Happy March y'all! It's no longer the official Black History Month, but Black excellence is the past, present and future. It's ongoing and we want to keep highlighting amazing Black scientists! Today we have Derod Deal!
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| Derod Deal (he/him), McNair Scholar and University of Florida '23 |
CSMA: Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. To start things off, can you say your name, and your pronouns, and then tell me a little bit about yourself.
Derod: Hi, my name's Derod Deal, and my pronouns are he and him. I'm from south Florida - Hollywood, Florida, Miami area, basically. And the research I've been doing is stellar information with masers. I've been trying to use masers to trace star formation processes disc out flows in the W51 star formation region. I'm doing the research at the University of Florida, and for the majority of my research, I’ve actually been doing it online since I'm not able to go on UF's campus right now. I'm in a stage of doing more research because there's a lot of things that need to be done. Right now, I'm trying to write up a paper based on what I have so far, but the research is technically ongoing as I have to make different SEDs of the different regions I'm looking at. So, it's kind of doing two things at once.
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| Screenshot of some of Derod's research |
Derod: So that's a good question about what inspiration I had in general.
Hm... I mean, when I was a kid, I used to watch the Science Channel a lot, and I really liked looking at the Weather Channel. So I was fairly fascinated by the different scientific instruments that you use to measure different properties of the weather, like the temperature pressure, the wind speed, and such with the anemometer.
So I decided to just build a weather station from scratch using household materials: pencils, maybe bottle caps for the anemometer. And over time, I never let that fascination go.
I guess, as I grew up, I did different things. I tried to use the Arduino - the market controller - to kind of automate some processes and sensors like using the DHT 11 temperature sensor. And I even made my own rain gauge. I had to make a CAD design of the instrument first and then 3d print those instruments out when I was in high school.
And then I used a Reed sensor and a magnet to dictate whenever the water flows down. The rain gauge is like a bucket that tips as rain fills it. So every time it tips, it trips the Reed sensor and then you can calculate how many times per second, or how many times in a set amount of time the bucket would tip and then you can calculate the total rain gauge from that.
I like using different techniques to explore different phenomena. So that kinda pushed me towards science in general. Also, I have to say that my mom really pushed me to keep going and persevere in my field no matter what. You know, I really love her for that.
And I have to give it up to the Science Channel. It kind of inspired me to do several things. And also, I guess some people on YouTube as I've watched different tech projects that people do, as a kid and now.
There was one person - I'm not too sure what the dude's name is - but they had got a laser and a solar panel. And what you can do is use the reflected laser light off an object and use a solar panel. When the reflected laser hits this solar panel you can record the audio from whatever the vibrations from the object it reflected off of.
So you can use it to spy on people. I didn't really spy on people, but I used it just to have I thought it was really cool to have sound play out of the solar panel from the vibrations of the object to the laser. And I thought it was really awesome. I just like different projects.
CSMA: Yeah, building things and using them to prove physical concepts is really engaging and so interesting. You have all these different projects that you did, like when you were first talking about the weather station, and I was initially surprised that you didn’t want to do meteorology, and now you're talking about lasers and solar panels and I thought maybe engineering as well would’ve been a path you’d have chosen.
So, yeah, that is so cool. Just - kind of your love of building things came before, a love of a particular sort of phenomenon or field. In your opinion then, what makes astronomy so unique and compelling? Because you talked about all these different fields, how did you come to astronomy?
Derod: When I was a kid, I think the beginning was when I went to NASA’s website, and I looked at all the different planets. I'm not completely sure how it came about, but I had some kind of interest in space when I was a kid.
So my fifth grade teacher - his name is Mr. Reyes, he was at Goulds elementary - he gave me a book called Stars and Planets. I think I still have it here… Okay. It's on my bookshelf somewhere. I have to look for it, but it's called Stars and Planets by the Smithsonian. It’s a handbook of the different constellations you could find. And also, it’s basically a guide of all the different planets, how they formed, the different chemical compositions of the planets, a review of how stars form, and more.
I really enjoyed that book and the fact that he gave it to me, and he wrote a note saying “I wish you your best Derod at becoming an astronaut.” Hahaha I guess at that time I wanted to be an astronaut. I don't remember. I don't recall, but I really do like the fact that he gave me that book, and I guess that really pushed me [towards astronomy] as well.
CSMA: That's so awesome that he saw your interest and gave you that little push! Along your academic journey since those early beginnings, is there anything you're particularly proud of that you'd like to share? It also could be along your personal journey as well of course.
Derod: Yeah, for sure. I think one of the things I'm the proudest of was something I did in high school. So my physics teacher in high school (I went to South Broward High School) his name was Mr. Herrera. And basically, he had different science projects for different parts of the physics classes he teaches for physics honors.
And he was looking for a project for electricity and magnetism. At the same time when he was looking for that, I was doing SECME [SouthEastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering], and two other students and I were building different generators to pass the SECME competition, and basically I think we had some kind of agreement that I could use my SECME generator to show other students how to build generators.
I made the draft and everything per the guidelines for the SECME competition. Now I even made a little video of a YouTube video of certain aspects of building an electrical generator. This was a water generator where you put water down a hydro-electric generator. I made a YouTube video about that, explaining some of the things about building it. But basically what I'm trying to say is the other students in the class were able to build all kinds of the different generators by themselves using the generator I built for SECME as a guideline. Even though I was working with two other students, I was the one who pushed actually building a generator for the competition, and I designed it essentially. And all of the other students in the physics class were able to design their own generators because of my design.
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| The generators made by the physics honors class |
CSMA: That’s incredible that the whole class was able to build generators based on your work! You were kind of the teacher.
Derod: Well, I didn't really teach it. Mr. Herrera teaches it, he's an awesome teacher. I just basically built the generator and I guess inspired other students to do it so, but Mr. Herrera was the one who actually had to teach the concepts to them. I went to his class sometimes during my lunch period to show them how to do it and how to build the generators. It was amazing, an amazing experience. And I kind of used that as an opportunity to do the, I think it was the county's environmental science and environmental stewardship competition [Florida Envirothon].
I don't know the exact name for it, but I used that experience to apply there, and I won first place. So yeah, I don't usually go to the different competitions, and you know, win first place, so that's one thing I really liked doing, especially since everyone else was able to build the generator because of me.
CSMA: Congratulations! So, you were able to use this experience of mentorship as an informal way to win this environmental competition - was that as an environmental and computer science or…?
Derod: It was not strictly environmental science for the competition. I think different students had to showcase their impact and skill with tackling environmental science issues in general. So it could be about anything in terms of environmental science. So if the project infuses different things tied with physics then that also counts as well.
CSMA: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that totally makes sense. So you said your generator in particular was a water generator, but how it could be other kinds of generators like the kids in the other class built, and I could see how that would tie into the environmental aspect of that competition. That's awesome. So you've already mentioned Mr. Herrera and Mr. Reyes - are there any other mentors or teachers or role models that have been really inspiring to you in your life?
Derod: Other role models… To be honest, other than my parents and some of the teachers, my research mentor right now, his name is Dr. Adam Ginsburg. He’s a pretty big inspiration to me because of the fact that he's just showing me all these different tools and different things to do research that I never thought of before. And right now I'm really thankful for that, because now I can say, ‘Okay, I have these building blocks and I have different tools and there’s not so many different ways I can build different things with them.’
He's also encouraging me to keep pushing forward, even during these tough times, even if I'm not having such a good day sometimes. And he's really encouraging in a personal aspect too. So he's definitely a role model for me as well.
And also… I would say Dr. Hakim Oluseyi. Remember before I said I would watch the Science Channel a lot. He used to appear on there a lot of times for different things, “Outrageous Acts of Science '', which I think I'd binge watched at one point. And I think “The Wonders of Astronomy '' was another show on the Science Channel. In retrospect, I think now he's a really big influence too, just because he's really good at STEM advocacy, and in the future I want to also push that area and stress it a lot. I want to learn how to communicate science to others, especially those who don’t really know much about science or who haven't been in the field too much, the general public, and also I want to really bring STEM passion to more Black communities in every city. So I definitely want to do that too.
And I also recently talked to him, about… two days ago! And I'd never thought I would actually talk to him, someone that's as high in stature as Dr. Hakeem. And it was like, wow, okay. What am I doing here? How did I get to this point of talking to him, even though I'm still an undergraduate.
And to be honest, I feel I haven't done, you know, that big of a thing. I'm not there yet, but I just, the opportunity to talk to him is an inspiration for me. One of the things he said is ‘don't care.’ It's a don’t not care attitude. Just get your work done, no matter what background you've had, just do what matters most. If you just keep going and get the things that you want done, you get to compete and inspire people. So that's kind of what I got from that conversation. And that's how he's one of the big inspirations for me as well…
CSMA: Totally, Dr. Oluseyi is so charismatic and generous with his time for younger scientists! Thanks for sharing these inspirations and role models -
Derod: Oh yeah! Oh, sorry, there’s one more teacher. I want to highlight back in high school, his name was Mr. Hagerty at South Broward high school as well. He’s a really big inspiration for me from the more effective engineering side. Mr. Hagerty and Mr. Kelly too, they’re I guess on more of the engineering side of my inspiration. Mr. Hagerty was the marine and green education teacher, but he had a really big emphasis on engineering. For example, he made a hydroponic system with the class at the school. And that's really inspirational because I really do like building things. This whole hydroponic system runs on solar panels, that's pretty cool.
CSMA: That is so cool that you had had a class that was about marine education, but that also showed the practical side of, you know, how we interface with that marine environment and how to do it in a sustainable and ecofriendly way.
Derod: Yes, that was amazing. And I also like how I had all these different experiences. No matter what field of science it is - and it doesn't even have to be in science either, it can be engineering for example - you can carve your own path and do research based on what you already knew. Since I dabbled a little bit in marine science and engineering with hydroponic systems and everything, maybe I could bring some of that technical skill over to building scientific instruments in astrophysics (even though that's not what I'm doing now, what I'm doing is I'm more of an observer and researcher). Just, just those different science avenues, you can apply to so many different things, even my research when you're just observing.
CSMA: Yeah exactly, building these hydroponic systems or these generators or the weather systems you've built in the past can inform how you would build instruments for astrophysical research in the future, since they use a lot of the same principles.
Cool! So you mentioned some of these teachers and these role models for you have this kind of mindset pushing through the struggle or who encourage you to keep going you - what are some challenges and obstacles that you've faced so far in your career and how have you overcome these challenges?
Derod: Okay. So I can answer that. I guess the most recent one is the one, you know, with the pandemic and everything. I feel that was really a big struggle for me as I struggled to really adapt online and try to basically do the same thing I was doing back at college on campus, online.
So it was hard to study. It was hard to motivate myself and everything, but I had to find different ways to continue. And I pushed through my main major, after finding little things to help: maybe playing a game to get my mind off things or getting a huge study group together. Or maybe just with a few people and just study the whole night, because I feel one of the biggest challenges for me is in terms of the pandemic and studying online is I feel I have to learn how to study all over again.
That’s a huge challenge for me that I tried to overcome with different techniques. And I did, right now I passed those classes that I had done. And now I have to do the rest of my classes even though I haven't been back to campus since the beginning of the pandemic. Even though the other students have been there, I'm still trying to deal with learning online and everything.
So it’s an ongoing process. And on top of that I have a medical situation at home I also have to focus on, and that brings different stressors and everything. So I really have to kind of balance the family life, medical emergencies that come up pretty commonly, more commonly than I expected.
It also interferes with my academic work. For example, this semester, my plans were to go back to campus. But now I have to take a half course load - I had to take six credits online again, when I'm supposed to be doing more of my physics coursework and everything.
CSMA: Absolutely. Thank you for sharing that. I think it's definitely been hard for everyone in different ways, and balancing your obligations at home to your obligations at school is definitely really, really tricky compared to what your classmates on campus might’ve had to deal with. I don't think any of us really know the correct answer to how to do that balance.
So from these kinds of challenges that you've undergone and are successfully working your way through, what advice would you give to high school students and other younger undergraduate students of color who are interested in following in your path?
Derod: Okay. I guess the advice I have, I'm going to look straight into the camera for this [he adjusts to look straight into the Zoom camera].
I know it's really cliche, but it's a theme that kind of resonated with me: Don't give up on your dreams. You just got to figure out a way, how to push through it. If you have to go the long way in life, go the long way. And it's okay. Maybe sometimes, if you have too much on your plate, it's okay to take a break and relax for a little bit, you know. But if it's something that you really want to do and you know that you want it, you have to pursue it.
Don't put yourself down. Don't let other people put you down. Don't let other people be obstacles to you. Don't let any type of obstacles keep you in one place, figure out a way how to get around them.
CSMA: Yeah, when there's always a way! That's really good advice. So you've kind of touched on this already, but what are your future and long-term career goals? You've touched on wanting to do work that is similar to Dr. Oluseyi's, where you're doing outreach, but what does that look like for you?
Derod: So right now my main goal is to go to graduate school and pursue research. I want to continue the research I'm doing right now. I feel there's a lot of different pathways I can go to in terms of outreach, and to be honest, I don't know exactly what I want to do in terms of outreach.
Yeah I guess my main goal, I'm just set on going to grad school. ‘Cause that's such a big challenge to overcome in general already, but I guess maybe in the future, I want to… I don't know what exactly, but maybe start my own business based on science and astrophysics.
Maybe a YouTube thing on the side. I want to put what I know back into the community that, you know, that has raised me essentially. So I want to do that for sure. Yeah. Other career goals aside for those two? Hmm. I guess that's really it. I want to go to grad school, pursue a PhD, and I want to do community outreach somehow in relation to what I did so far in astrophysics and STEM in the STEM community.
CSMA: Those are both really great goals. You don't need anything more specific right now, you have time to work out the details of what you want to do.
Derod: For sure.
CSMA: Last couple of questions… Is there anything in particular you would like to see change in the astronomy community?
Derod: I definitely want to see more Black physicists and astrophysicists, and in the STEM community I want to see more people of color as well. I feel in general, the heavy hitters in STEM you see are not really a lot of Black people. And as far as the STEM workforce goes (professors and researchers and everything) I think maybe there's, I don't know, maybe 12 Black astrophysicists?
CSMA: Yeah, if you're just thinking of the people who are visible, it's very small numbers.
Derod: Yeah, for sure. And I think , literally, if you would look at the amount of Black PhDs in astrophysicists there's not a lot more than that at all. Just maybe in the double digits, 20 to 30. That's what I'm thinking. Right, so there's definitely a lot of work to be done there. I wanted to see more Black physicists, more Black astrophysicists. And I don’t want to just see it, I wanna help move towards that change.
CSMA: You're numbers are probably close. I think, at least for astrophysics in general, there’s a listing of Black astrophysicists online and there's maybe 50 of us. And not all of us are PhD students, you know? Some are faculty and postdocs and undergrads too. The numbers are low.
Derod: It is. And the sad part I guess, is that I think astrophysics is more diverse [than related fields].
CSMA: Yeah exactly. Astro has done work to increase diversity – more than physics for example – and it’s still bad.
So finally, what does Black history month mean to you as a Black scientist?
Derod: Black history month, I think it's a really good way to showcase all of the different work we've done so far. We've done a lot of work in this country, and we want to be able to showcase it, you know, so Black history month is where we’re able to showcase all the different things we have done and created so far. And in terms of physics and STEM, even if our numbers are low, we contributed so much. We’ve had a big impact on the fields already. We are the inventors, engineers, everyone. So yeah, that's what it means to me.
CSMA: Thank you so much! Is there anything else that you would like to share?
Derod: I guess I can leave on one note.
If you have a passion, go for it and stick to it. And it's okay if it doesn't seem like the passion is for you, you could change your path and figure out what's best for you. You have to venture out and see what you like and experiment with what you like. So try different things out and if it works, if you really like it, stick to it.
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