Johns Hopkins University was inducted as an institutional member of the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society in April 2018. Named for the first African American in the United States to receive a PhD, the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society seeks to develop a network of pre-eminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students and trainees who traditionally have been underrepresented in higher education. It was co-founded in 2005 by Yale University—where Bouchet, a physicist and educator, earned his doctorate in 1876—and Howard University to recognize and continue Bouchet’s pioneering contributions to doctoral education.
PhD Students: All PhD students who will advance to Candidacy, or are All But Dissertation (ABD) by January 1, 2025 are eligible to nominate themselves for consideration as inductees. Candidacy, or All But Dissertation, means that the student has finished all required coursework and passed all required qualifying and preliminary exams, and is working on the dissertation research itself.
Postdoctoral Fellows: Postdoctoral research fellows who have a PhD degree and who are JHU postdocs or whose JHU postdoctoral appointment will start no later than January 1, 2025 are eligible to apply. Residents and subspecialty clinical fellows in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (“ACGME”)-accredited or ACGME-equivalent programs are not eligible.
These self-nominations included the following:
Inductees are expected to attend the JHU Induction Ceremony (Baltimore) and the Annual Bouchet Conference (New Haven).
If you have questions, please contact: [email protected]
Sumayya Beekun
International Health
Sumayya Beekun is a Ph.D. candidate in the Global Disease Epidemiology and Control program in the International Health Department and Center for Indigenous Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is Afro-Indigenous, being Hunkpapa Lakota from both the Standing Rock and Pine Ridge Reservations in the Dakotas and Mauritian from the island of Mauritius. Her research focuses on bacterial infections, community-based and engaged participatory research using Indigenous perspectives and models, mixed and multi-methods, and collaborating and co-creating knowledge with Indigenous and other historically underrepresented communities. She completed her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Public Health. Before her PhD, Sumayya worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Services Branch. Prior to COVID-19, she was a Youth Violence Prevention Specialist partnering with 45 organizations actively working to prevent and reduce youth violence in Richmond, Virginia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sumayya was deployed to a quarantine station, multiple Emergency Operations Center taskforces, and local health departments. For her dedication to public health, Sumayya received the CDC Incident Management System’s 2019 NCOV Response Health Department Section Letter of Accommodation for Unwavering Dedication and Service. She remains dedicated to the health of Mitakuye Oyasin or All the Relations.
Travis Brady
Biomedical Engineering
Travis Brady is a Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, conducting research under the mentorship of Dr. Lakshmi Santhanam and Dr. Sharon Gerecht. His work focuses on the vascular aging process, integrating in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro models to map the timeline of age-related vascular stiffening. Travis is particularly interested in extracellular matrix mechanics and its role in cardiovascular health and disease. Prior to graduate school, Travis earned dual B.S. and B.A. degrees in Biomedical Engineering and French as a QuestBridge Scholar at Yale University. It was here that his interest in vascular mechanics was piqued, following undergraduate research using microfluidic systems to recapitulate blood vessel dynamics, as well as digital modeling of skeletal motion in brittle stars. Beyond research, Travis is passionate about mentorship and education. Before pursuing his Ph.D., he taught high school engineering courses at Success Academies, inspiring students from underrepresented backgrounds to explore STEM careers. He has continued this commitment at Johns Hopkins through leadership roles in the Black Graduate Student Association and the BME PhD Application Assistance Program. In addition to receiving multiple fellowships – including the APS Porter Physiology Development Fellowship and the NASEM Ford Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship – Travis’ work has been recognized with best poster awards at local and international conferences. In the future, Travis hopes to lead a lab that investigates cardiovascular biomechanics, with a particular emphasis on training the next generation of scientists.
Brenice Duroseau
Nursing
Brenice Duroseau, a Haitian-American clinician with specializations in infectious diseases and addiction medicine, is an emerging nurse scientist in implementation science, focusing on multi-level interventions to eradicate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) disparities. Brenice is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and an Implementation Science and Social Determinants of Health Fellow at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She holds a B.S in Biology/Psychology, MSN, & certificate in Health Disparities and Health Inequality. Her research explores how social, structural, and political determinants shape SRH experiences, engagement, and access for marginalized women across the lifespan is supported by NIH/NIMH, JHU CFAR, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop HIV/AIDS Grant, & the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health Scholars in Women’s Sexual Health.
As a community-driven researcher and policy advocate, Brenice is committed to dismantling systemic barriers in healthcare and reimagining SRH services to be equitable, affirming, and holistic. Brenice has received several prestigious awards and scholarships, including the 40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst Award from the Boston Congress of Public Health, the Cecelia Lou Vriheas Scholarship from the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education, & the M. Elizabeth Carnegie Doctoral Degree Scholarship from the Nurses Educational Funds. Brenice is dedicated to providing culturally responsive care and advocating for transformative change by challenging traditional siloed risk-based models and advocating to center wellness, pleasure, justice & equity in SRH care and policy. Additionally, Brenice helps support the next generation of scholars and clinicians through mentorship.
Thomas Hinneh
Nursing
Thomas Hinneh is a Ph.D. candidate and an American Heart Association predoctoral fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. His research focuses on cardiovascular health equity, team-based care, and community-based cardiovascular health initiatives. His research in Africa focuses on implementing a team-based approach to cardiovascular disease risk management in primary healthcare settings, while his American Heart Association predoctoral fellowship examines how social determinants of health influence cardiovascular disease outcomes among underserved populations in the U.S. Thomas holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Dundee, Scotland, and a Master of Science in International Health from Heidelberg University, Germany graduating with distinction and best Dissertation Award. His contributions to cardiovascular disease management include establishing a nurse-led cardiovascular disease clinic in primary healthcare facilities in Ghana. He is an Executive Director and Co-founder of HI-Foundation Ghana, an NGO dedicated to community-based cardiovascular disease screening in Ghana. Thomas has been recognized with several prestigious awards and scholarships, including the Commonwealth Scholarship, DAAD Scholarship, an Underrepresented Minorities Award by the American Heart Association and the Terry Thomas Clinical Practice Award from the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. In 2020, Thomas received a Euro Project Grant from Pharmacists Without Borders, Germany, to build the capacity of healthcare professionals in four district hospitals in Ghana. His long-term vision is to bridge critical gaps in cardiovascular care through evidence-based and scalable interventions that improve cardiovascular health outcomes in resource-limited settings globally.
Kayla Seymone Ingram
Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Kayla Seymone Ingram, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her current research focuses on examining how social determinants of health influence molecular pathways that exacerbate disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Kayla completed her Ph.D. in the Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine supported by the NIH MIRA Diversity Supplement. She received her B.S. degree in Biology at Hampton University. At Hampton, Kayla was selected as an NIH MARC Scholar, and was a recipient of the Biology Department’s Achievement Award as one of the top four graduates of the 2018 class. As a doctoral candidate, Kayla served as Chair of Academic Events and Chair of Public Affairs for the Biomedical Scholars Association, an interschool graduate student group committed to serving underrepresented students across campus. Kayla is currently supported in BMB through Kirschstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow Award. During her postdoctoral studies, as a member of the BMB Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Kayla helps facilitate STEM educational initiatives for local high school students in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her teaching certification through the Collaborative Teaching Fellowship Program, as an adjunct professor at Coppin State University, a local HBCU. Kayla ultimately hopes to pursue a career as a teaching scientist dedicated to developing alternative education initiatives for underrepresented students in higher education.
Laura Mata López
Nursing
Laura Mata López is a Ph.D. Candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHSON). She is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who has dedicated her practice to providing accessible, culturally concordant mental health and substance use services to Latino(a) immigrants in under-resourced communities and settings. Her original research leverages mixed methods and community-based participatory approaches to generate a nuanced understanding of the lived experiences of Latina immigrants with migration-related trauma and suicide survivorship and to identify key social, cultural, and structural determinants of mental health and suicide in this community. Her research has been supported by the Ruth Kirschstein F31 Fellowship from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Minority Fellowship Program from SAMHSA, the Johns Hopkins Center for Qualitative Studies in Health and Medicine, and the JHSON Discovery and Innovation Fund.
As a first-generation immigrant from Costa Rica, Laura is passionate about empowering other individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds to participate in research, academic, and policy spaces. She is deeply committed to centering the voices of Latine immigrants through her body of work—recognizing that amplifying community voices is essential to dismantling systemic inequities and driving sustainable change. Her contributions to leadership, advocacy, and service have been recognized through numerous honors—including the 2023 Excellence in Health Equity Research Award from JHSON, the 2023 Johnson & Johnson/Nurses’ Education Fund Health Equity Scholarship, and the 2023 Abbott/National Hispanic Nurses Association Scholarship. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Faith Elise Metlock
Nursing
Faith Elise Metlock is a Ph.D. candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, with a certificate in Health Disparities and Health Inequality from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research examines the intersection of social determinants of health, psychological health, and cardiovascular disease prevention and self-management in underserved communities. Through community-engaged approaches, she develops culturally informed interventions to address cardiovascular health disparities. Faith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing with research distinction and a minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences from The Ohio State University, graduating summa cum laude. She is a recipient of an American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship, and a trainee on a T32 fellowship from National Institute of Nursing Research. Her work has been recognized through several oral presentations and awards including The Johnson and Johnson and Edwidge Thomas Health Equity Scholarship. At the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, she has served as President of the Black Student Nurses Association and an executive member of the PhD Student Organization. She is an active member of the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing, American Heart Association (Epidemiology & Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing councils) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Beyond academia, Faith is the Founder & CEO of Black Health Explained, a health marketing agency dedicated to engaging underrepresented communities in health initiatives. She also leads the Black Health Explained Foundation as its Founder and President, focusing on health literacy and diversifying the healthcare workforce through mentorship and education.
Eleana Parajón
Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Eleana Parajón is a Ph.D. candidate in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where her dissertation research explores the role of cytoskeletal proteins — specifically alpha-actinin 4 and non-muscle myosin IIC— that accumulate in response to mechanical stress in pancreatic cancer. Her work aims to unravel how these proteins influence cell growth, morphology, motility, and invasiveness. Eleana is the recipient of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship. She has served on the Executive Board for the Graduate Student Association (GSA) for two years, as Director of Media and Public Relations. As a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, Eleana holds a B.A/ M.S. degree in Biology and Molecular and Cellular Biology from Johns Hopkins University. A passionate advocate for mentorship, Eleana dedicates her time to guiding PhD rotation students, undergraduates, and Baltimore high school students. For example, she has served as a mentor for the Careers in Science and Medicine Summer Internship Program (CSM-SIP). Her commitment to service extends to hospice volunteering, where she provides comfort and support to terminally ill patients and their families. After completing her Ph.D., Eleana aspires to attend medical school and pursue a career as a physician-scientist, where she aims to leverage her cancer cell biology training to develop innovative treatments that directly benefit patients.
Ladaisha T. Thompson
Biomedical Engineering
Ladaisha T. Thompson is a Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, where her research focuses on immune aging and leveraging cell motility to predict age and frailty. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Howard University in 2021. While at Hopkins, Ladaisha has been recognized as a Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI) Fellow and an Institute for Basic Biomedical Science Directors Fellow. In 2024, she received the Diversity Ambassador Award for organizing the Hidden Curriculum symposium, an initiative that provides first-year minority graduate students with essential tools and resources to navigate academia. Passionate about service, mentorship, and community-building, Ladaisha has dedicated herself to supporting underrepresented students in STEM. She served as co-president of the Biomedical Scholars Association, the largest student-led organization supporting underrepresented students across the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health. She has also been actively involved in community outreach efforts throughout Baltimore City, including the Baltimore Roller Coaster Contest, Baltimore Community Food Initiatives, and Science in Action, a program that brings hands-on science experiments to Baltimore City elementary students. Beyond her Ph.D., Ladaisha is committed to increasing access to science education, particularly for students from communities like her own. She aspires to take on a mentorship role as a dean at a research institution, where she can continue fostering inclusivity and supporting the next generation of scientists as they navigate their academic journeys.
Alejandra Trujillo
Pathobiology
Alejandra Trujillo is a Ph.D. candidate in Pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, specializing in cancer biology, genetics, and pathology. Her research redefines early detection strategies by identifying KRAS mutations in normal pancreatic tissue before precancerous lesions develop, providing critical insights into the earliest stages of pancreatic cancer. By challenging traditional models of tumorigenesis, her work enhances risk assessment and diagnostic precision, paving the way for earlier and more targeted interventions. Beyond her research, Alejandra is a Passport to Future Technology Leadership fellow and a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biomedical sciences. She founded the PATH Scholars Initiative to expand opportunities for underrepresented students and has led initiatives to strengthen mentorship, recruitment, and professional development. Through her leadership, she fosters an inclusive academic environment that empowers the next generation of scientists. Alejandra is passionate about bridging scientific innovation with real-world impact, ensuring that advancements in cancer detection and treatment benefit diverse communities. Her dedication to volunteer roles, such as providing academic mentorship to high school students and engaging with diverse communities, demonstrates her commitment to equity, perseverance, and the betterment of others. Additionally, in her service trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Alejandra translated and coordinated care for over 150 patients, helping to bridge language barriers and improve healthcare access. As a 2025 inductee into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, she remains committed to fostering inclusive research environments, mentorship, and groundbreaking discoveries that improve patient outcomes.
