#IAmNYAS: Andrew Koemeter-Cox

A native of Philadelphia, Andrew recently moved to New York City with his fiancée. He received his doctorate in Biomedical Sciences from The Ohio State University in August of 2014 and started his first Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine shortly thereafter. In the laboratory of Hongyan Zou, he is currently investigating the epigenetic control mechanisms of the axon regeneration program in peripheral neurons.

Having taught at the undergraduate and graduate level, Andrew decided to participate in the New York Academy of Sciences Afterschool STEM Mentoring program as a way to give back to his new city. Working with the YMCA Talented and Gifted program, he has been able to teach and share his love of science with eager students. When not in the lab or the classroom, Andrew enjoys watching and playing sports and sampling the fine cuisine that New York City has to offer.

Why and how are STEM education and the Global STEM Alliance important to you?

Unfortunately, science in the news and popular cutlure is presented as an exotic subject that is too dense to understand or appreciate without an advanced degree or a massive amount of intelligence. I would like to impart an appreciation and understanding of basic scientific concepts on students during their formative years, when it can have a lasting impact. I also want to show students that scientists are normal people, not like the bizarre characters you normally see in popular media. Finally, I want to strengthen my ability to communicate scientific concepts to different audiences. I am interested in eventually entering into a career in science policy or advocacy, and successful communication about science is critical to either of these careers.

What is the most important benefit you feel the Global STEM Alliance provides?

I believe a good STEM education can lead to an improved quality of life. The ability to critically evaluate information and synthesize new concepts is a valuable skill, even outside of the STEM fields. An understanding of basic scientific concepts is crucial to helping our global community deal with climate change, clean energy, and other challenges ahead. Increasing the visibility and accessibility of STEM education is vital to improving the lives of people today, tomorrow, and in the future.