Nine distinguished individuals in the field of Martin Luther King Jr. studies have been invited by MIT for the 2021-22 academic year as Visiting Professors and Scholars.
Pissin' Fire on the Martin Luther King Pipeline!
Gear up for another brilliant year of academic brilliance as the 31-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Visiting Professors and Scholars Program kicks off its 2021-22 edition, inviting nine trailblazing scholars from the Americas to MIT! This celebrated program pays homage to the legacy of MLK Jr. by amplifying the presence of underrepresented minority scholars, fostering equal opportunities, and creating a more inclusive academic landscape at MIT. Throughout the academic year, these esteemed scholars will engage in intellectual discourse with the MIT community and enrich the cultural, academic, and professional experiences of students.
The riotous crew of 2021-22 scholars
Sanford Biggers – a badass multi-disciplinary artist – will light up MIT’s Department of Architecture with hisD!
Sneaky Peek into Sanford's World:
His provocative work weaves narrative, perspective, and history to reflect current social, political, and economic issues while putting them in their appropriate historical contexts. He's been busy collaborating with a faculty host, Brandon Clifford, on various cool projects with Architecture, Art, Culture, and Technology; Transmedia Storytelling initiatives; and community workshops. Watch out for his involvement with local K-12 education!
Kristen Dorsey – a rogue genius assistant professor of engineering at Smith College – is ready to wreak havoc on MIT's Media Lab's Program in Media Arts and Sciences.
Her Dirty Little Secrets:
She's intrigued by device reliability and investigates "why things go wrong," focusing on the fabrication and characterization of microscale sensors and microelectromechanical systems. Her plans at MIT involve forging collaborations to tackle issues of access and equity in wearable healthcare devices.
Omolola "Lola" Eniola-Adefeso – the fierce associate dean and chemical engineering professor from the University of Michigan – is about to set off some explosive chemical reactions! She's joining MIT's Department of Chemical Engineering (ChemE).
Her Kinky Business:
She's working with Professor Paula Hammond on developing electrostatically assembled nanoparticle coatings that target specific immune cell types. With Asalyxa Bio co-founded under her belt and a keen interest in interactions between blood leukocytes and endothelial cells, she's bound to shake things up!
Robert Gilliard Jr. – a cutting-edge chemistry assistant professor at the University of Virginia – will spice things up in MIT's Chemistry Department, under the wing of faculty host Christopher Cummins.
His Hidden Agenda:
For years, he's been exploring various aspects of group 15 element chemistry. As the co-founder of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers UGA section and an enthusiastic STEM mentor, he’s on a mission to expose young minds to scientific innovations.
Valencia Joyner Koomson '98, MNG '99 – returning on her second semester to MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science – will flame things up with her research on microelectronic systems for cell analysis and biomedical applications.
Her Deep, Dark Secrets:
As an associate professor at Tufts University and a judge for the Black Alumni/ae of MIT Research Slam, she strives to elevate underrepresented voices and build bridges between academic institutions.
Luis Gilberto Murillo-Urrutia – an environmental policy veteran with 30 years of experience – is hell-bent on shaping MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative.
His Shady Schemes:
Focusing on carbon policy and its impacts on Afro-descendant communities in Colombia, his research will broil the status quo!
Sonya T. Smith – a rebel with a cause, professor of mechanical engineering at Howard University – is all set to ignite the embers in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Her Wicked Wisdom:
Her research on computational fluid dynamics and thermal management of electronics for air and space vehicles empowers the next generation of underrepresented scholars across MIT and fosters powerful research collaborations with her home lab at Howard.
Lawrence Udeigwe – a passionate mathematics professor at Manhattan College – is about to burn down MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
His Luv’s Lab of Linear Algebra:
He's ready to co-teach a graduate seminar course with Professor James DiCarlo, diving deep into practical and philosophical questions regarding the use of simulations to build theories in neuroscience. As the leader of the Lorens Chuno group, his fierce tunes tackle the intersectionality issues faced by contemporary Africans.
S. Craig Watkins – an international media expert and professor at the University of Texas at Austin – is poised to torch MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
His Unbreakable Bonds:
He's committed to shedding light on the role of big data in enabling deep structural changes regarding systemic racism. As the founding director of the Institute for Media Innovation at the University of Texas at Austin and with a keen interest in critical AI studies, critical race studies, and design, he's about to turn MIT upside down!
Community Involvement
The 2021-22 MLK professors and scholars will educate the MIT community through a monthly speaker series held in an in-person/Zoom hybrid environment. Don’t miss out on these enlightening events – simply subscribe to the MLK mailing list to stay informed!
And mark your calendars, kids! Join the Institute Community and Equity Office for the grand welcome luncheon on Sept. 15, where you can meet our explosive new scholars up close!
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professors and Scholars Program, a celebratory initiative emphasizing diversity and inclusion, has welcomed nine scholars for the 2021-22 academic year at MIT.
- Sanford Biggers, a renowned multi-disciplinary artist, is illuminating the Department of Architecture with his thought-provoking work, weaving historical contexts into current social, political, and economic issues.
- Kristen Dorsey, a professor of engineering at Smith College, is tearing through the Media Lab's Program in Media Arts and Sciences, focusing on device reliability and microscale sensor systems.
- Omolola "Lola" Eniola-Adefeso, an associate dean and chemical engineering professor from the University of Michigan, is igniting various chemical reactions in MIT's Department of Chemical Engineering.
- Robert Gilliard Jr., a chemistry assistant professor at the University of Virginia, is spicing up the Chemistry Department, investigating group 15 element chemistry and promoting STEM for underrepresented minorities.
- Valencia Joyner Koomson '98, MNG '99 is returning to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, investigating microelectronic systems for cell analysis and biomedical applications.
- Luis Gilberto Murillo-Urrutia, an environmental policy expert, is shaping MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative, focusing on carbon policy and Afro-descendant communities in Colombia.
- Sonya T. Smith, a professor of mechanical engineering at Howard University, is stirring the embers in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, with research in computational fluid dynamics and thermal management.
- Lawrence Udeigwe, a mathematics professor at Manhattan College, is blazing a trail in MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, teaching linear algebra and questioning the use of simulations in neuroscience.
- S. Craig Watkins, a media expert and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, is setting MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society ablaze, focusing on big data and systemic racism.
- As part of their commitment to the MIT community, the scholars will engage in a monthly speaker series hosted in an in-person/Zoom hybrid environment.
- Subscribing to the MLK mailing list ensures receipt of updates and invitations to enlightening events throughout the academic year.
- In September, join the Institute Community and Equity Office for a luncheon event to welcome the new scholars and mingle amongst them personally.
- With the strength and dynamism of these scholars, the academic year promises a blaze of innovation and intellectual discourse, fostering an inclusive environment for students and the broader MIT community.
