Who is Dr. Ashanti Johnson?

Dr. Ashanti Johnson is a leading geochemist and chemical oceanographer. She also is an expert in STEM diversity and inclusion and has spoken on international stages. She has been published in several academic journals and received many awards. In 2010, The Grio named her one of 100 History Makers in the Making. In 2016, she became an American Geophysical Union fellow and received both an Excellence in Geophysical Education Award and an Ambassador Award. More recently, in 2019, she received the John P. McGovern Science and Society Award. These are only a few of her accomplishments; read on to find out more about marine science and Dr. Johnson’s story!

What is geochemistry and chemical oceanography?

The field of geochemistry is the study of geological systems, such as the crusts and oceans on planets in our solar system, from a chemistry perspective. It is the overlapping sections of chemistry and geology. Some areas of study include the composition of the solar system, the formation of planets, and the origin of various minerals and rocks.

Chemical oceanography is the study of the relationships between chemicals (both natural and human made) and ocean systems (which includes the ocean waters, marine animals, and underwater structures). Some chemical oceanographers study the various ways chemicals enter or leave ocean systems, such as through agriculture, rain, land erosion, and human activity in oceans. Others may study the roles of natural chemicals in ocean systems, or how chemical pollution disrupts oceanic environments.

What did Dr. Ashanti Johnson study to become a geochemist and chemical oceanographer?

Dr. Ashanti Johnson first obtained her Bachelor of Science in Marine Science from Texas A&M University-Galveston (TAMUG) in 1993. She was the first African American student body president at TAMUG.

Dr. Johnson then furthered her education by obtaining a Ph.D. in Oceanography from Texas A&M University (TAMU) in 1999- she was also the first African American to do so.

What kinds of science career opportunities did Dr. Ashanti Johnson then pursue?

Dr. Johnson’s work focuses on aquatic radio geochemistry; she deduced what kinds of past events happened in marine environments by analysing different biological and geochemical indicators.

Her career path has led her through experiences as a polymer chemist at Texas Instruments, to assistant professorships and research positions at Savannah State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Mercer University. She has been an Assistant Professor of Chemical Oceanography at the University of South Florida, as well as an Associate Professor of Environmental Science at University of Texas at Arlington. Throughout her career, she has also been a reviewer with the National Science Foundation.

What is Dr. Ashanti Johnson involved with outside of her science career?

On top of her career in geochemistry and chemical oceanography, Dr. Johnson has also become an expert in STEM diversity and inclusion. She is an international speaker, mentor, and professional development coach. She’s been very involved in these fields, and often in a leadership position. She was the Executive Director at the Institute for Broadening Participation for eight years, and the CEO at Cirrus Academy, a STEAM Charter School System, for three years.

More recently, she has continued to be involved in several initiatives: she is the Co-founder and a Board of Directors Member at Sportin the Grades, she is the President and CEO of the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success Professional Development Institute, and also the President of the Board of Directors at STEM Human Resource Development Inc. Furthermore, she is an international Keynote Speaker and Professional Development Coach at Bright Minds Speakers. She has been the Vice President of The STEM Future Foundation as well as the Chief of Research and Science Practice for the Black Girls Dive Foundation. And she has had many, many more involvements! Check out the links throughout this blog post to find out more about each of her involvements.

How can you become a geochemist, oceanographer, or marine scientist?

Your level	What she did…	What you can do!
Young child to elementary school	Dr. Johnson has shared that Jacques Cousteau inspired her love of ocean life as a young child.	Find your inspiration! From Rachel Carson to Sylvia Earle, from Hans Hass to Eugenie Clark, from Leanne Armand to Dr. Ashanti Johnson herself, there are many inspiring marine scientists out there to learn from.
Middle and High school	Growing up, Dr. Johnson had a chat with a marine biology graduate student– she says that this talk encouraged her to explore the field in more depth.	Check out what electives your school offers. If you’re interested in marine science, classes like biology, chemistry, environmental science, anatomy, zoology, and geology would be helpful. If you’re starting to think about university, try finding current students in the programs you’re interested in, and ask them about their experiences!
Undergraduate student	Dr. Johnson started out in marine biology, but she ended up disliking her introductory biology course! She kept an open mind, and switched into marine chemistry. She was also able to get various summer work experiences as a polymer chemist and chemical engineer. Some courses she took: general chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, marine chemistry.	It’s okay to change your mind about your interests- this is what university is all about! Try out interesting electives and keep your mind open to new paths. I also encourage you to seek out different kinds of work experiences- as a chemist, biologist, or with a focus in human, animal, marine, or insect biology… Broadening your experiences will help you figure out where your interests really lay!
Graduate student	As a graduate student, Dr. Johnson took the opportunity to present her work at professional society meetings.	Developing a network will be helpful in deciding where to take your career. Attend conferences on marine life, chemistry, geology; volunteer to present your work; ask for feedback; and reach out to potential connections.
Beyond	One of Dr. Johnson’s major pieces of advice is to stay flexible. She decided she wanted not only a career in geochemistry/chemical oceanography, but also in STEM mentoring and inclusion, and she made it happen!	Keep learning! Reflect on the aspects of your career that you like and dislike. Consider whether you’d like to combine two different careers. Maybe you want to return to school, maybe you’d like to work in research and academia, maybe you’d like to work in industry and private companies. Explore!