by Dr. Keriayn Smith – Chair, Board of Directors
10 years…A bit surreal, but here we are. Looking back, I am thrilled with the impact that we’ve made.
How did it all begin?
About me
I’ve always been community service oriented. In high school I joined every extra-curricular club that I could find. It was a lot - but things like raising funds for worthwhile causes through Key Club walkathons were really my thing! Fresh from founding an organization in graduate school to promote what was at the time considered ‘alternative careers’ for PhDs, I felt empowered to tackle larger issues.
I will pause here to express my gratitude for, and recommend that everyone identifies, great mentors. A mentor who always has your back is invaluable. When I approached my mentor and Professor Extraordinaire Marcia Roye about the idea of starting an official entity to give back to my community, I received nothing but support. Peer mentorship and peer support is similarly important, and my colleagues from graduate school – Danielle Webster, Kameka Johnson and Natalie Stephens, junior, female scientists committed to their communities joined this new venture.
After our personal investments, some stress, but not quite blood, sweat and tears – the Society for Scientific Advancement (SOSA) was born. Somehow, we overcame the early no’s, the ‘what’s in it for me?’ questions, the scarcity in funding, and strode onwards.
About SOSA
The mission was simple. To help remove the perception of science as something for only those considered to be ‘bright’ or only for those from ‘certain backgrounds’, and highlight it as something that is accessible to all. Central tenets were established early on – programs would be offered at little or no cost to participants, and activities would be centered around volunteerism/giving back to our communities.
I can still remember the feeling of anticipation while waiting to see whether people would show up at our 1st conference; after all, we were quite junior in our careers and had zero name recognition. Not only did people turn up, but connections were made that have lasted to this day. I am looking at you Dr. Lowe!
I also recall watching primary school kids reluctant to leave our first workshops although we had introduced some hard-core advanced scientific topics. Their enthusiasm was boundless. Here, we have had core support from foundational members such as Icolyn Amarakoon and Jean-Pierre Louboutin, who simply are our backbone, along with our recurring volunteers.
SOSA 10 years on
Since those early days, we have delved into topics from CRISPR to COVID-19. We have hosted luminaries from Jamaica to South Africa, all sharing their most exciting findings. To name a few:
- Michael Pepper who opened our eyes to the potential of our model.
- Chris Austin, who as an NIH Director, made the time to travel to Jamaica to support our grassroots efforts.
- Yasmin Hurd, distinguished long-time marijuana researcher and neuroscientist who has become a stalwart supporter and advisor to SOSA.
- Kizzmekia Corbett, who is now in the spotlight for her ground-breaking work on COVID-19 therapies.
- Richard Schlegel, inventor of the HPV vaccine which is now showing potential for additional cancers.
- Biotech executives such as Tage Honoré, who assisted us with consultations on efforts to launch anti-cancer research in Jamaica.
I could go on, but it is impossible to name everyone.
Another testament to how far we have come is the rich experience and skillsets of our diverse Board of Directors who continue to be so passionate about our work, our dedicated Advisory Board, and our outstanding Management Team. Our Executive Director Amber has already woven an illustrious career in supply chain and operations management. She along with her talented team of directors, including the first to join – Laura Wright - are off to the races with excellent operational efficiency.
Advisory board members such as Cordel Green and Craig Fletcher – who surprisingly worked in the building next door, yet we met through SOSA – are always ready to lend advice. We have benefitted from longstanding supporters in our corner such as Carlos Torres Ramos and Paul Gyles. Alyse Courtines and Michael Tonge have generously given of their time and talents to assist us with branding.
Our family and friends have also been the backbone of our support, forming the core of our donor pool through cash and kind for years. Carey Drake, Sarah Jackson, Leon Beckford, Nicola Smith-Kea, Grace Byfield, the Golding clan and so many who have been so willing to lend a hand when needed.
Some accomplishments
If I were to evaluate as a scientist whether we met the goals we set out to achieve – after so much learnt from our resident Data Science and all things Statistics Influencer Josh Starmer – I would say we definitely did, and went above and beyond!
- Over 3,000 students (elementary to graduate level) served.
- Numerous networks birthed and strengthened.
- Proposal preparation advice, C-suite level consultation and pitches for start-up entities facilitated.
- Mentorship, personal branding and professional development training completed.
- Valuable opportunities for faculty to fulfill their community service requirements provided.
- Immeasurable levels of knowledge transferred.
The next 10 years and beyond
Over the last 10 years I have met and interacted with so many wonderful and truly giving people. Though I have acknowledged a few here, it is impossible for me to list everyone who has contributed and/or made an imprint on my mind. Please know that I have not forgotten. I am thankful for how far we’ve come and the fantastic support we have had along the way.
Moving forward, we plan to leverage our expanded geographical reach (check out our cool map above to see the locations of our program participants!) to further forge collaborations and facilitate knowledge exchange. This we hope will contribute to the development of scientific enterprises in emerging economies. We will continue to focus on increasing access for underserved groups coming up in the STEM pipeline. Our new target is 10,000 students, inspiring them to go where they never thought they could, and achieve the ultimate in their chosen (STEM) careers.
I look forward to seeing all that SOSA can and will do over the next 10 years. My hope is that the organization will continue to do good, to contribute to the upliftment of the underprivileged, underrepresented and the underserved. Selflessly.
Happy 10th anniversary SOSA! Thank you all for joining us on this journey.