MISSION
WHO WE ARE
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STORY:
WHAT WOMEN OF COLOR IN ENGINEERING HAVE TO SAY ABOUT BIOGALS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES:
SUPPORT OUR WORK:
To empower women of color and engage communities to co-create dynamic solutions for a more sustainable world
We are a diverse team seeking to increase the visibility of women of color solving complex problems that lead to sustainable solutions. Our team consists of women who are not only ethnically diverse, but also represent various fields of engineering. This diversity allows our team to add multiple perspectives and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
"It was a cultural, technical, and social learning experience in which I felt challenged in new ways yet comfortable to share my ideas and go out of my comfort zone to learn new things. It has made me a more well-rounded engineer, by teaching me essential skills that are not normally acquired in typical engineering courses. It has made me feel more sure about the career path I've chosen, and more confident in my abilities as an environmental engineer."
"Engineering is not typically a field that allows conversations about social justice and race, but BioGals integrates these conversations into their work on sustainability and engineering in a way that brings the conversation to a place where I would be comfortable staying in engineering."
"The experience made me want to continue to pursue research and made me more excited about working in the field of sustainable/environmental engineering."
"The experience exceeded my expectations. The level of independence gained helped me gain confidence in my engineering judgement, which is a skill professors and mentors in engineering are always asked for."
BioGals is fully run by volunteers who are passionate about sustainability and diversity. A donation to BioGals helps us to:
-
Fund education scholarships for young women in the communities we partner with
-
Continue and expand our work on sustainable engineering projects in developing communities around the world
-
Assists our volunteers with travel costs to and from project locations
-
Grow our capacity to reach more women of color in STEM and provide supportive and formative learning experiences for future leaders in sustainability
OUR TEAM
Shakira Hobbs uses engineering and sustainability to understand complex problems. As an NSF IGERT-SUN fellow, Shakira was awarded the Competitive Innovations Fund to investigate strategic waste management options for a rural village in Belize. She has presented her work internationally in several countries, and has been featured in Women of Color Magazine, “Today’s STEM Leaders, Tomorrow’s Innovator”. She earned her B.S. degree from University of Maryland, College Park, M.S. from Arizona State University and Ph.D. from Clemson University in Civil Engineering. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of California Irvine.
SHAKIRA HOBBS, PhD
President
Evvan Morton obtained her PhD in Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). She also received a certificate in Responsible Innovation in Science, Engineering and Society. Evvan received her Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and her Master's degree in Sustainable Engineering from ASU. She was a National Science Foundation IGERT-SUN Fellow and ASU’s 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Student Servant-Leadership Awardee. Evvan’s research examines the effectiveness of US policies that govern carbon dioxide emissions and atmospheric concentrations to mitigate climate change and explores what new policies are needed to promote carbon dioxide removal. Motivated to bridge the gap between science and decision-making, she looks forward to a career in science policy to develop innovative policies for transitioning to a sustainable energy future.
EVVAN MORTON, PhD
Vice President
.jpeg)
Maya Whalen-Kipp currently works at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on workforce development and commercialization of ocean renewable energy. She has worked in the STEM and sustainable development field for almost a decade. Always thinking intersectionally about how to design a sustainable and equitable world. Before joining DOE Maya worked in multiple rapid-growth climate tech start-ups in NYC and served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer community health educator in Fiji. She holds an M.S. in Environmental & Climate Policy and a B.S. in Biology.
MAYA WHALEN-KIPP
Director of Fundraising
Gregory Mitchell is an Excel and Data Specialist at Booz Allen Hamilton. He earned his B.S. degree from University of Maryland, College Park in Physical Sciences; specializing in electrical engineering, mathematics, and geology. As a physical sciences major, Greg has been able to effectively translate his technical background into the finance world; taking the initiative to improve existing processes through automation. His interest in sustainability came from an Eagle Scout project he led at Fort Washington National Park and Greg is determined to help fulfill BioGal's mission.
GREGORY MITCHELL
Director of Corporate Partnerships
Shakiesha Featherstone graduated with her B.S. in Civil Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering from Manhattan College. As a student, she served as the Co-president of the NSBE chapter during her sophomore and junior year. In this role, she executed numerous STEAM events for students in K-12. She spent her college career working with NYC entities that provided STEAM resources for students in underrepresented communities. She is currently a Water Engineer at Arcadis with a focus on stormwater management and green infrastructure
SHAKIESHA FEATHERSTONE
Director of Communications
