Zakiya
Zakiya
Scientist. Educator. Creator.
 

I am a Co-host & Executive Producer of Dope Labs podcast.

Dope Labs highlights the intersection of science & pop culture, and it has been praised & recommended by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Gayle King, and more. Dope Labs has been nominated for two Webby Awards and a Podcast Academy award.

I host the Breakthrough podcast series.

Breakthrough is a podcast from Boston Children’s about the innovations that are revolutionizing the future of pediatrics. Season 1 of Breakthrough was nominated for a Webby Award as a top Health, Science, and Education podcast in 2023.

Season 2 of Breakthrough is available now!

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Science for All

I believe in science education for all, formal or informal, across multiple platforms. My efforts focus on broadening access to and persistence in STEM careers.

Much of my work targets populations historically underrepresented in the sciences. I liken my work to building a ramp - if it’s there, everyone can use it, both those who need it and people who may have otherwise taken the stairs.

 
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Want to know what else I’m up to?

 
 
 

On the January 18th edition of Science Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Carmen Martin-Alonso about the work she and her colleagues presented in their paper “Priming agents transiently reduce the clearance of cell-free DNA to improve liquid biopsies.”

 
 
 
 
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My BACKGROUND

Molecular Biology, STEM Education & Outreach, and more!

From 2018-2021, I managed a large, interdisciplinary umbrella PhD & MS program in the Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland. I continued to support graduate education and professional development by serving as a University of Maryland AGEP PROMISE Mentor-in-Residence for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Before moving into graduate education, I was an Assistant Professor and taught Cell Biology, Introductory Biology, and an advanced research seminar - The Molecular Basis of Biofilms. My lab focused on sociomicrobiology, particularly factors involved in early stages of multi species biofilm formation.

I completed a teaching postdoc and was a visiting assistant professor at a small liberal arts college. I taught Introductory Biology, Microbiology, and The Fault in Our Genomes - a first-year seminar about the ethical and social implications of genetic & genomic technologies. I trained students to use molecular and microbiological techniques to identify and characterize biofilms in the built environment.

I earned my PhD in Genetics & Genomics and Cellular & Molecular Biology at Duke University in the laboratory of Dr. Kenneth Kreuzer. Prior to graduate school, I completed my BS in Biology at Hampton University in Hampton, VA.

 
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