on using qualitative research methods that measure various phenomena and making connections via an interdisciplinary approach, qualitative evaluation and assessment measurements, increasing the number of minorities in STEM fields, and program development at the graduate level. She has had the opportunity to present at a regional and national conference and she has conducted research internationally. In addition, Ms. Hester is a licensed graduate social worker (LGSW) in the state of Maryland and provides outpatient mental health treatment to members in underserved communities. Contact information: shawnisha@gmail.com Uses ultrashort pulse lasers to investigate the ultrafast photophysics and nonlinear optical properties of bulk, nanoscale and quantum well semiconductor structures, ultrashort pulse propagation in fibers and novel waveguide structures and high-speed lightwave systems. As Deputy Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) MIRTHE (Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and the Environment) [2006][2007][2008][2009][2010][2011][2012][2013][2014][2015][2016], our group uses femtosecond mid-infrared pulses of light to study the gain dynamics and nonlinear optical properties of active quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) and other mid-infrared devices. Recent research involves the use of ultrashort pulses of light for laser-induced inactivation of murine norovirus samples, which are a leading cause of food-borne illness. Collaborative discussions are underway to utilize laser-enhanced thermal imaging to detect breast and prostate cancer tumors in mouse models. Served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Optics Letters (1995Letters ( -2001 Astronomers believe that at the center of every galaxy is a super-massive black hole. Planets, stars, and galactic objects ultimately orbit around this central black hole. Black holes are aweinspiring structures whose existence and behavior are predicted by our current understanding of physics, however, they manifest extraordinary phenomena that stretch our understanding of the universe. The science in support of black holes requires the presence of matter that is, so far, unseen by scientists. This unseen matter and its energy is said to make up as much as 96% of the known universe. Dark matter, its structure and energy, explains how the universe works.This paper will establish unique metaphors between social science and physics. The social science context also takes into account the social justice current events of the #BlackLivesMatter movement in the United States where social media brought to bear conversations about the injustices related to untimely deaths of unarmed African-Americans by those in law enforcement. The movement has elevated the conversation to a point where we can draw parallels to look at the academic lives of people from underrepresented groups, and the worth of these lives by academic power structures. As scientists and engineers, we bring the parallels of the current social justice events into a context that is being observed in the academic insti...