No Science? No Problem.

Written by Jeremiah-Anthony Righteous-Rogers, 2018 NSF REU Alumnx

To all the lovely readers out there, I’m Jeremiah-Anthony. After relocating from  Louisiana in February, I live about three miles outside of DC proper, work as a  program assistant for Futures Without Violence, and am pursuing a master’s in  public administration and policy from American University. In 2018, before my  

life has become what it is, I took a chance and applied to the 2018 REU in  Hopkins, Belize. I almost didn’t apply because I had no science background and  thought that there was no way that they’d select me. Much to my awe and  surprise, they did, and I had a beautiful time working with my team members to  research flooding, disaster management, and emergency preparedness.  

Both as a graduate student and as a program assistant, leading with empathy,  centering the conversations around the communities we serve and aspire to  serve, and having critical attention to details are skills that I honed during my  time in Hopkins that I see translated into everything that I do now. Providing  support and conducting research is not just about the numbers—it’s about the  people. If you lose sight of that, you’re not actually doing the good work you  hope to be doing.  

Some words of advice:  

1. Don’t disqualify yourself from the beautiful unknown 

2. Excellence is not achieved without practice and intention 3. It is not a question of your competence; it is a question of your confidence  and how you are able to be full within it.

To apply to our NSF REU/RET Site, please visit: https://www.citizensciencegis.org/nsf-reuret-site

Apps due April 9, 2021.