credits from Grand Blanc High School and the University of Michigan-Flint. Baines serves as the 2019-2020 Membership Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and she is also an active member of NSBE Jr. and the Michigan Club. In the summer of 2019, she conducted research at the Los Alamos National Lab in a polymer chemistry group. Next, Baines will begin conducting research in material science with a focus of nanotechnology and material science at Howard University.

Marjorie Sapphire Bowen-Kauth is a biology student triple minoring in chemistry, psychology, and painting from Greensboro, N.C. She is interested in studying psychiatric and developmental disorders and plans to attain a MD/Ph.D. in neurobiology and behavior. Bowen-Kauth chose to embark on her undergraduate career at Howard University because of the university’s sense of pride, community, and devotion in producing leaders in all disciplines. She aspires to implement her passion for the visual arts into her scientific career as creativity plays a significant role in stimulating the mind. Bowen-Kauth has invested time understanding art in the context of medicine by providing art workshops for patients and families at The National Children’s Hospital in Creative & Therapeutic Art Services. In order to discover her research interests, Bowen-Kauth worked in the Silva Lab at Duke University as a part of the 2019 Summer Research Opportunity Program, where her project focused on using BioID in mammalian cells to identify interacting partners with ubiquitin enzymes involved in the oxidative stress response. On Howard’s campus, Bowen-Kauth is a mentor for the PHAGES Biology Lab, where she assists freshmen in learning foundational research skills and initiating their own projects. She is excited to expand her research experiences in neurological sciences so that she may investigate how to heal minds through art and science.

Jacob Brooks is an honors biology major with a double minor in chemistry and mathematics. He chose to attend Howard University as a member of the Karsh STEM Scholars Program because he was amazed by the support system and the beautiful culture Howard University has to offer. During his freshman year, Brooks joined the Cook Hall Step Team and helped lead the team to a ResFest championship. He also participated in education reform in Flint, Michigan as a part of Howard’s Alternative Spring Break. He recently spent time researching Osteosarcomas in the Cancer Biology Department of Vanderbilt University through the Leadership Alliance. He also spent that summer shadowing a medical oncologist in her clinic and a surgical oncologist, and gave an oral presentation on his research at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium in Connecticut. Brooks plans to pursue an MD-Ph.D. in the field of Emergency General Surgery. This will allow him to work with trauma patients and cancer patients, all while doing significant research in the field of cancer biology. Brooks looks forward to continuing to grow as a researcher and as an individual through the Karsh STEM Scholars Program

Maya Brown, a Chesapeake, Virginia native, is currently working toward earning Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and psychology. Brown will pursue a MD-Ph.D. in Neuroscience to follow her desire to learn more about the brain, neurological diseases, and memory. Her passion for neuroscience skyrocketed when she heard about the neurological diseases that affected some of her close family members. The Karsh STEM Scholars Program has been an instrumental piece to her pursuit in a terminal degree. Without this program, she would not have thought this dream could be possible.

Cameryn Burnette is a civil and environmental engineering major from Houston, Texas. She aspires for a career in international infrastructure development, focusing specifically on sustainability. Her goal is to enhance quality of life globally by facilitating a transition to sustainable infrastructure in the future in order to provide efficiency, safety, and health to global communities. Burnette’s other career interests include environmentalism, urban planning, wastewater treatment, and architectural design. She will pursue a Ph.D. in environmental engineering after graduating from Howard. Burnette chose to study a STEM discipline because it will position her to help others on a large scale; she has big plans for how she would like to change the world. She chose Howard because of its supportive and welcoming community which empowers and encourages her to explore unorthodox solutions for the global issues she aims to rectify. Burnette’s passion for the environment and drive to spark change have already actualized real-world results: she is the co-founder of Howard’s environmental organization, the Howard University Water and Environment Association

Lauren Bush is a chemistry and political science double major, mathematics minor, from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is interested in health diplomacy and finding the integration between science and background policy decisions. Her goal is to work for a nongovernmental agency or the federal government making decisions to help those afflicted with different illnesses. Bush originally chose Howard University because she wanted to be in a different environment than the typical white suburbia in which she was already accustomed. By being a Karsh STEM Scholar, she gains the sense of community and expertise necessary to pursue her goals in health diplomacy.

Destin Davis is a mathematics student from Harlem, New York. He is open to any and all research opportunities that may come his way. After undergrad, Davis wants to give back to the black community, become more selfless than selfish and become a great role model for black youth. He chose Howard University because he attended a primarily white high school, and wanted to attend a university where he was surrounded by intelligent individuals that looked like him, thought like him, and had been through the same experiences as him. Also, being a legacy student at Howard, Davis felt somewhat of an obligation to attend The Mecca. His love for math is rivaled by his passion for music, poetry, and dance. In his spare time, Davis makes music and writes poetry. Last Spring, he led the Cook Hall Stroll Team.

Jazmine Grant is a biology major and chemistry minor from Baltimore, Maryland. She plans to pursue a MD-Ph.D. and specialize in anesthesiology and research neuroscience and pharmacology concepts. Grant has special interests in researching drug mechanisms, drug addiction, pain management, and chronic pain. In the future, she wants to curate a multi-specialty center that aids people that suffer from drug addiction, chronic pain or other health issues and the socio-economic issues that comes along with it. STEM has always been of interest and she wants to fill the void of African Americans in STEM careers. She chose to attend Howard because she wanted to be around intelligent black and brown students and be a part of a wonderful legacy. She also chose Howard due to the immense amount of opportunities that are here for STEM students. Grant’s main reason for wanting to research drug mechanisms and addiction is because, in the future, she wants to give back to her community and help people that have been negatively impacted by drugs.

Devante Kerr is a biology (pre-med) student double minoring in chemistry and psychology, from Jamaica, Queens, New York. Kerr’s career interest is to pursue an MD-Ph.D. in neuroscience and become a neuroscientist, doing research in neurological disorders. He chose to attend Howard because he wanted a place to become more familiar with his Black culture. He’s chosen a career in STEM because some of his family members have been affected by neurological disorders and diseases and is inspired by the story of Ben Carson and his path to becoming a world renowned neurosurgeon. He is motivated to continue working to raise the bar in order to help those afflicted by neurological disorders. Since beginning his studies at Howard, Kerr has been involved in research at the Interdisciplinary Research Building, HU Research Week, and MYTH, a mental health organization. He says his biggest goal is to cure diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and give back to youth growing up in underprivileged communities.

Lauren Moore is a civil and environmental engineering major from Atlanta, Georgia. Unlike her family members who pursued careers in business, Moore chose to forge her own path and cater to her personal interests in STEM. Moore worked in Professor Castaldi's combustion and catalysis lab as a part of the National Science Foundation CREST ideals REU program at The City College of New York in Harlem. In the future, she plans to attend graduate school to pursue her Ph.D. in building science or environmental design. Moore serves as serves as secretary of the College of Engineering and Architecture Student Council. She is also an active member of the community and helps with various service initiatives, including being a team leader for Howard University's annual day of service. She hopes to use her professional career to design ergonomically friendly and environmentally conscious work spaces.

Antonia Oduguwa is from Coppell, Texas, majoring in biology and double minoring in chemistry and photography. She aims to earn her MD-Ph.D., become a cardiothoracic surgeon, and conduct stem cell research as it applies to oncology. While she is enrolled in the courses necessary to earn her degree, she pursues other passions and interests on the university campus. She dedicates time to mentor middle and high school students seeking future careers as engineers under the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Additionally, she tutors her peers in various subjects at the university's tutoring and learning center. During her summers, she gains experience in scientific research as an intern at physician-scientist labs. Oduguwa hopes to accumulate and utilize her knowledge, perspective, and experience to positively impact the lives of people across the globe.

Marcus Phan is a biology student, double-minoring in psychology and chemistry, from San Jose, California. As a non-binary individual, he aims to earn a Ph.D. in biochemistry and increase representation of LGBT+ individuals in research. Recently, he conducted research at the University of Texas-San Antonio in Alzheimer’s Disease research. His research interest is neurodegenerative disorders. He chose Howard because of its rich history and inclusive culture like the CASCADE organization and other events. In the future, he hopes to erase the stigma of LGBT+ scientists and inspire others to achieve their dreams.

Naomi Rankin is an applied mathematics major, double minoring in computer science and biology, from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biostatistics or computational epidemiology after finishing her undergraduate degree. Her career interests include epidemiological predictive modeling, as well as researching human-technology interface and its role in predicting the spread of diseases. Outside of her professional interests, Rankin also has a passion for increasing awareness of the role STEM plays in everyday problem solving for youth in her home state and other under-resourced communities. Rankin said she originally chose Howard because she wanted to join a community of Black students excited about STEM. She is passionate about her chosen career path because it allows her to use her technical skills and love of knowledge to have an impact on the livelihood of people around the world.

Imani Ross chose Howard to be surrounded by like-minded, equally passionate individuals. As a budding scientist, Ross is driven to research not just the more public issues and diseases but also ailments that those of African ancestry are more prone to developing. She chose to attain a career in STEM to make a difference in scientific research globally and for those of all cultures and backgrounds. Eventually, Ross would like to live and conduct field research in a less-developed country to give back in a world that often takes so much.

Jordan Smith is a chemical engineering student from Cincinnati, Ohio. His strong interest in math and science propelled him to join the Karsh STEM Scholars Program. After acquiring his Ph.D., he plans to enter the field of research. His main goal is to research cheaper renewable energy sources, in an effort to combat climate change. Through chemical engineering, he can learn how our Earth functions, and what we must do to save it. Smith says internships at places such as the Georgia Institute of Technology and Northrop Grumman have already put him in an advanced position to reach his goals.

Essien Taylor is a computer engineering student from Bowie, Maryland. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computer engineering before researching hardware security in the future. Taylor has a passion for computers and is specifically interested in hardware security, because he believes it is a vital, but overlooked topic in an increasingly computerized world. Following in the footsteps of his mother, Taylor chose to attend Howard after seeing its welcoming and diverse network through the powerful friendships his mother made at Howard. He felt Howard was his second home from the moment he stepped on campus and has never second guessed his decision. Taylor chose to pursue a career in STEM due his interest in programming and science communication. He views science as something everyone can benefit from. With the support of an amazing university, Taylor is confident his future research will contribute to a safer society.

Cameron Michael Temple is a chemical engineering student from Baltimore, Maryland. He is in pursuit of a chemical engineering Ph.D. in hopes of researching alternative energy to address the growing concern of climate change. He finds it important that his eventual research will have translational value, and that it can be seen in use to solve real problems. He chose chemical engineering because of the wide range of career and research options that he could pursue. Temple is eager to learn and grow through his matriculation at Howard University and feels that Howard will prepare him for graduate school and beyond. Temple says the combination of rigorous coursework and bright classmates at Howard will allow him to become the best student that he could be, hence why Howard was so attractive to him. He simply just wants to be great and impactful, and eventually he will give back to those who helped him through his journey.

Bradon Thymes is a computer science major from West Chester, Pennsylvania. He chose to attend Howard University as a part of the second cohort because he was amazed at the large number of successful young African Americans that he could collaborate with. He chose a career in STEM because of his love for computers, and his drive to innovate in the field of computer vision. In his freshman year, Thymes successfully placed in two hackathons. During the summer, Thymes conducted research involving stress in a virtual environment for the National Science Foundation at Iowa State University. Following his entrepreneurial spirit, Thymes is also currently working on a mobile app with colleagues in the Karsh STEM Scholars Program, to provide a much-needed service to the Howard University community. Thymes is interested in machine learning applications, specifically those involving computer vision. He would eventually like to conduct industry research involving computer vision technologies, and finally, run his own company.

Kameron Lee Walker is a biology (pre-med) student double minoring in chemistry and Spanish, from San Jose, California. She is in pursuit of a research career following aspects of virology. More specifically, Walker would like to understand the mechanisms of infectious diseases and bio-engineering, discovering alternative methods for cures and treatments. With a passion for outreach and academics, she hopes to perform research and sharing new knowledge with students as a professor. By attending Howard University, Walker is determined to grow by seeking like-minded individuals, overcoming obstacles, and diving into a STEM career early.

Lauren Williams is a biology student, minoring in chemistry, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Williams chose to attend Howard because the gathering of diverse minds provided an environment for success. She aspires to have a career in research, studying how climate change is affecting oceanic environments. She is driven by this research due to her lifelong interest in the extensive and unexplored nature of the ocean. Williams recently received an opportunity to conduct field research at the University of California, Los Angeles. She hopes to use the skills she learned as a foundation for her professional career.

Danielle Wills is a biology student minoring in chemistry from Atlanta, Georgia. She aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in immunology or microbiology in order to conduct research on diseases. She chose to attend Howard University because she was drawn to a community of people who look like her and she admires the cultural relevance of Howard. Wills was also drawn to Howard because of the Karsh STEM Scholars Program. The program directly aligns with her career goals and the community that she wants to be affiliated. She has chosen a career in STEM because she is an innovator and wants to form solutions to diseases that affect many people. Wills hopes that she can make a difference in people's lives and inspire a new generation of people who want to go into the STEM field.

Adeya Wyatt is a chemical engineering major concentrating in biomedicine and biotechnology from Oakland, California. Wyatt plans to earn her Ph.D. in bioengineering, researching pharmacogenetics and the future of personalized medicine. Howard has been a dream school for Wyatt since first visiting campus as a middle school student. She eventually chose to attend because of the numerous opportunities available and the empowering feeling she says she feels when she sees so many people who look like her succeeding. Wyatt was drawn to STEM because of her love for learning, and saw both chemical engineering and bioengineering and interdisciplinary fields that she would never stop learning in. Wyatt wants to diversify the research workforce, and use her research to help minority communities who are often left to use treatments that were created based on data from Europeans, despite being genetically different.

Saron Yoseph is a chemical engineering student from Newport News, Virginia, by way of Ethiopia. Yoseph’s career interest is to pursue an MD-Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and create devices to help advance the medical field. As soon as she arrived to campus as a freshman, Yoseph knew that Howard was the place for her. She is a member of the College of Engineering and Architecture Student Council, where she serves as the leadership program coordinator for the IMPACT program. Yoseph previously interned at the Naval Research Laboratory. There, she researched how to modify graphene for device fabrication and transfer onto other surfaces, giving her an opportunity for future publications.