Thank you to Dr. Chartanay Bonner, Associate Director for Enrollment Management, Student Success, and Broadening Participation at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN), Greensboro, North Carolina. Bonner received her Chemistry B.S. degree from Tuskegee University in 2012 and her Chemistry PhD at Western Michigan University (WMU) in 2018. She researched the design, synthesis, and environmental impact of nanomaterials. More specifically, she focused on understanding how emerging contaminants such as silver nanoparticles and heavy metals impact bioremediation processes and sustainability. Bonner also did postdoctoral research in higher education at WMU through a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant. In addition to her career and academic pursuits, Bonner serves as the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) STEM Festival Chair. Bonner is dedicated to advancing the scientific field by advocating for diversity and inclusion within STEM academia, research, and service. Her lecture on Nanotechnology and the Environment can be viewed here on YouTube.

Thanks also to Cali Orman, a native of Biloxi, Mississippi, and a Junior at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. MSMS is a public residential high school for academically gifted and talented students, and it is a member of the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS). She is involved in soccer, the drama club, humanities outreach, interact club, and speech and enjoys studying show production and dramatic performance. After graduation Cali hopes to Intern with Disney’s Imagineering program before attending a university for her business degree.