BRISC LAB
Black Representation in the Science/STEAM Curriculum Lab
This lab was created to continue the work that began with Dr. Quinlan’s NSF funded project.
Dr. Catherine L Quinlan
Founder and Director of BRISCLAB
Dr. Quinlan is Associate Professor of Science Education at Howard University.
My Main Website
My Howard University Profile
MISSION
This lab was created to facilitate and promote training and collaborations among student and faculty scholars, teachers, principals, and other stakeholders who are vested in meaningful Black representation in the Science/STEAM curriculum.
The mission of this lab is to create meaningful and authentic representations that Black children can positively identify with their own sense of “self.”
The goal of this lab is to encourage connections with Black narratives, heritage, and lives, to promote positive identity formation in Black children with what defines them as quintessentially Black.
This lab draws from the lived experiences of various peoples of the African Diaspora in the United States – African American, Afro-Caribbean, Africa, and other places
BRISCLAB MEMBERS
Jasmine Prime
BRISCLAB Member, Leader, Grant Administrative Assistant for MSEIP Project
Jasmine Prime is a junior English major, secondary education minor from Bristol, Pennsylvania. She is passionate about making a quality education accessible to underrepresented students through teaching, research, and policy. Her experience as a Breakthrough Collaborative Teaching Fellow and an Administrative Grant Assistant has taught her how to bring more Black Representation to STEM on a secondary and undergraduate level. After graduation, she aspires to continue the work of advocating for equitable education through teaching, while preparing for law school.
Kennedy James
BRISCLAB Member, Gullah/Geechee Project
Hello, my name is Kennedy James. I am a junior political science major from Houston, Texas, currently attending Howard University. Growing up, I enjoyed education, and I loved to learn. Yet, at the same time, I felt very isolated from my peers and my teachers, as one of the only black students, let alone black persons, in my classes. I decided to attend Howard University, as one of the premier HBCUs, to pursue my love of education surrounded by those who look, think, and act like me. Here at Howard, I discovered my desire to diversify education and create more opportunities for future students to see themselves represented in their own classwork. My goal while working with BRISCLAB is to actualize my dedication to increasing black representation in education and curriculum development through substantial research and extraordinary teamwork.
Eliana Lewis
BRISCLAB Member, Gullah/Geechee Project
Eliana Lewis is a junior at Howard University majoring in English, minoring in secondary education and journalism. She plans to graduate in May of 2024. Upon graduation, Ms. Lewis hopes to work in the media industry crafting stories centered around Black womanhood, education, and culture. She also hopes to work as an educator in low-income communities serving as a middle or high school English teacher. Ms. Lewis’ decision to become an educator was heavily influenced by community service work in high school. Attending the Academy of Liberal Arts Program at Newton High School in Covington, Georgia, Ms. Lewis accumulated over 100 hours in community service, as well as leaving her mark by reestablishing, the afterschool program “Heels in Motion” which is still running today. Ms. Lewis has also worked as a camp counselor for preschool and special needs children, a civic voices tutor with the CloseUp Foundation and most recently an SAT tutor for high school seniors. Currently, she serves as a campus reporter for The Hilltop Newspaper on Howard’s campus, as well as the historian for both Her Campus Howard Chapter and Sigma Tau Delta English Society Howard Chapter.
Nia Goodall
BRISCLAB Member, C&I Honors Research Project
Hello, my name is Nia Goodall and I am a fourth-year Elementary Education major and Political Science minor at Howard University graduating in Spring 2023. I currently serve as the School of Education’s President and am an Honors Student within the School of Education. I previously served as the School of Education Vice President for the 2021-2022 school year. I head the Council’s mentorship program where I match underclassmen with upperclassmen for the year. I am also a writer for the on campus political newspaper the Liberato and am a campus liaison for CASCADE to promote LGBTQ+ rights on campus. I have had the honor to intern at Stokes Elementary School, The U.S. House of Representatives, and the Center for Black Educators. In the future I hope to work in Education Policy to better education for black and brown students.
Charis Haynes
BRISCLAB Member, MSEIP Mentor Leader, Mentoring Project
Charis Haynes is a junior at Howard University. She has a double major in honors biology and political science and also has a chemistry minor. Charis has aspirations to attend medical school on a full scholarship to earn a dual M.D./MPH degree. When she is not studying, she is involved at Howard University as a mentor to freshmen biology students, a senator within student government, and an assistant basketball coach for a local recreation league. She hopes to ultimately become a family medicine physician and increase community awareness of the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
Selama Tesfamariam
BRISCLAB Member, MSEIP Mentor
Selama Tesfamariam is a biology major, chemistry and psychology double minor who is originally from Asmara, Eritrea, residing in Silver Spring, Maryland. Selama plans to pursue a combined MD/Ph.D. in microbiology, molecular biology, and genetics so that he can make a positive contribution to the scientific community. In a time when bacterial resistance to current medicines is a growing concern, and new viruses are causing health crises, it is his dream to contribute to the advancement of the STEM field so we can be steps ahead of the pathogens. Selama wanted to attend Howard University and is proud to be a member of the Karsh Stem Scholars program because he believes that when people from different backgrounds come to one table, they add different perspectives and are better at solving problems because their diverse experiences push them to be creative and innovative.
Dougziana Thomas-Chan
BRISCLAB Member, C&I Honors Research Project
Dougziana Thomas-Chan is a Senior majoring in Elementary Education and minoring in Spanish from New Jersey. She is currently a member of the Howard University’s School of Education Honors program and Executive Student Council where she serves as Vice President. She aspires to be a classroom teacher and eventually work in Curriculum Development and Instructional Design. She desires to advance her community by reaching and empowering youth through service, teaching and mentorship. Her passion for mathematics and social justice drives her to be a part of the reimagining and transformation of public education specifically for Black and Brown children from low-income communities. The inequities she has witnessed throughout her life inspire her to go into education, to be grateful for what she has, to be a light amidst the darkness and positively impact the lives of others.
Alia Saleebaan
BRISCLAB Member, HUSECE-MSEIP Scholar
My name is Alia Saleebaan, Senior Biology major, Chemistry and Community Development double minor from Boston, Massachusetts by way of Somalia. I hope to address the world’s most pressing health issues by conducting research grounded in vigorous and innovative analytical methods. I have had various data analysis experiences at multiple levels that demonstrate I have the capacity to apply innovative analytical techniques. These experiences have given me a strong quantitative background that will help as I pursue my goal to work for a National or Global Health agency. My career goal is to return to Somalia to challenge the stigmas of mental health, sexual health, and women’s health..
Trinity Ijoma
BRISCLAB Member, HUSECE-MSEIP Scholar
My name is Trinity Ijoma. I am a third year undergraduate mechanical engineering student at Howard University. I have had the opportunity throughout the duration of my undergraduate career to work across different fields in the tech and engineering industries. My professional interests include machine learning, automation, and robotics. In the future, I hope to become an automation engineer to help companies manufacturing processes become more efficient and easier to operate. Outside of academia, I enjoy reading, doing pilates, and going to church.
Unwana-Abasi Obidike
BRISCLAB MEMBER, HUSECE-MSEIP Mentor
Unwana-Abasi is currently a student at Howard university majoring in Health Sciences with a minor in Chemistry. Unwana dreams of and consistently works towards being an OB/GYN and add to the pool of amazing Health Professionals. As a resilient student, Unwana possesses proper management and critical thinking skills which aid her in keeping a 4.0 GPA in both sciences and overall courses. During the summer of 2022, she worked for the Columbia Medical Associates as an Internal Medicine Intern under the care of Dr. Uma Murthy. She learned a lot during that time and is extremely grateful for the experience. As a result, she is excited for this opportunity to work with fellow students under the BRISCLAB umbrella and expand her knowledge. Unwana is a team player who can be depended on. She also possesses great leadership skills and can lead a team on with little or no assistance to carry out a task. She believes in quality work and lives by the motto that “Anything worth doing; is worth doing well”.