Presented By: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At the Bench & Beyond
Dr. Raychelle Burks will give a talk about her scientific research and her journey as a black woman in STEM. You may also know her as Dr. Rubidium on Twitter.
Abstract:
What do color tests, pop culture, and computational thinking have in common? Each have an important place in my work and outreach, plus inspired me to become a scientist. In this talk, I will discuss why my research team actually does stare at brightly colored solutions like those stock photos, how Alien informs my teaching and outreach, and how a computational thinking research program is impacting my lab and classroom.
About Dr. Burks:
Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. An analytical chemist with crime lab experience, Dr. Burks is focused on creating low-cost colorimetric sensors for detecting chemicals of forensic interest including explosives and illicit drugs. Dr. Burks' group utilizes smart phones, along with image analysis, to maximize the field readiness of developed sensor systems for potential use by crime scene analysts, law enforcement and military personnel.
Dr. Burks earned her B.S. in chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa, her M.S. in forensic science from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. After working in a crime lab for two years, Dr. Burks returned to academia first as an adjunct, then as a postdoctoral research associate at Doane College and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln's Center for Nanohybrid Functional Materials.
Outside of academia, Dr. Burks is a passionate educator in both formal and informal settings. An active science communicator, she serves on the advisory board of Chemical & Engineering News and UnDark Magazine. She is a member of the American Academy of University Women, the Society for the Advancement of Chicano/Latino and Native Americans in Science, National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the National Association of Science Writers.
Abstract:
What do color tests, pop culture, and computational thinking have in common? Each have an important place in my work and outreach, plus inspired me to become a scientist. In this talk, I will discuss why my research team actually does stare at brightly colored solutions like those stock photos, how Alien informs my teaching and outreach, and how a computational thinking research program is impacting my lab and classroom.
About Dr. Burks:
Raychelle Burks, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. An analytical chemist with crime lab experience, Dr. Burks is focused on creating low-cost colorimetric sensors for detecting chemicals of forensic interest including explosives and illicit drugs. Dr. Burks' group utilizes smart phones, along with image analysis, to maximize the field readiness of developed sensor systems for potential use by crime scene analysts, law enforcement and military personnel.
Dr. Burks earned her B.S. in chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa, her M.S. in forensic science from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. After working in a crime lab for two years, Dr. Burks returned to academia first as an adjunct, then as a postdoctoral research associate at Doane College and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln's Center for Nanohybrid Functional Materials.
Outside of academia, Dr. Burks is a passionate educator in both formal and informal settings. An active science communicator, she serves on the advisory board of Chemical & Engineering News and UnDark Magazine. She is a member of the American Academy of University Women, the Society for the Advancement of Chicano/Latino and Native Americans in Science, National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the National Association of Science Writers.
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