Bio

Dr. Chiyedza Small is a Professor and Chair of the Biology Department at Medgar Evers College. She earned her Ph.D. in the area of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology with a focus on Genetics, Innate Immunity, and Genomics from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Dr. Small pursued post-doctoral training in the Department of Pharmacology at New York University School of Medicine. She teaches courses in General Biology, Genetics, Developmental Biology, and Human Genomics. Her scientific research focuses on elucidating mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between the major developmental pathways in regulating stem cell maintenance, cell lineage differentiation, and proliferation in Drosophila hematopoiesis. Dr. Small also researches the factors that impact STEM student recruitment in science education. She has published several research articles in scientific journals and several laboratory science textbooks. Dr. Small mentors several students who conduct research in her laboratory and many others from the Biology department. As co-director, she leads the STEM teacher training program, Transforming and Innovative Practices in STEM (TIPS). Dr. Small is committed to providing undergraduates with opportunities that will promote their successful participation in careers in biomedical sciences and STEM-related fields.