About Us
Growing up and pursuing her career and life’s work in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) arena, our founder, Dr. Kameron J. King rarely saw anyone who looked liked her in the field, which at times was and still is discouraging. Her unique experience not only as a woman, but an African-American woman in STEM has empowered her to encourage others, particularly women of color to carry the confidence, skills, and tools to not only succeed, but to make their mark in these fields!
Dr. Kameron J. King is the founder of BlackGirlScientist, LLC. She received her PhD in Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Virginia) while working in the ODU Biomass Research Laboratory. From as early as high school working at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, to undergraduate/graduate research in algae cultivation, environmental policy, biofuels production and solid waste management, she has dedicated her life’s work in protecting our environment and advancing renewable energy research! She currently works as an ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow within the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, the Department of Defense’s environmental, resilience, and installation energy and water research programs. Her research focuses on mitigating Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are a family of thousands of chemicals used to make water-, grease-, stain-repellent coatings for a vast array of consumer goods and industrial applications.
She received her M.S. in Geography and Environmental Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University, and received her B.S. in Chemistry and Environmental Science and Policy from the College of William and Mary. As her passion for renewable energy continued, she worked with her advisor Dr. Sandeep Kumar on her dissertation topic Integrated processing of municipal solid waste for maximizing carbon recovery and fuel production combining hydrothermal carbonization with anaerobic digestion of the liquid phase for energy recovery and production, as she believes one (wo)man’s trash is ALL of our treasure.
Kameron has worked in private industry, for the U.S. Department of Energy, in laboratories from ODU (Biomass Research Laboratory), Botswana, Africa (University of Botswana), to national laboratories (National Renewable Energy Laboratory-NREL). Due to her unique experience as an African-American woman in the STEM arena, her ultimate goal is to give back what has been given to her; by giving back to her community in directing her own laboratory facility for students who may not have had a chance to experience the opportunities that others have; students who have never seen anyone who looks like them in a classroom or in a laboratory, and provide them with the skills, tools, resources and confidence to succeed in science, as BlackGirlScientist fosters these ideals.
Outside of the lab she enjoys/loves traveling the world, kicking butt in tennis, binge watching HGTV/Food Network, working out, crazy shenanigans with her husband :p, laying (yes, laying! lol), Pinteresting, her God time and having an amazing time with her awesome friends and family. She thanks God for the vision He has given her, and the ability to carry it out here on Earth as a #BlackGirlScientist !
