Ciearra Smith, Phd Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc, Us

-Support graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) through community building and advising -Recruit undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds to KSAS-Assist with KSAS DEI initiatives and recruitment strategy

Rockville, Maryland, United States

-Served as staff liaison to the Maximizing Access Committee (MAC) and Women in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (WiBMB) Committee, including identification of new strategic goals for committee action. Utilized my vast project/time management, organizational, communication, and creativity skills to manage the WiBMB Committee and multiple MAC task forces, and their initiatives. Strong ability to work independently and as a part of a team as demonstrated through award application evaluation and program development (e.g., webinars and panels). -Served as the Society diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) leader by utilizing critical analysis to evaluate ASBMB’s DEAI efforts and identifying areas of improvement through data collection and problem-solving. Promoted knowledge of DEAI concepts, resources and tools, and best practices through education and consultation.

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

-Served as a liaison between the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences students/faculty and administration via the Diversity Interest Group (DIG) and Faculty Fostering Inclusive Excellence (FFIE) community. -Created programming in alignment with GSBS strategic goal to increase student and faculty diversity, developed awareness of social justice in the context of science, and laid the foundation for programming in inclusive teaching practices.-Managed and/or coordinated program planning for four primary DEI initiatives: Voices in Science (ViS), Historically Black College and University (HBCU)-UMMS Link, Diversity and Injustice in Current Events and Science (DICES), and Communities Focused on Inclusive Teachings (C-FIT).

Worcester, Ma

During my time at UMASS Medical School, I had the privilege of studying two different fields: psychiatric disorders and circadian rhythm biology (see publications). However, for my thesis work, I focused on circadian rhythms where I validated a novel conditional mouse model for studying circadian rhythms in specific tissues and cell-types. Our novel conditional mouse model can be used to gain new insights into circadian disruption.

Greensboro, North Carolina

Project 1: Investigated the presence of CusA, CusB, and CusC genes in Shewanella bacteria strains through PCR amplification. Project 2: Identification of bacterial species on German cockroaches found in daycares and houses of the Greensboro, High Point, and Franklin County areas.

Baltimore, Maryland

Studied organogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. The goal was to build GFP-tagged constructs of various transcription factors that contribute to the development of the Drosophila melanogaster salivary gland. With these transcription factor constructs, various binding sites within the genome of the fly can now be identified.

Worcester, Ma

Optimized a technique for enriching a subpopulation of antibiotic-sensitive recombinant bacteria in a larger antibiotic-resistant population to determine whether chromosomal homologous recombination is mutagenic.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Biomedical Sciences, General

Activities and Societies: Diversity co-representative for the graduate student body (2018-2020) ; Diversity Interest Group (DIG).

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Biology, General

Activities and Societies: President of Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society (2012-2013) ; Resident Assistant (2010-2013) ; Alpha Kappa.