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Dr. Kristy L. McDowell has been selected as the DMV 2021/2022 Department of Defense (DoD) STEM Ambassador by the Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Consortium (DSEC).
McDowell is an experienced scientist and educator with an extensive research background in oncology, molecular biology, genetics, and infectious diseases. She completed her bachelor’s degree with a double major in Biology and African American Studies at Washington University (St. Louis, MO, 1997). She obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology/Immunology from Meharry Medical College (Nashville, TN, 2007) and completed her dissertation research at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland.
The DSEC is a collaborative partnership that aims to broaden STEM literacy and develop a diverse and agile workforce with the technical excellence to defend our nation. DSEC seeks to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. This multi-year effort includes elements focused on STEM enrichment programs for students and educators, STEM workforce engagement, program evaluation, and public outreach.
Educators who are recognized with the DoD STEM Ambassador award will partner with DSEC to advance STEM outreach throughout the 2021-2022 school year. As members of this prestigious cohort, DoD STEM Ambassadors will collaborate with DSEC to create and curate resources to support STEM educators across the nation in implementing high quality STEM learning for all students.
“My goal for this year is to expand my outreach and network to educate and inspire more children to pursue STEM careers”
she said.
Currently, Dr. McDowell is an adjunct Professor at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and the founder and CEO of BabyScientist, Inc., (www.babyscientist.org). BabyScientist is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
created to educate, motivate, and inspire children, preK-12, from underserved communities and underrepresented populations to pursue careers in STEM.