Outreach
Engagement
Engagement at all levels —students, the general public, southside neighborhoods, foreign countries— is intertwined with my research, affecting the kinds of classes I teach, my efforts to bring STEAM pathways to teens on the southside of Chicago, and a long-term plan to found new national museums and study programs in Niger (NigerHeritage). I have penned stories in National Geographic and have participated in 15 documentaries on my research. Engagement recognition includes Chicago Tribune's Teacher of the Year award (1993), Chicago magazine’s Chicagoan of the Year (1996), and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (2009).