I first saw Chad when he delivered one of the most compelling presentations about broadening the participation of minoritized students in STEM that I had ever heard. The way he masterfully threaded criminal sociology with the culture of undergraduate STEM education fundamentally changed how I view my work. Later, as I got to know Chad, I found him to be authentic, wholly committed, and full of energy – nothing short of an inspiration. He lives the work that he does! As a keynote speaker for several of AAC&U’s STEM institutes and conferences, Chad has always been well-received, offering attendees a provocative look into their motivations and desires for a more diverse and competitive STEM workforce and challenging them to confront not only the systems and structures of oppression in STEM but also themselves.

Dr. Starks has been gracious enough over the past several years to speak and consult with our football team. He has a great story , one that really connected with our student athletes.. His story is from the heart, a real life success story of overcoming the odds. It’s been over two decades since I first met that bright kid with the big smile, the tough mind, and the warrior heart. I am proud to know Dr. Starks and wish him continued success in the future.

On Friday evening of June 19th 2022, I attended a talk by Dr. Brian Chad Starks entitled “Be the Messenger” at the Marine Bioloigcal Laboratory in Woodshole, Massachusetts. Dr. Starks, a crimonologist and social scientist, discussed with us the important value of community science, or lived experiences, and how this dynamic takes shape in today’s higher education spaces. Dr. Starks analogized social justice work to participating in a high-caliber sports game: without continued and proper training, how can you expect to do well? How many cultures have you played with? As an instructor, one sees firsthand student success statistics by race and gender in the classroom, and it was trasnsformative to understand that our students are the very real people behind these numbers. Dr. Starks explained that pairing these statistics with recognition of a student’s lived experience makes for well-rounded approach for tackling social justice work in higher education. Upon hearing his lecture, I have worked hard with the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at the University of Connecticut to bring Dr. Starks for a visit. He will deliver a keynote speech where participants will “get uncomfortable, to get comfortable,” as Dr. Starks puts it, by speaking truth to power in STEM and engaging the audience with community science concepts. He will also facilitate a dialogue of similar topics with graduate and faculty members of our UConn STEM community. From this visit, I am hopeful that keynote participants will take away newfound value for community science and that dialogue attendees will feel empowered to continue these discussions and organize to actualize change.