Dr. Jarren Oates received a BS in Biology and an MS in Secondary Education - Life Sciences both from the University of Arkansas in 2014 and 2016, respectively, and a PhD in Immunology from the University of Cincinnati in 2022. Dr. Oates is performing his postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Brian Sims, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics, elucidating the role of exosomes in the neonatal brain.

Dr. DaShauna Ballard received a BS in Biology from the University of the Alabama in 2013, an MS in Public Heath from UAB in 2014, and a PhD in Health Education and Promotion from the University of Alabama in 2022. Dr. Ballard is performing her postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Suzanne Judd PhD, Professor of Biostatistics, reducing health disparities related to COVID in rural populations.

Dr. Mariana Dupont received a BS in Biology from Dillard University in 2017 and a PhD in Vision Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022. Dr. Dupont is performing her postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Burel Goodin PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, conducting laboratory-based pain research in patient cohorts.

Dr. Annesha King received a BS in Biology from the University of the Virgin Islands in 2014 and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2021. Dr. King is performing her postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Nicole Riddle PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, elucidating chromatin structure in Drosophila.

Dr. King has selected Dr. Melissa Richardson, Associate Professor of Biology at Oakwood University, as her MERIT Teaching Mentor.

Dr. Bobby Jones received a BS in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2010, an MA in Biology from Fisk University in 2014, and a PhD in Microbiology from Meharry Medical College in 2021. Dr. Jones is performing his postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Jennifer Pollock, Professor of Medicine, investigating circadian rhythms with a western diet and how this may cause alterations in redox and metabolic mechanisms resulting in vascular damage.

Dr. Jones has selected Dr. Tracey Wilson, Professor of Natural Science at Lawson State Community College as his MERIT Teaching Mentor.

Dr. Lisa Antoine received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University in 1990 and an MS in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T University in 1993. In 2020, she was awarded a PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Antoine is now performing her postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Burel Goodin, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, developing advanced analytics for neural imaging.
Dr. Antoine has selected Dr. Tracey Wilson, Professor of Natural Science at Lawson State Community College, as her MERIT Teaching Mentor.