ISSUE NO.4
Ft. Jeanette Adjei
ISSUE NO.2
Ft. Allysia Chin
ISSUE NO.1
The Introduction
Available Issues
I think it is so important to see people that look like you and me in these spaces. You get inspired and you say “I’m able to do this because this person who looks exactly like me has done the same thing." Seeing that representation is important so that they know they can also accomplish amazing and excellent things in the STEM fields. - Dr. Kameron King
Academic Background
The College of William and Mary: BS in Chemistry, BS in Environmental Science and Policy
Johns Hopkins University-Whiting School of Engineering: MS Geography and Environmental Engineering
Old Dominion University-Batten College of Engineering: PhD in Environmental Engineering
Career & Research Focus
Dr. Kameron J. King is the founder of BlackGirlScientist, LLC. She received her PhD in Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Virginia) while working in the ODU Biomass Research Laboratory.
From as early as high school working at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, to undergraduate/graduate research in algae cultivation, environmental policy, biofuels production and solid waste management, she has dedicated her life’s work in protecting our environment and advancing renewable energy research!
She currently works as an ORISE Postdoctoral Research Fellow working with Food Lost and Food Waste at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In collaboration with the Office of Research Development's (ORD) Office of Science Advisor, Policy and Engagement (OSAPE), she now conducts research to help the U.S. meet our food waste reduction goal and meet it in the most environmentally beneficial way.
Ever since a I was a child, I have always loved science. I remember watching Bill Nye the Science Guy and always asking for chemistry sets, doing anything with science. I feel as though I have always had a God-given passion for the environment and protecting the environment, so I was very blessed to have parents who saw this and fostered this by enrolling me in science camps, math camps etc.This was the start of why I wanted to pursue my career in STEM.
My experiences the years following throughout bachelor’s degree in environmental science and policy to my master’s in environmental engineering and even now completing my Ph.D. in environmental engineering; all this was fostered by a love of science as a child and wanting to pursue a career in STEM.
ISSUE NO.3
Dr. Kameron King
STEM Magazine
A Q&A with
Dr. Kameron King
What has been the biggest challenge pursuing a career in STEM as a black woman?
One of the biggest challenges of being a black woman in a STEM field is the representation aspect for me.
Rarely throughout my bachelor’s degree, my master’s degree or my doctorate did I see people who actually look like me, a woman of colour, either being a teacher, a scientist or a principal investigator. I think that is probably one of the hardest things that I’ve had to deal with along this journey. That’s why I do what I do now, so that others can see people who look like me in these spaces and so black women will know that they can achieve amazing things
A Q&A with
Dr. Kameron King
Who is your biggest inspiration (in STEM or otherwise)?
My biggest inspirations in STEM would have to be two people within my family.
First would be my aunt Dr. Donna Adams-Pickett who is a medical doctor with a Ph.D. in microbiology as well as having her own OBGYN practice in Georgia. Her journey to her Ph.D. and her medical doctor experiences are definitely an inspiration.
My second inspiration would have to be my mother Joyce Nella Adams who is an excellent nurse and had many accomplishments throughout her career.
These are my two biggest inspirations. They are both very hard workers, excellent at what they do, and put excellence into all that they do. I have always gleamed with that my entire life.
What piece of advice or tip would you give to someone pursuing a career in your field currently?
A piece of advice I would give to someone trying to pursue a career in my field is to have many different experiences such as internships so you can know exactly what you want to do because there are so many branches of environmental engineering. Maybe you want to work in wastewater treatment or maybe you want to work in renewable energy such as myself, nonetheless, applying yourself and getting that experience is important.
If you want to work in a lab, work in a lab and see if you actually like working in a lab setting. If you want to work at the federal level, find an internship and see if you enjoy it. I think that doing this will give you a well-rounded perspective on what you want to pursue since there are so many opportunities in this field.
My other piece of advice would be to really pay attention to those basic concepts you learn in your classes because even though it may seem boring at the time, they will show up later on when you are working on real-world problems. I have always noticed that the one concept I learned in algebra that was probably really boring or I just was not interested in at the time always creeps back up in my experiments now that I have to design. I am always going to have to use what I have learned and build on that knowledge. So, I would say be diligent and remember those small concepts as you progress in your scientific journey.
A Q&A with
Dr. Kameron King
Why do you think diversity in STEM fields is so important?
Diversity in STEM fields is extremely important, and partly why I started my business The BlackGirlScientist LLC is that I think it is so important to see people that look like you and me in these spaces. This way, women get inspired and say “I’m able to do this because this person who looks exactly like me has done the same thing.” That’s why I would say that diversity of all kinds is important in STEM fields. You need that representation so that they know that they can also accomplish amazing thing in STEM.
A Q&A with
Dr. Kameron King
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
One piece of advice that I would give to myself as a child is something that I even say to myself now; your purpose will always be your provision and your protection. What I mean by that is that even at an early age I have always had a God-given passion for the environment and making sure that our earth is a place that we can live in sustainably and healthily. As such, I have been afforded many opportunities to expound on my love and passion for the environment through internships, my degree, work etc. These things are always easy when you have something you can focus on – your purpose and your passion. This will get you through those tough times and hopefully even celebrate the good times even more.