2024 Speaker Bios
*Updates to Come!*
Adania Flemming
University of Florida
Department of Biology | Florida Museum of Natural History
Adania is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida (UF) department of biology and the Florida Museum of Natural History (Florida Museum). She also serves as a research assistant with iDigBio project. She studies the ecology of fishes, their life history as well as how form relates to function. She is also interested in using natural history collections as a resource to introduce students of diverse backgrounds, particularly those most marginalized in STEM, to the field of Ichthyology and other sciences. Before joining UF, she earned a B.S. in marine biology from the University of Tampa. She completed a M.Sc. in zoology from the University of Florida. For her Ph.D. she is combining her interest in education with Ichthyology, through an interdisciplinary research project evaluating the impact of experiential learning within collections on students understanding of science development of science identities and interest in science careers. She uses BioBlitz as a tool in the Introduction to Natural History course she created at UF, which allows students to get experience collecting with a diverse (sex, race, field of study, age) set of scientists, to understand the importance and purpose of documenting Earth’s biodiversity. She was recently awarded The UF Alumni Association’s inaugural Leadership Award for DEI and the Dr. J. Michael Rollo award, “which honors students who foster diversity and inclusion within their communities.”
Aditi Jayarajan
University of Florida
Ph.D. candidate in Zoology
Aditi is from Bangalore, India- the place with the perfect weather. She graduated with a master’s degree from Bangalore University and went on to explore the phylogenetic histories of frogs, lizards, and snakes in the Western Ghats. Aditi is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Biology Department at the University of Florida. She loves her research on bats in the Mammalogy Collections and likes to take slow-motion videos of them. Aditi loves to share her science and showcase her experiences through K-12 settings with lesson plans that include 3-D printed bats. In her spare time, she likes photography and reading books.
Instagram: @diti.jay
Twitter: @DitiJay
Dennis Parnell Jr.
University of Florida
Ph.D. Student, Department of Engineering Education
Dennis Parnell Jr. is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida. His research focuses on understanding and improving underrepresented student retention and persistence in engineering. For his doctoral research, Dennis is leveraging emerging learning technologies to broaden participation in engineering by exposing undergraduate students to microfabrication processes. Much of his work involves designing and assessing interventions for extra- and co-curricular activities for students throughout the educational ecosystem. He is engaged in several outreach activities that allow him to introduce Gainesville-area youth to STEM pathways. He also serves as co-coordinator for the UF Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers Graduate Student Group. Dennis holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from The University of Alabama and M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida.
Erin Rice
Assistant Director/Pre-PhD Program Director, Office of Graduate Diversity Initiatives
The University of Florida Graduate School
Erin is the Assistant Director for the Office of Graduate Diversity Initiatives (OGDI) in the newly formed Division of Graduate Student Affairs (DGSA) within the Graduate School. Erin is responsible for managing and developing programs and events within OGDI and DGSA. These events and programs include, but are not limited to Triple P Undergraduate Research Program, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, Graduate School Information Day, and The Board of Education Summer Fellowship Program. Additionally, Erin handles student inquiries, event communication, and advertisement.
Erin earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Sociology with a minor in Mass Communication and her master’s degree in Management from the University of Florida Hough Graduate School of Business. Erin’s professional experience includes campaign management for the United Way, recruitment, and business management.
Dr. JC Buckner
University of Texas at Arlington
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
JC is an evolutionary zoologist and principal investigator of the IDER lab which studies the macroevolution of vertebrates with particular interest in biodiversity dynamics, adaptive genetics, and trait evolution. JC received her B.S. in Zoology from SUNY Oswego and her Ph.D. from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA. Before starting her current position, she completed her NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology at Iowa State University in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology followed by a postdoctoral research position at the LSU Museum of Natural Science. In addition to research, she is devoted to creating inclusive spaces in academia to welcome curious scientists of all backgrounds to pursue their passions. In that capacity, she serves as the faculty co-advisor for the UTA SACNAS chapter, on the council and DEI committee for the Society of Systematic Biologists and on the board for the non-profit Black in Natural History Museums, with the hope of improving the experiences of underrepresented scientists, celebrating their contributions, and facilitating their collaborations. JC grew up in Rochester, NY near Lake Ontario, and enjoys nature, biking, video games and posting pictures of her food on Instagram.
James Brown
University of Florida
Entomology and Nematology
James Brown, a Florida native, was born and raised in Palm Beach County. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he majored in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and in 2010 and received a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science. In 2016, James was awarded a USDA Pathways Student Internship to pursue his Master’s in Entomology at the University of Florida. In collaboration with the Chemistry Research Unit at the USDA, he investigated lipid accumulation among European corn borers preparing for diapause. After graduating with his Master’s degree in 2019, James continued to work in the Chemistry Research Unit at the USDA where his research shifted to the ecological interactions between small fruits and their insect pests. In the spring of 2020, James joined Dr. Oscar Liburd’s Small Fruits and Vegetable IPM Laboratory where he will continue to investigate the chemical ecology of insect pests, their fruit hosts, and microbes while also serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Natural Area Teaching Lab.
Jennifer Towers, MA
University of Florida
Assistant Director, Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships
Jennifer Towers is the Assistant Director of Outreach, Training, and Compliance for the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. She started her career in financial aid 13 years ago and has worked at the University of Florida since 2015. Ms. Towers is a first-generation college graduate, earning her graduate degree in sociology from the University of Florida. After teaching sociology for a few semesters, Jennifer found herself wanting to help students decrease barriers to a college education and began working as a financial aid representative at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. After several years of service in Indiana, and then in Texas, Ms. Towers found her way back to the University of Florida where she currently assists students and families with their financial aid concerns and educates prospective and current students on their financial aid opportunities.
Jeremy A. Magruder Waisome, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering Education
Dr. Jeremy A. Magruder Waisome is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida, where she is also Affiliate Faculty in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment. Her research is at the intersection of critical methodologies, mentorship, and self-efficacy in engineering and computer science education. Dr. Waisome primarily leverages narrative methods to center the voices of participants in her scholarship and praxis. Prior to this role, she held several positions across campus including Instructional Assistant Professor, Postdoctoral Associate, and Special Assistant to the Dean of the Graduate School in the Division of Graduate Student Affairs. She was also a UF Ronald E. McNair Scholar and currently serves as an Advisory Board member. Dr. Waisome received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in civil engineering from UF.
Jieli Wegerif
University of Florida
Undergraduate Student, Plant Science Program
Jieli Wegerif (any) is a fourth-year Plant Science major and Chinese Studies minor with a passion for science communication and outreach. Throughout college, Jieli has worked in several UF research labs across the plant pathology, agronomy, and horticulture departments. This past summer, Jieli participated in an NSF research experience for undergraduates (REU) at the Danforth Plant Science Center where they investigated the impacts of drought stress on gene expression in Sorghum bicolor. These research opportunities have inspired Jieli to study plant stress and resilience in graduate school.
Beyond the lab, Jieli serves as a student liaison for the Agronomy Department’s IDEA committee and acting president of UF’s MANRRS chapter—an organization which supports the professional development of underrepresented students in agriculture, the natural resources, and other related fields. On a larger level, Jieli facilitates civic engagement among students through the Changemakers’ Dialogue Program and teaches K-6 graders about science in collaboration with the UF IRIS Lab and Gainesville’s Cultural Arts Coalition. Jieli aspires to continue “changing the face of agriculture” by expanding people’s understanding of the industry and elevating the voices of those often excluded from the conversation.
Lameace Hussain
University of Florida Department of Wildlife, Ecology, & Conservation
PhD Student & Herpetologist
Lameace Hussain (They/Them/Theirs) is currently a PhD student at the University of Florida in the Wildlife, Ecology, and Conservation Program. Lameace spent the past 10 years as a herpetologist studying amphibians and reptiles, primarily in the mountains and canyons of the Pacific Northwest. Though most of their time was spent wading through wetlands, scaling waterfalls, and crawling through rocks to find snakes and salamanders, Lameace’s passion has always been engaging with people. It is this passion that drove their current pursuit of a PhD at the University of Florida. Lameace studies Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues within the conservation field ranging from agency outreach to
natural resource academic programs across the nation. They’ve given talks at conferences as well as been on podcasts discussing these issues with different groups—pushing that representation within the field, as well as access to outdoor resources and science is imperative in getting communities and the next generation involved in STEM. Lameace is the current president of the Natural Resources Diversity Initiative (NRDI) here on campus which provides networking and community to various minority groups under IFAS, as well as provides environmental outreach to underserved communities in the greater Gainesville area. Lameace is working to provide better access to the outdoors, education, and the history of conservation to everyone and to hopefully one day change the face of “What a scientist looks Like”.
Maya Victor
University of Florida
Maya Victor is a third-year Anthropology major with a Japanese studies minor on the pre-med track. Throughout her college career, Maya has served as a researcher within Equal Access Network’s Virtual Reality study, focusing on the use of VR for pain management within patients. Maya is currently researching Fossil Toad Body Size Indicators within the Florida Museum of Natural History with her mentor, María Vallejos. She was first introduced to research within the museum last spring through a course taught by PhD student Adania Fleming. Outside of her current research position, Maya is an executive board member in the UF Black Student Union; a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., and serves as the president of the Undergraduate Florida Anthropology Student Association. After graduation, she aspires to pursue her M.D/Ph.D. with a concentration in Medical Anthropology to learn more about the intersectionality between culture and medicine.
Mikayla J. Agbamuche
University of Florida
Undergraduate Student, The Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Mikayla is a junior Natural Resource Conservation major who is passionate about plants and the relationships people have with them. She is an undergraduate researcher in the Paleobotany collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History studying the morphological evolution of plants in the genus Rosa. She is also interested in cultural preservation through plant conservation and encouraging members of minority communities to reconnect with nature through urban gardening and public education. Her future goals include promoting the inclusion of minorities in both outdoor recreational settings and public museums.