PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Winners of 4th annual Rising Black Scientists Awards announced

Four student recipients received $10,000 each for their stories on inspiration and innovation, with essays to be published in the journal Cell

2024-02-15
(Press-News.org) Cell Press, Cell Signaling Technology (CST), and the Elsevier Foundation are proud to announce the winners of the 4th annual Rising Black Scientists Awards: Jaye Wilson of Yale University, Kevin Brown Jr. of California State University San Marcos, Senegal Mabry of Cornell University, and Akorfa Dagadu of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

This year had the greatest number of submissions thus far, with the winners being selected from a pool of more than 350 applicants from across the life, health, physical, earth, environmental, and data sciences. Essays from the winners and honorees appear in the journals Cell and iScience on February 15, 2024. The winning essays are:

“Resilient wings, tangible impact: My journey from chrysalis to change-maker in STEM” “Bridging past with progress: My mission in the world of polymers” “Enough with ‘The Shakes’: Fighting Parkinson’s as a Black researcher and a community organizer” “From the operating table to global science: How a near-death experience sparked my passion for life” “Through their stories and accomplishments, this year’s winners of the Rising Black Scientists Awards are examples of excellence to us all,” says John Pham, editor-in-chief of Cell. “My colleagues and I at Cell Press are inspired by them, and we are proud to be sharing their stories.”

The awards were originally created in 2020 to break down barriers and create opportunities by providing visibility and funds to support talented Black scientists in the life or medical sciences on their career journey. Thanks to a partnership with the Elsevier Foundation, this is the second year the awards have been expanded to include the physical, earth and environmental, and data sciences. In addition to the publication of their essays in Cell, winners also receive $10,000 to support their research and a $500 travel grant. Four honorable mentions were also recognized with $500 each. Their essays are published in the interdisciplinary open access journal iScience.

“I’m so inspired by the depth and breadth of topics these essays cover and the personal stories behind them,” says Ylann Schemm, executive director, the Elsevier Foundation. “Giving much needed visibility to Black scientists is an integral part of the Elsevier Foundation’s mission to encourage a more inclusive research ecosystem. We consider it essential to celebrate excellence and ambition during these critical early phases of their journeys as scientists.”

Soaring toward more sustainable science

Jaye Wilson (@Unnicheable), one of the physical, earth and environmental, or data sciences winners of the Rising Black Scientists Awards, is a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow and PhD student at the Yale School of the Environment. Her research aims to create improved material recycling systems to both increase yield for high-value products and help industries develop more sustainable business practices. In her essay “Resilient wings, tangible impact: My journey from chrysalis to change-maker in STEM,” she describes how her experiences with her family, community, and STEM have empowered her with wings “poised to soar into a promising yet challenging horizon.”

“The RBSA is a deeply personal achievement that represents a collective aim for a future where diversity in thought and background is not just recognized but celebrated as the bedrock of academic and societal advancement,” says Wilson. “For me, it is a beacon of encouragement to continue being a restorative force in my field, fostering creativity and innovative thinking.”

Innovating the future of plastics

The other recipient of the physical, earth and environmental, or data sciences award is Akorfa Dagadu. In her essay, “Bridging past with progress: My mission in the world of polymers,” she shares how the global plastics crisis felt like a rallying cry, leading her to develop Ishara, a mobile app designed to both encourage and reward recycling behaviors to benefit entire communities. Now an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she is taking her work a step further, reimagining how we both create and break down synthetic polymers to mitigate the costs of an increasingly plastic world.

“Winning this award is both an honor and a call to action, fueling my commitment to contribute to the scientific community and inspiring me to continue breaking barriers and paving new paths,” says Dagadu.

The social factors of Parkinson’s pathology

Senegal Alfred Mabry is a winner of the Rising Black Scientists Award for a scholar in the life and health sciences. A PhD candidate at Cornell University Department of Psychology, his research seeks to unpack how psychosocial risk factors such as anxiety and racial bias may explain comorbidity observed between Parkinson’s disease and cardiovascular disease. Mabry’s essay “Enough with ‘The Shakes’: Fighting Parkinson’s as a Black researcher and a community organizer” details how conversations in his community inspired him to pursue Parkinson’s research, hoping to help bridge the gaps remaining in patient care for African Americans.

“The Lord, my family, my mentors, the Parkinson’s research, and the Parkinson’s patient community have watched over my way,” says Mabry. “The rising challenges of this age can only be met by scientists who pursue being in service of communities and who ardently raise them up. I celebrate all the applicants and all their efforts to democratize science.”

From surgical intervention to scientific discovery

Kevin Christopher Brown Jr. is the recipient of the undergraduate award for life or health sciences for his essay “From the operating table to global science: How a near-death experience sparked my passion for life.” In it, he shares how critical surgery to repair his heart drove his interest in medical research. Now an undergraduate at California State University, San Marcos, his studies focus on how we can use stem cells to better understand neurodegenerative disease, with a long-term goal to incorporate regenerative medicine into cardiac surgical practice.

“Oftentimes, a single encouraging pat on the back is all the fuel necessary to jumpstart a dream,” says Brown Jr. “Thank you, Cell, for not only recognizing my past achievements but also investing in my future. This scholarship single-handedly allowed me to concisely parse out my goals and gave me that pat on the back to go chase after them.”

Honorable mentions recognized with publication in iScience

In recognition that the remarkable talent of the award applicants is not limited to four winners, an additional four honorable mentions were also selected this year, whose essays appear in iScience. The selected honorees for the life or health sciences category are PhD candidate Tatjana Washington of the University of Chicago for her essay “Pecan pie and saving birds: My path to becoming an ecologist” and undergraduate Zacchaeus Wallace of the University of Southern Mississippi for his essay “Memories that last.” The selected honorees for the physical, data, or earth and environmental sciences are PhD candidate Steve Eshiemogie of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for his essay “From village to lab: An African scientist's quest for a sustainable future” and undergraduate Azana Cochran of Michigan State University for her essay “When the introvert stands out.”

###

Cell Press (@CellPressNews), an imprint of Elsevier, is a leading publisher of scientific research and reviews, with over 50 scientific journals across the life, physical, earth, and health sciences. We seek to support the scientific community and inspire future directions in research with our editorial excellence, commitment to innovation, unparalleled reach and visibility, and passion for advocacy. Visit http://www.cell.com/.

Cell Signaling Technology (CST) is a different kind of life sciences company—one founded, owned, and run by active research scientists, with the highest standards of product and service quality, technological innovation, and scientific rigor. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA, CST employs over 600 people worldwide. We consistently provide fellow scientists around the globe with best-in-class products and services to fuel their quests for discovery. CST is a company of caring people driven by a devotion to facilitating good science—a company committed to doing the right thing for our Customers, our communities, and our planet. cellsignal.com

The Elsevier Foundation contributes over $1.5 million a year to non-profit organizations through partnerships which incubate new approaches, highlight inequities and catalyse change toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Funded by Elsevier, a global information analytics company specializing in science and health, the Elsevier Foundation is part of Elsevier’s wider corporate responsibility program. By leveraging Elsevier’s networks and unique insights in content, data and analytics, the Elsevier Foundation is able to expand its impact in gender, health, climate action and reduced inequalities. Since 2005, the Elsevier Foundation has contributed over $16 million in grants to over 100 partners in 70 countries around the world. In addition, the Elsevier Foundation offers a special fund to support disaster relief, matching employees’ donations and volunteering to enable employees to work closely with Foundation partners and support their communities. 

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Ancient retroviruses played a key role in the evolution of vertebrate brains

Ancient retroviruses played a key role in the evolution of vertebrate brains
2024-02-15
Researchers report February 15 in the journal Cell that ancient viruses may be to thank for myelin—and, by extension, our large, complex brains. The team found that a retrovirus-derived genetic element or “retrotransposon” is essential for myelin production in mammals, amphibians, and fish. The gene sequence, which they dubbed “RetroMyelin,” is likely a result of ancient viral infection, and comparisons of RetroMyelin in mammals, amphibians, and fish suggest that retroviral infection and genome-invasion ...

Researchers discover that a rare fat molecule helps drive cell death

Researchers discover that a rare fat molecule helps drive cell death
2024-02-15
Columbia researchers have found that a rare type of lipid is a key driver of ferroptosis, a form of cell death discovered by Columbia professor Brent Stockwell. The findings provide new detail on how cells die during ferroptosis and could improve understanding of how to stop ferroptosis in contexts where it is harmfully occurring– in neurodegenerative diseases, for example– or induce it in contexts where it could be useful, such as using it to kill dangerous cancer cells. The new research found that a rare type of ...

Plant disease: Mapping the spread of potato blight prior to the Irish potato famine *IMAGES*

2024-02-15
The first accurate maps of outbreaks of potato blight — a disease caused by the fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora infestans that was responsible for the Irish potato famine between 1845 and 1852 — in the USA between 1843 and 1845 are presented in a study published in Scientific Reports. The findings improve our understanding of the spread of potato blight before the disease reached Europe. Jean Ristaino and colleagues mapped outbreaks of potato blight in North America between 1843 and 1845 by analysing historic agricultural reports published in the USA during this period. The authors found that the disease was first reported ...

New treatment for a rare and aggressive cancer improves survival rates in breakthrough clinical trial

2024-02-15
An innovative treatment significantly increases the survival of people with malignant mesothelioma, a rare but rapidly fatal type of cancer with few effective treatment options, according to results from a clinical trial led by Queen Mary University of London.  The phase 3 clinical trial, led by Professor Peter Szlosarek at Queen Mary and sponsored by Polaris Pharmaceuticals, has unveiled a breakthrough in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare and often rapidly fatal form ...

Weight loss treatment and longitudinal weight change among patients with obesity

2024-02-15
About The Study: In this study of primary-care patients with obesity, all weight management treatments (nutrition counseling, very low-calorie meal replacement, anti-obesity medications, and bariatric surgery) increased the patient-level probability of achieving 5% or greater weight loss, but current rates of utilization are low and insufficient to reduce weight at the population level.  Authors: Dina H. Griauzde, M.D., M.Sc., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/  (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.56183) Editor’s ...

Traumatic brain injury and subsequent risk of brain cancer in US veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars

2024-02-15
About The Study: Moderate or severe and penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) were associated with the subsequent development of brain cancer in this study of more than 1.9 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. However, mild TBI was not associated with later brain cancer diagnoses.  Authors: Ian J. Stewart, M.D., of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/  (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.54588) Editor’s ...

Using written records – and tweets – as a roadmap for plant disease spread

Using written records – and tweets – as a roadmap for plant disease spread
2024-02-15
North Carolina State University researchers used text analytics on both historic and modern writing to reveal more information about the effects and spread of the plant pathogen – now known as Phytophthora infestans – that caused the 1840s Irish potato famine and that continues to vex breeders of potatoes and tomatoes. The study examined keyword terms like “potato rot” and “potato disease” after digitizing historic farm reports, news accounts and U.S. Patent Office agricultural records from 1843 ...

Telehealth is as safe as a visit to the clinic for abortion pills

2024-02-15
Large national study finds that video visits, texting and mailing pills are all effective, as the U.S. Supreme Court considers limiting access to telemedicine abortion. Medication abortion can be delivered safely and effectively through telemedicine, according to new research from UC San Francisco that comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear a case that could severely restrict access to one of the two pills that are used to induce abortions.    Researchers analyzed data from more than 6,000 patients who obtained abortion ...

Do sugar-free candy and gum give you gas? Researchers think they know why

Do sugar-free candy and gum give you gas? Researchers think they know why
2024-02-15
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Researchers at UC Davis have identified changes in the gut microbiome that can result in an inability to digest sorbitol. Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, is used in sugar-free gum, mints, candy and other products. It is also found naturally in apricots, apples, pears, avocadoes and other foods. At high levels, sorbitol can cause bloating, cramps and diarrhea. For some people, even a small amount causes digestive upset, a condition known as sorbitol intolerance. A new study with mice found that taking antibiotics, combined with a high-fat diet, reduced the number of Clostridia gut microbes, which can break down sorbitol. ...

Health and zombie cells in aging

2024-02-15
With age, cells can experience senescence, a state where they stop growing but continue releasing inflammatory and tissue-degrading molecules. When a person is young, the immune system responds and eliminates senescent cells, often referred to as zombie cells. However, zombie cells linger and contribute to various age-related health problems and diseases. Mayo Clinic researchers, in two studies, shed light on the biology of aging cells. In a study published in Aging Cell, Mayo Clinic researchers analyzed zombie ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Resistance training may improve nerve health, slow aging process, study shows

Common and inexpensive medicine halves the risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer

SwRI-built instruments to monitor, provide advanced warning of space weather events

Breakthrough advances sodium-based battery design

New targeted radiation therapy shows near-complete response in rare sarcoma patients

Does physical frailty contribute to dementia?

Soccer headers and brain health: Study finds changes within folds of the brain

Decoding plants’ language of light

UNC Greensboro study finds ticks carrying Lyme disease moving into western NC

New implant restores blood pressure balance after spinal cord injury

New York City's medical specialist advantage may be an illusion, new NYU Tandon research shows

Could a local anesthetic that doesn’t impair motor function be within reach?

1 in 8 Italian cetacean strandings show evidence of fishery interactions, with bottlenose and striped dolphins most commonly affected, according to analysis across four decades of data and more than 5

In the wild, chimpanzees likely ingest the equivalent of several alcoholic drinks every day

Warming of 2°C intensifies Arctic carbon sink but weakens Alpine sink, study finds

Bronze and Iron Age cultures in the Middle East were committed to wine production

Indian adolescents are mostly starting their periods at an earlier age than 25 years ago

Temporary medical centers in Gaza known as "Medical Points" (MPs) treat an average of 117 people daily with only about 7 staff per MP

Rates of alcohol-induced deaths among the general population nearly doubled from 1999 to 2024

PLOS One study: In adolescent lab animals exposed to cocaine, High-Intensity Interval Training boosts aversion to the drug

Scientists identify four ways our bodies respond to COVID-19 vaccines

Stronger together: A new fusion protein boosts cancer immunotherapy

Hidden brain waves as triggers for post-seizure wandering

Music training can help the brain focus

Researcher develop the first hydride ion prototype battery

MIT researchers find a more precise way to edit the genome

‘Teen’ pachycephalosaur butts into fossil record

Study finds cocoa extract supplement reduced key marker of inflammation and aging

Obesity treatment with bariatric surgery vs GLP-1 receptor agonists

Nicotinamide for skin cancer chemoprevention

[Press-News.org] Winners of 4th annual Rising Black Scientists Awards announced
Four student recipients received $10,000 each for their stories on inspiration and innovation, with essays to be published in the journal Cell