Jameeka Marshall joined CrEST in January 2023. With a master’s degree in teaching and curriculum development, Jameeka taught for 11 years in her hometown of Memphis, TN. After moving to Hawai’i in 2014 to pursue a career in the field of astronomy, she began taking classes at the University of Hawai’i Hilo while teaching and working at various observatories as a part of their community engagement and education division. As a student, Jameeka experienced firsthand the challenges many encounter while pursuing a degree in STEM fields. She took a break from her studies during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop new skills in virtual community engagement.
In 2022, Jameeka was introduced to the Shadow the Scientists initiative by a colleague who was instrumental in establishing StS in Hawai’i with the Maunakea Observatories. She met the CrEST Faculty Director and StS Founder, Prof. Raja GuhaThakurta, on his visit to the Big Island in September of that year then later successfully applied for the StS Coordinator position. With a focus on under-resourced and underrepresented groups, Jameeka is grateful to serve as the StS Programs Manager which aims to lower the barriers preventing access to and participation in STEAM fields. The experience has been and continues to be truly inspiring!