Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E) will host a special ZOOM meeting featuring the founders of the Black Scientist Cooperative (“BSC”). The mission of the BSC is to empower the Black community to make informed, science-based decisions on health and wellness. The members of the all-Black women scientist group consist of founders, Drs. Myla Patterson-Smith, Shuntae Williams, Charletha Irvin Joseph, and Elethia Tillman. The HBCU graduates were raised and educated by the Black community and worked to leverage their expertise to make science and healthcare information clear and simple for their listeners. This will be the second time the group has addressed ChiS&E students. During the event, BSC will be sharing information on internships, scholarships, and grants available to the students beginning in high school and continuing through college. The virtual event will be held on Saturday, March 12th from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. The program is free to participants with the only requirement being that a parent must participate with their child.
Interested students and parents can register for this event by emailing info@chiprep.org “We decided to join this event because we know that representation matters. We want minority students to understand that there is a place for them in science and engineering and that their voice really does matter. The majority of us had never met a black scientist or engineer prior to college. It’s time to change that “says Dr. Patterson-Smith.
Dr. Patterson-Smith holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science (Cardiovascular Physiology and Cell Signaling) and an MBA in Strategy; Dr. Williams is a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science (Microbiology and Infectious Disease) and holds an MS in Regulatory Science; Dr. Irvin Joseph is a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science (Microbiology and Genetics) and holds a Master’s in Healthcare Administration; and Dr. Tillman holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science (Cardiovascular Physiology and Cell Signaling) with a certification in medical writing.
The Black Scientist Cooperative has also created the Black Scientist Cooperative (“BSC”) Podcast. Their Podcast covers a broad range of topics including the science behind the COVID-19 vaccines, the origins of health disparities, and more.
“We are excited that the BSC has chosen to join us again this time during Women’s History Month,” says Kenneth Hill, CEO of ChiS&E. “Exposing our students to these successful women leaders in science and technology is impactful for all our students because gender should never be a barrier to success in science and technology.”
About the Black Scientists Cooperative (BSC)
The mission of BSC is to empower the black community to make informed, science-based decisions on health and wellness. Their BSC Podcast regularly features subject matter experts from around the world to help educate and empower the Black community. Their motto is to “make data simple”! Listen to the Black Scientist Cooperative Podcast via their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
The mission of the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E), a non-profit organization, is to increase the number of historically underrepresented African American and Latino students who are motivated and academically prepared to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). ChiS&E provides highly engaging, age-appropriate hands-on science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering activities and promotes careers in science and engineering. The program is a partnership between Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Colleges of Education and Engineering. Other partners include the LBJ STEM and Research Center at Texas State University, Riverbend Mathematics Center (South Bend Indiana), and the University of Chicago School of Molecular Engineering. More information on this program can be found at www.chiprep.org.
Chante’ Gamby is a writer passionate about social justice and empowering others to live their healthiest lives. You can follow her on Facebook at Fringefam, Instagram@fringegram, or on her website, www.fringefam.com.
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