#WCWinSTEM: Tashalee Billings, M.S.
This week’s #WCWinSTEM, is Tashalee Billings, an astrophysicist whose research includes understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies and how the cosmic star formation rate has evolved!
We’re delighted to feature Tashalee Billings as this week’s #WCWinSTEM. Currently a 3rd year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania, Tashalee is excited to tell us more about her journey!
Responses may be edited for clarity and brevity.
How would describe yourself in a tweet ?
A creator on a mission to eliminate incorrect perceptions of scientists and show that commitment to a difficult task can be lucrative.
Where/when did you go to school?
- B.S. Physics, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University
- M.S. Physics, University of Pennsylvania
- Ph.D. Physics (in progress), University of Pennsylvania
What do you do right now?
I am currently a 3rd year graduate student working with Dr. James Aguirre on The Spectroscopic Terahertz Airborne Receiver for Far-InfraRed Exploration (STARFIRE). The purpose of this program is to better understand the formation and evolution of galaxies and how the cosmic star formation rate has evolved. For the next 8 months, my job will be to assist in finalizing the technical specifications of the detectors which include testing and analyzing the data from the detectors. My direct contributions will be to develop computer programming that will make the analysis process as easy and informative as possible. Then after that I will spend the next 2–3 years using different scientific models to predict what our telescope will see and possibly analyze real data on another project.
What made you choose your STEM discipline in the first place?
I come from a family who pursued careers in either the medical or business fields. My mother wanted me to be a medical doctor and my father wanted me to own my own business. I spent two years studying accounting during my time in undergrad but quickly realized I was not passionate about it and that it was time to seek the thing that excited me.
As a young girl, I thought the universe was extremely interesting but I lacked the confidence to pursue what I perceived to be such a difficult career. But when the desire to do something I enjoyed increased, I knew I had to try. It was one of the best decision in my life.
What’s one piece of advice you wish you had when you started your STEM journey?
As one would imagine my experience was very different from that of my peers initially. It obviously took a certain type of mental toughness to complete my classes and become a functioning member of the department. I wish I had known sooner how to simultaneously feel proud of my blackness while not being on defensive mode 100% of the time. In a way, I believe I attracted that negative energy into my life. Now that I’ve changed the way I react to things people say or do, it seems to have improved.
My advice is to not let anyone or anything disturb your peace. In all things, be guided by peace.
Do you have any woman of color in STEM sheros? Who and why?
My shero in STEM is Mareena Robinson-Snowden. I met her when we were both physics undergraduates at Florida A&M University. We tutored students together so I got to watch her firsthand as she interacted with students. She was and still is such a beautiful human. She wasn’t afraid to be a woman and radiate those feminine features while simultaneously scoring top grades in her classes. She was a woman who worked hard, played hard, and wanted the very best because she was one of the best. She just defended her Ph.D. at MIT in the area of nuclear engineering. This was always her dream and now she is living it.
Dr. Mareena Robinson-Snowden taught me how to study and how to be a proud black woman in STEM. She showed me that if you exercise discipline you can achieve greatness without adopting the stereotypic views of what a scientist should be.
Because of Mareena I can honestly say that I am very different from my classmates and they know it. I’ve gotten comfortable with that because I’ve seen evidence that it works, just look at Mareena.
What else are you passionate about?
Outside of physics I really enjoy health and fitness. This is a new journey for me because I made the decision to be a healthier vegetarian and challenge myself to be disciplined enough to go to the gym Monday to Friday at 6:30 am. My fitness routine includes cardio and weight lifting and my goal is to get stronger and more toned. I also really love traveling. In 2015, I met an amazing person that had so many great stories about their experiences while traveling and then a lightbulb went off in my head. I realized that I wanted those kinds of experiences too. In 2016, I went to three cities in Spain and in the beginning of 2017 I went to nine cities in France. Next year I will go to one city in Portugal and then tour Italy. This has allowed me to meet so many more interesting people from all walks of life and I realized that I’m very interested in moving to either London, Germany, or Austria when I graduate. Now I am learning German so that when the opportunity comes I will be ready.
Why do you think it’s important to highlight women of color in STEM?
I think it is important to highlight women of color in STEM because it is important to see an image of yourself. To be able to talk to them and realize that you aren’t alone.
I am Penn’s first black female physics graduate student. It is necessary that my story is put out there. I want other black girls to know about the Mareena’s of the world and know that they can achieve great things regardless of their background and other people’s expectations of them. We are extremely qualified and we deserve the best opportunities possible.
Are there institutions, groups or organizations you would like to give a shoutout?
The Leadership Alliance is a group of universities that have a common goal of identifying talented minorities in STEM. When I brought this up to my department they had no idea it existed which means my department has never received an REU student through this program. This is unacceptable because I completed this program at Princeton and it changed my life. I strongly believe that my experience at Princeton brought me to the University of Pennsylvania and it can do the same for others. So to anyone reading this who is an undergraduate student, please apply!
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?
I took modeling classes and I was on a step team.
