UNAPOLOGETICALLY BEING - Key Persons

Amber Lenon is a first year graduate student at West Virginia University pursuing a PhD in Physics. Before attending Syracuse University, Amber attended Cazenovia College where she majored in Visual Communications and was played women's soccer. However, Amber's real passion lied in science so she transferred to Syracuse University and pursued a major in Physics. Amber obtained her Bachelor's of Science from Syracuse University in May of 2016 where she was a member of the Syracuse University Gravitational Wave Group. The skills that Amber obtained in visual communications have been useful as she uses her art skills for research projects and other design projects. Amber was the head undergraduate organizer of the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics in January 2016 at Syracuse University where she met Dr. Renee Horton. She is part of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Group and has contributed to their second detection of black holes. Amber is a W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow at West Virginia University.

Breonna DeShazer is a Senior Civil Engineering student at Jackson State University in Jackson, MS originally from Oklahoma City, OK. Her desire for engineering came about in high school when her dad convinced her to take a pre-engineering class. This class consisted of designing the plans for a residential home and turning the design into a 3D model on AutoCAD. From that point on Breonna knew that she wanted to become an engineer, making the changes to create a sustainable world as our society continues to develop and improve. Throughout her college career, she has been the President of the Society of Women Engineers (2015-2017) and one of the starters of an organization within the W.E.B Dubois Honors College known as Advocates for World Health (2013-2014). She has also been an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers. When she is not studying or helping with collegiate student organizations Breonna tutors fifth and sixth grade students at Midtown Pubic Charter School located in the mid community area of Jackson, MS. Over the summer of 2016, Breonna interned with the Naval Research Laboratory at NASA, Stennis Space Center where she met Dr. Renee Horton. Although she was a little indecisive about attending graduate school, Dr. Renee Horton inspired her to find the intersection between her talents and passions. Once Breonna has graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering she plans on gaining her license in Civil Engineering, while attending graduate school for her Master's Degree in Petroleum Engineering.

As a child, there was only one thing that Dr. Melody Kelley loved more than science, and that was talking about it. One might even say that her career as a scientist and scholar was destined. But growing up in the inner city of Detroit, Michigan presented its fair share of adversities. Ultimately, she graduated from Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School and Wayne State University (Magna Cum Laude) with her first degree in Chemistry. During her tenure as a graduate student at The University of Alabama, she has been a recipient of many honors, including the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Fellowship, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the UNCF-Merck Graduate Fellowship, the Ford Fellowship, and the Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Fellowship. It is through these affiliations that Dr. Renee Horton came into her life as a valuable mentor and friend. Dr. Kelley received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 2014. Her research interests center on the application of chromogenic materials to cosmetic science. Additionally, she aims to use cosmetic chemistry as a platform to recruit and retain underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines. She is currently a faculty member at Lawson State Community College, where she gets to research best practices for adjunct instructors at 2-year colleges as well as talk about science.

Dr. Olivia Underwood is a 32 year old native of Brent, AL and a 2003 graduate of Bibb County High School. She's the daughter of Saul and Joann Underwood. Despite her young age, Dr. Underwood has already attained an impressive list of academic credentials. She received her Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2008 and 2009, respectively. In May 2015, she received her Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science at University of Alabama in Huntsville. She is the first black to receive her PhD in the Materials Science program from University of Alabama in Huntsville. She has had the opportunity to work in some of the most prestigious academic and scientific schools and laboratories in the United States. She also had the opportunity to work at the famed Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico which is the birthplace of the atomic bomb and the modern nuclear age. She has presented her research at several different conferences across the United States. She currently works at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a Post-Doctoral Appointee. Among her many accomplishments, she's a bodybuilder, Gates Millennium scholar, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In December 2014, she was featured on the cover of Parrillo's Performance Fitness, Health, Nutrition, and Training Magazine. Olivia was recently selected as an Early Career Scholar/Scientist by the European Microbeam Analysis Society and was invited to Konstanz, Germany to present her research.

Elisabeth Andries is the daughter of Michael and Cherie Andries. She is a recent honors graduate from Northshore High School. During her high school years, she was very involved with her community and her school. Elisabeth was a member of Teen Cross, which is a Catholic leadership program in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Being a member of Teen Cross, she became very involved in her church community. She volunteered for multiple events such as the Catholic Bishops Conference, Abbey Youth Festival, and World Youth Day. In her local community, she founded a retreat team for her parish and was president of her youth group. In her high school, she was president of her Mu Alpha Theta chapter, a member of her school spirit club, Sanctity of Life club, and Key club, tennis team, and a state champion for her soccer team. Elisabeth started interning under Dr. Renee in the fall of 2015 as a NASA intern. She was the first high school intern at the Michoud Assembly base. Elisabeth is attending Louisiana State University in the fall of 2016, majoring in mechanical engineering.