Podcast: An Inside Look at the Exodus of Some Black Teachers and Why They Choose to Leave the United States – It’s December 12, 2020 and I’m leaving Dubai to return home to Alton, Illinois. “I’m glad it wasn’t me this time.” I said to myself as I giggled about the intoxicated man asked to leave the plane. That’s when I… Continue Reading (Dis)Covering Routes
A Tale of Three Cities – 2003: Chicago, IL It was 5 p.m., happy hour time in Chicago. We had just gotten out of school and were at Omega Cafe, the local coffee shop for teens and college students. “What do you have on your mind?” I heard my friend ask. I was staring at a lamp affixed to the wall… Continue Reading From Happy Hour to Co-Author: How I Found an Academic Home
Is it possible for a human cell to be immortal? The answer is yes. Unfortunately, the immortality of cells is intertwined with one of the leading causes of death: cancer. Cancer cells are functionally immortal via uncontrolled and uninhibited replication. Cancer is also the second leading cause of death, with approximately 600,000 deaths per year in the United States [1]. Chances are, you probably know or will know someone who will face cancer. The immortality… Continue Reading The Immortal Human Cell
Have you ever wondered about that green layer of “slime” we see sometimes on lakes? Well, it’s not always algae. It can be a layer of cyanobacteria! We can study ancient metabolic processes without time travel by studying microbes in lakes that are analogs for a point in Earth’s history when where was no oxygen. Continue Reading Into the Depths: Microbial Menagerie
The first time I realized I was being underpaid, my shoulders crumpled as a trusted co-worker spoke softly with a grimace. I had just shared with her how excited I felt receiving my first raise at the medical equipment company I worked at since my freshman year of college. My co-worker’s face was distressed as she described how a new hire was earning several dollars more than my raise. I considered myself supremely aware… Continue Reading The Heist