A Young Scientist’s Quest to Make STEM Shine for Everyone

He grew up in a small town near a pond, where he spent hours catching frogs and watching snakes glide across the water. His curiosity about nature was fueled by weekly fact cards his mother sent him, packed with fun details about animals. He kept a binder full of scientific names and behaviors, memorizing everything he could find. As he entered college, people told him that there were no Black wildlife biologists and urged him to change his path. He earned a civil engineering degree from the University of Washington but kept dreaming of inspiring kids from underrepresented groups to pursue science. He turned his passion into online videos in 2016, blending science with a playful style. The channel grew so fast that viewers nicknamed him the “Hip Hop MD, ” even though he isn’t a medical doctor. Today, he is an award‑winning science communicator who shares lessons through music, memes, and experiments on social media.He wrote a children’s book called “Zombie Spiders and Asteroid Blasters. ” The book follows an animated narrator who meets 16 scientists doing unusual research. Each scientist shares why they love their work, what challenges they’ve faced, and how they keep exploring. The stories include people of color and women, showing that anyone can become a scientist. The book’s goal is to give young readers a glimpse into real science careers and show that STEM can be exciting, diverse, and full of surprises. It also offers mentorship by revealing how scientists overcame obstacles. He plans to visit the Central Library in San Diego on Thursday at 4:30 p. m. There, he will discuss his book, demonstrate experiments, answer questions, and sign copies for fans of all ages.