Science Mentor

Kimberly Agnew-Heard

Kimberly Agnew-Heard spent years of hard work earning her two degrees (B.S.'92, Ph.D. '02) in chemistry from GSU. Now, the research scientist is giving back to future scientists by volunteering to help educate the next generation.

“STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] education is very near and dear to my heart,” Agnew-Heard said. “I think that a lot of students have the aptitude but may not have the resources or encouragement.

“I think that it is the duty of all of us to give back to the community, and I feel very passionate about that because there are a lot of underrepresented groups who would make great scientists and engineers,” she added.

One of the biggest obstacles keeping minority students out of science, she said, is not seeing other people like themselves.

“That's why it's so important for me to give back and show that minorities are in science and are doing well in science,” Agnew-Heard said. “There are more than you think.”

While working with Boston Scientific in Minneapolis, she worked in numerous ways with K-12 students in the area. She has helped to organize children's activities at a science museum and in schools, paired high school students with Boston Scientific mentors and worked with a junior high school principal to start a STEM magnet program.

Agnew-Heard's love for science started in high school, where she became interested in chemistry. She went on to study chemistry at the undergraduate level at GSU and became a scholar under the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education aimed at increasing the number of Ph.D. holders among minority and low income students. Agnew-Heard was among the earliest of more than 400 GSU scholars to participate since the program's inception in 1989.

Later, Agnew-Heard studied analytic chemistry in a Ph.D. program at GSU, working with near-infrared dyes for fluorescent imaging of proteins.

She cautions students that science is not an easy path to pursue, however.

“There are many days when you think, ‘Is this ever going to end?'” she says. “But once you get articles into publications, and when you receive that degree, it is all worth it.”

Completing her Ph.D. wouldn't have been possible without support from GSU's chemistry department, Agnew-Heard says.

“There were many days when I wanted to quit, but the great thing about the faculty and staff is that they are very encouraging,” Agnew-Heard says. “They realize it's a struggle. Everyone tests you to make sure you're committed, but you have to dig deeper and pursue your dream of getting a degree.”