Statement of Candidacy

As an evolutionary biologist in a medical school, I study how environmental microbes evolve to cause infections. I also lead an educational program teaching thousands of students in grades 6-12 to learn how bacteria evolve in biofilms using an authentic classroom experiment. Although my specialty is studying evolution in action, I’m a generalist who has published research representing all 8 scientific tracks in ASM journals.

My advocacy for ecology and evolutionary biology led me to leadership roles within ASM. Now, with ASM's bold restructuring, I'm eager to represent our diverse membership as President-Elect. My experience as Chair of COMS, Chair of the Publishing Committee, and 6 years on the Board of Directors has given me deep insight into ASM's history and global influence.

ASM's ability to adapt and evolve motivates my continued involvement. I'm committed to helping microbiologists share discoveries through new tracks, symposia, and innovative online seminars, like our COVID-19 Research Registry Journal Clubs during the pandemic.

I believe in shared leadership, demonstrated by my work with COMS and founding Pitt's Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine and multiple companies. ASM's outstanding Policy team has taught me to advocate for microbiology at state and federal levels, and I look forward to promoting our priorities.

My goal is to foster a dynamic and diverse organization that reflects the microorganisms we study. With my broad experience in research, education, and leadership, I aim to guide ASM in serving its members effectively and advancing the field of microbiology on a global scale.

ASM-Related Activities

• Organizing Committee, ASM Conference on Experimental Microbial Evolution, 2013-2016.
• EEB Community Retreat Participant 2017, 2023.
• Council of Microbial Sciences (COMS), Chair, 2018-2019.
• COMS, Division Councilor, 2018-2024.
• Division R (Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology) Representative, 2018-24.
• ASM Board of Directors, COMS-Elected Board Director, 2019-2023; 2023-25.
• mBio, Editor, 2019-2025.
• ASM COVID-19 Research Registry, Assistant Curator-in-Chief, 2020-1.
• American Academy of Microbiology Fellow, elected 2022.
• Publishing Committee, Chair, 2023-26.
• ASM Strategic Roadmap Taskforce, 2023-24.
• Coalition for the Life Sciences, Board Member, ASM representative, 2023-.
• Co-Chair, American Academy of Microbiology Colloquia Series: Early Microbial Life-Our Past, Present, and Future, 2024-2025.

Statement of Candidacy

I am a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and hold a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Prior to joining Emory, I was an Associate then Full Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the University of Virginia. My first position was an Instructor and then Assistant Professor at the Channing Laboratory, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. I have had continuous NIH funding to support the ongoing research in my laboratory. I study the bacterial pathogens associated with life-threatening lung infections in individuals living with cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition to my own research, which I hope can eventually limit deadly respiratory infections in CF, I am strongly committed to training the next generation of scientists and strive to promote them to succeed in their chosen career paths.

ASM-Related Activities

• Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology, 1997-present.
• AAM-Raymond W. Sarber Award Selection Committee, 2000-2005.
• AAM-Chair of the Raymond W. Sarber Award Selection Committee, 2002-2005.
• Nominating Committee for President-Elect of ASM, 2005-2006.
• Chair, Career Development Committee, ASM, 2009-2012.
• Member, Conferences Committee, ASM, 2010-2016.
• Member, Committee on Awards, AAM, 2011-2017.
• Vice-Chair, Conferences Committee, ASM, 2015-2016.
• Chair, Conferences Committee, ASM, 2016-2017.
• Committee on Elections, AAM, 2018-2021.
• COMS Community Leader, Clinical Infections and Vaccines, 2020-2021.
• ASM Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship Committee, 2022-present.
• ASM At-Large Member, Board of Directors, 2022-2025.
• ASM Board of Directors Nominating Committee, 2023-2024.
• ASM Strategic Task Force Committee, 2023-2024.

Statement of Candidacy

Growing up as a Black male from a single-parent home on the south side of Chicago was not always easy. Music was my refuge because it kept me too busy to get into trouble. I played in multiple shows and jazz bands around the city, and it taught me how to be a leader, communicate, and work together to make a sound more remarkable than what an individual could make alone. I even went on to major in it in college, not science.

These events shaped me before I knew science was an option, let alone a viable one. I didn’t have my first laboratory research experience outside of class until after graduation. It is safe to say I didn’t have a typical science background. When I finally transitioned to wanting to become a scientist, I had to hustle hard to try to catch up. When I fell, which happened a lot, I got up. My narrative disarms and resonates with people interested in science but unsure if they can do it because they might feel they are too late in the process. I can tell them how I asked everyone for help, advice, and encouragement as I fought to learn everything that seemingly everyone else knew and how it made me stronger, not weaker.

These experiences combined cultivated my spirit of wanting to pay so much community outpouring into me forward and, in earnest, enjoy that process. ASM, through editorial positions, talks, and leadership opportunities, said, you belong here, and your talents can make a difference. What better way to propagate the cycle of giving than to help set the policy of an organization that inspired, encouraged, and supported me to become more of a leader in science.

ASM-Related Activities

Awards

• 06/22 2022 American Society for Microbiology William A. Hinton Award for Advancement of a Diverse Community of Microbiologists.
• 06/24 2023 Outstanding Service Award, mBio.

Committees/Boards/Volunteer Activities

• 2019–Pres Editorial Board, mBio.
• 06/19–06/22 American Society for Microbiology (ASM): The Subcommittee on Microbiological Issues Impacting Minorities (SMIIM).
• 2020–Pres Editorial Board, mSphere.
• 07/20–Pres ASM: The Subcommittee on Minority Education.
• 08/21–06/22 ASM: Interim Chair for the Subcommittee on Minority Education.
• 01/22–Pres ASM Future Leaders Mentoring Program Chair.
• 06/22–Pres ASM: Chair for the Subcommittee on Minority Education.
• 07/23–Pres Executive board for MOSAIC Grant through ASM.
• 07/23–12/23 ASM Strategic Roadmap Task Force.

Selected Conferences Attended/ASM Presentations

• 04/18 Annual Meeting of the Arizona-Nevada Branch ASM.
• 06/19 ASM MICROBE, San Francisco, Title: Harnessing the Power of Copper to Kill Streptococcus pneumonia.
• 03/21 mSystems Thinking Series: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Microbiology Title: Metals, Media,and Microbes Matter.
• 06/21 ASM World Microbe Forum, Title: The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project.
• 06/21 ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators, Title: Swipe Right for Research: How I Made a Crowdsourced, Matchmaking, Virtual Summer Research Program Called NSURP (Plenary).
• 06/22 Scientific Branding, Future Leaders Mentoring Program ASM MICROBE 2022, Washington, D.C.
• 06/22 ASM MICROBE, Washington, D.C. Title: ASM MICROBE Hinton Lecture.
• 06/22 ASM MICROBE, Washington, D.C. Title: Bedside to Bench: Exploiting copper antimicrobials to understand mechanisms of copper toxicity.
• 06/23 Scientific Branding, Future Leaders Mentoring Program ASM MICROBE 2023, Houston.
• 11/23 Scientific Branding, MOSAIC ABRCMS 2023, Phoenix.
• 04/24 ASM MOSIAC Navigating Pathways to a Faculty Position, Virtual.
• 06/24 Scientific Branding, Future Leaders Mentoring Program ASM MICROBE 2024, Atlanta.