Learning by Doing: A Howard Scholar, Kennedy Williams' Journey with the BRAAG Program
Research requires patience and perhaps a little upper body strength, according to Kennedy Williams (pictured to the right), a recent graduate of Howard University and scholar alum of the BRAAG program led by NASA Acres PI - Dr. Teamrat Ghezzehei.
May 9, 2024 - Written By Basia Skudrzyk
Kennedy Williams recently graduated from Howard University and spoke with Basia Skudrzyk, NASA Acres program coordinator, about her life-changing experience with the BRAAG program (Boosting Representation of African Americans in Geoscience). The BRAAG program is led by Dr. Teamrat Ghezzehei, one of NASA Acres’ principal investigators and Professor at the University of California - Merced in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences.
Dr. Ghezzehei was born in Eritrea and together with his colleagues in collaboration with historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) partners from Kentucky State University, Tennessee State University, and Howard University, they created a summer research internship that provides opportunities and graduate admission support to 12 students over three years. NASA Acres sponsors the summer research collaborative which provides additional immersive and enriching research and professional development activities in collaboration with several UC Merced and neighboring research facilities. The intention of expanding opportunities for scholars who have traditionally not considered the Geoscience field is one of NASA Acres’ core values.
Professor Ghezzehei's research interest is in the movement and transformation of mass and energy in porous media at a fundamental level, as well as their application to environmental- and energy-related problems. The scale of his interest ranges from sub-pore scale dynamics of water-gas interfaces to water flow and solute transport at scales of tens of meters. The scope of his research includes laboratory and field experiments, theory, and computational modeling. Specific to the NASA Acres focus, Dr. Ghezzehei is using Earth Observation data to forecast crop water demand for irrigation scheduling.
Kennedy applied as a sophomore when attending Howard University. She was one of the 2020 Covid students, so her freshman year at Howard was actually spent at home. Kennedy moved to Washington DC in 2021 with the idea to explore the field research in the environmental space. She didn't really know what that looked like, never set foot in a lab before, and took a chance at exploring a field that soon became her passion.
An overview of the BRAAG Summer Program breakdown.
The BRAAG internship was the only internship she applied for. She placed all of her eggs in one basket and was pleased to learn she was accepted. Despite being a little nervous and anxious due to the unknown, it was leaders like Dr. Teamrat Ghezzehei and the team she worked with who gave her the confidence to not be fearful and ask questions.
Kennedy shared she had the most exciting research. She courageously began working with maneur, which surprisingly was fun and a time she really enjoyed. Her project focused on Biochar. It is an eco-friendly alternative to charcoal, and it is made of organic material from agricultural and forestry waste. Kennedy fondly reminisces about her exploratory research. Prior to that experience she never knew what biochar was. Her experience allowed her to become engaged in the process of receiving academic journals, doing her own research, taking notes, and then applying what knowledge she acquired to the research she was developing.
Kennedy is extremely grateful to the PhD student, Brendan Harrison, who mentored her during the BRAAG experience. Brandon included Kennedy in the overarching project he was leading as part of his thesis. Having a piece of this experience really made Kennedy feel welcome and a part of the team. She was very impressed by his mentorship and will always look back on the skillsets he possessed, as she learned a lot during the process.
One of the key deliverables of the BRAAG program is to present at the end of the internship experience. Kennedy’s presentation became a part of a larger project that was recently published: Methane and nitrous oxide emissions during biochar‐composting are driven by biochar application rate and aggregate formation - Harrison - 2024 - GCB Bioenergy - Wiley Online Library. This type of learning opportunity certainly elevated Kennedy’s academic and professional portfolio.
Kennedy will always thank Brandon for his patience because whenever she worked with him, he always made himself available despite being an extremely busy doctoral student who was in the process of completing his dissertation. As Kennedy shared, “I'm sure he had a million other important things to do during that summer, but he put a pause and took the time to really work with me, and, as I said, my project was kind of a small piece of his bigger project, so we kind of were able to help each other out.”
According to Kennedy, Brandon was extremely patient. He showed her how to use lab equipment that she never imagined she would touch. He made her feel comfortable and not fearful of breaking items that she was not accustomed to using. His patience carried through by showing her how to use the different processes and teaching her the importance of each process and its interconnectedness. Kennedy shared that Brandon was, “Teaching me patience through it, because if anybody's ever told you… research, it takes a lot of patience… like a tremendous amount of patience. And he was just a great mentor throughout the whole process.”
During the BRAAG summer research rotation, Kennedy was able to help collect and examine soil samples. The University of Merced California landscape is very rural with many surrounding walnut farms. Kennedy partnered with another PhD student to collect samples and hike in the region to dig samples. She recalls it took a lot of upper body strength that she never expected, and she was absolutely exhausted and covered in dirt afterward. It was all worth it! Despite the hard labor, she had the motivation and passion to keep digging and helping because she knew she was adding capacity, value, and understanding to research that was literally happening from the ground up. As part of the UROC organization, the BRAAG program was introduced to Kennedy. BRAAG appealed to Kennedy because it was out of her state and on the West Coast, which allowed Kennedy to meet with new scholars and professors who added new perspectives and life experiences to the program. Kennedy felt empowered.
Kennedy would not have had the experience that she did without the support and mentorship that was displayed during that time. It could have been very easy for Kennedy to be fearful and not to ask for help. Instead, she was encouraged to ask questions and not to keep her head down. Having the opportunity to lean on her support systems allowed Kennedy to enjoy the fully integrated summer research experience. Kennedy says that for any future scholar who wants to do this program they should seriously consider it just to have the experience of what it feels like to have dedicated and passionate professors and doctoral students who exhibit amazing mentorship and leadership skills. She will always look back on this experience as a benchmark and as a leadership style she would like to continue to emulate.
Kennedy encourages professors and faculty to just take a chance on students who may not necessarily fit the description of a candidate that they may be looking to have in their lab or area of research. She shares that the BRAGG program did not have to select her. She did not have the traditional experience an applicant may have when applying for such a summer research experience. She shared that she was shocked that she was selected because she thought there may be more qualified candidates that could have been selected. “All that I brought to the table was my previous internship experience, which was in wastewater. So, I was just a girl who loved wastewater and had no idea what research I wanted to do or what even a lab looked like. But they took a chance on me, lifted me up, and if they hadn't, I wouldn't have had the experience I did.”
Kennedy is a huge advocate for professors and administrators to take a chance on students who want to learn and be part of an environment that they may have not necessarily thought of prior to this experience. As Kennedy shared, “Because you never know what that opportunity could lead to after.”
Once Kennedy completed the BRAAG program her sophomore year, she was then selected to become an intern at the White House her junior year. What differentiated her from other candidates was her experience as a BRAAG scholar. She strongly believes that due to her experience as a scholar of the BRAAG program, her skillsets were further recognized and utilized in the White House by participating as a policy subject matter expert on the Council on Environmental Quality. The White House selection committee just like the BRAAG program, saw the amazing potential Kennedy could achieve through these supportive programs and effective mentorship and leadership models.
Where does Kennedy see herself in the future based on these experiences? Kennedy recently graduated from Howard University and is currently exploring new workforce opportunities to gain experience. In the next few years, she would like to pursue a Master's degree in sustainability, which compliments the work and experience she has had in policy at the White House and with BRAAG. Her interest in sustainability is directly related to the research experience she gained from the BRAAG program. Kennedy encourages organizations and environments to continue to build and support such programs because they will only strengthen the pipeline and opportunity for people considering workforce opportunities in agriculture focused on technology and research. She underscores how difficult it is for scholars to receive internship opportunities, especially if they do not have as much experience and opportunity as other candidates.
Kennedy shared that she has a mentee who has the same major and minor as her. She attends Howard University and was struggling to get an internship. She's a sophomore, and didn’t have the traditional experience organizations may be looking for. Luckily, through her support network, she recently received an internship with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). As Kennedy has shared, it’s important to take a chance on students as there is unlocked potential for that student to truly contribute to new ideas, creativity, and innovation that may not necessarily be achieved by scholars who do not have access to networks or traditional resources. It’s important not to judge people just based on their resume. Valuing people for their diversity, multi-disciplinary work, and who they are really expands and improves systems that require resilience, change, and growth.
Building a strong workforce for the future is about taking a chance on people who do not check all the boxes on the application. Building a strong workforce requires creating inclusive spaces of belonging and empathy. Building trusting relationships with people allows people to connect and find that inner spark that allows them to succeed and contribute to the work that is being done. Interpersonal relationships are key to a successful and sustainable work environment where trust can be fostered, and value can be created.
Kennedy wanted to learn in a space that was part of the environmental sector. This may have been very broad initially, but she soon realized and was exposed to niches that allowed her to think strategically and absorb as much new information and experiences as possible. She came with an open mind, wanting to learn. This approach allowed her to broaden her horizons, skills, knowledge, and network.
Kennedy Williams presenting research on microbial controls on methane emissions from dairy manure co-composted with different biochars.
“I think that when people see my skills and my knowledge, they see I've done many things. I've been in research. I've been in nonprofit. I've been in policy. I've been in Federal policy. I've kind of dipped my toes into everything, and because of that, because I don't like going in and saying I'm only going do this, or I'm only going do that. I’ve expanded my scope and opportunity to be a strong candidate in different sectors within the environment.”
Having a multi-disciplinary mindset allows for Kennedy to connect with many people on many levels. The workforce and the skillsets needed now and in the future are continuously changing. She feels the mentorship role is a key ingredient to helping people achieve their fullest potential. She is now promoting the BRAAG program to students in her network. She strongly believes that a large part of her success is being a part of the BRAAG program, and she wants others to obtain the same type of success she has due to this experience.
Part of the capstone experience of the BRAAG program is presenting at the academic symposium. Kennedy was focused on translating all the scientific jargon she learned during her 3-month summer internship into a more simplified language that the public could understand and relate to. Her mentor was crucial in helping her translate scientific language into language that allowed others to understand the significance of the research work being done and why they should care.
Kennedy’s hope is that by being a product of such a successful experience, she can do the same for others. She wants students to know, especially students who look like her, about the importance of how crucial it is to translate complex thinking and research into everyday person language. This translation started at BRAAG for Kennedy and allowed her to become more successful in translation due to the mentorship and inclusive environment she was welcomed into. She now wants to give back and provide similar opportunities to scholars who are interested in following a similar path.
BRAAG is a stepping stone for Kennedy to further pursue opportunities in research. This allows her to apply her interest in policy through a multi-disciplinary lens. Kennedy is excited to get back into agriculture and research. She wouldn't have even known what that was if she didn't have that foot in the door into what the agriculture space looks like due to Dr. Teamrat Ghezzehei’s vision and implementation of the BRAAG program. Kennedy’s biggest advice is to “just be a sponge.”
She shares not to go into any new opportunity with any high hopes. “There's nothing wrong with doing that, but just absorb as much as you can and just learn from people you meet. Ask people about their work. You never know where that will lead you. And I think that's been a big part of my success throughout my academic and professional careers - just to absorb it all and learn as much as I can so that it can help me in my future workforce opportunities as well as others.”
To learn more about Kennedy, you can follow her on LinkedIn and or listen to a recent podcast. If scholars are interested in applying for the summer BRAAG internship, please contact Dr. Teamrat Ghezzehei at taghezzehei@ucmerced.edu
Media Contact:
Basia Skudrzyk
Program Coordinator, NASA Acres
skudrzyk@umd.edu