Dr. Kyla McMullen

Dr. Kyla McMullen is the first woman of color to earn a Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from the University of Michigan.

Degree(s): Computer Science, Computer Science and Engineering

_

Undergraduate Institution:  University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Graduate Institution:  University of Michigan

_

Photo Credit: University of Florida

Dr. Kyla McMullen is the first woman of color to earn a Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from the University of Michigan. She is currently an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Florida and the director of the SoundPad Lab. Her research interests include the perception, applications, and development of 3D audio technologies. As a result of her work, Dr. McMullen was awarded the National Science Foundation’s Early Career Award. Dr. McMullen is also the creator of “Beautiful, Black, and Brainy” and “Brilliant is the New Black,” which showcase exceptional young Black men/women who excel in STEM fields and don’t fit the traditional “scientist” stereotype. An advocate for Black men/women in STEM, Dr. McMullen is also senior personnel for the Institute for African-American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (iAAMCS) and the conference chair for the National Society of Blacks in Computing.

_

Fun Fact: Dr. McMullen is also the co-host of the Modern Figures Podcast (@modernfigurespodcast), which spotlights and elevates Black women in computing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *