Jedidah Isler
Jedidah Isler
Astro Advocate
Brooklyn, NY
@JedidahIslerPhD
Personal Website
TOPICS
Diversity
Race
Science
Education
Dr. Jedidah Isler’s scientific research explores the physics of blazars, supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies that create particle jets moving at nearly the speed of light. She has a rare ability to speak about her work in a way that is not only accessible, but enlivening. As such, she’s been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, the Science Channel’s How the Universe Works, and National Geographic, and involved in museum shows and countless conferences. Her TED talks have been seen more than 3 million times and she was included on Beyoncé’s 2020 This Is Black History list.
But it’s not just far flung galaxies that she’s interested in turning audiences on to; she also wants to wake them up to the vast equity, inclusion and diversity gaps here on Planet Earth. This history maker—in 2014, she became the first African-American woman to earn her PhD in astrophysics from Yale University—wants to be less exceptional. Her nonprofit organization, The STEM en Route to Change (SeRCH) Foundation, is dedicated to using STEM as a pathway for social justice. Her intellectual prowess wows, but it is her emotional resonance that past collaborators and clients bring up most when talking about her lectures.
Jedidah's passionate promotion of equality and opportunity for young women resonated wonderfully with those who were a part of the career exploration series. She established an emotional and lasting connection with the young women that will go a long way in motivating them toward their future goals.
"I just want to take a moment to say: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You touched and inspired so many last Thursday. It wasn't just your words (which were powerful), it was your enthusiasm, passion, energy, your smile...everything! You are a force! So thrilled to have met you!"
Copyright, 2018 | All rights reserved.