Cary, NC October 21-24

Dr. Jedidah Isler is an astrophysicist, educator, futurist, policymaker, and strategist dedicated to using science and technology as a tool for social justice. A proud double-HBCU graduate of Norfolk State University and Fisk University, she became the first African American woman to complete her Ph.D. in astrophysics at Yale University. She continued her award-winning research on hyperactive supermassive black holes on the faculty at Dartmouth College before turning her attention to science policy and joining the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP).

A recognized TED Fellow and National Geographic Emerging Explorer, Isler’s efforts as a scientist have been featured in various publications, including Wired, Diversity in Action, the NAACP’s Crisis Magazine, Black Enterprise, and Ebony. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times.

She has worked extensively with schools, universities, nonprofit organizations, and planetariums across the country to inspire and advance a more equitable future where anyone can participate in, contribute to, and benefit from science and technology.