Episode 67 – Dr. Angelique Taylor’s Tech Odyssey

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Angelique Taylor

https://www.angeliquemtaylor.com/

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Episode Description:

In this enlightening episode of the Modern Figures Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Jeremy Waisome and Dr. Kyla McMullen engage in a rich conversation with Dr. Angelique Taylor, a shining example of Black women’s excellence in computing. Dr. Taylor’s inspiring journey, from her early fascination with technologies to spearheading research in AI and healthcare robotics, offers listeners profound insights into the world of cutting-edge technological innovation.
Dr. Taylor shares her path from community college to a thriving career in academia, providing an intimate look at her personal and professional growth. Her narrative is filled with pivotal moments, from the stark transition to predominantly white institutions to the cultural adaptations required while ascending her academic career. The episode encapsulates Dr. Taylor’s tenacity, highlighting her pursuit of impactful research and the significance of building strong communities, particularly amongst Black women in computing.

Key Takeaways:

• Dr. Angelique Taylor’s educational journey from community college to a PhD in computer science demonstrates the importance of resilience and passion for one’s interests.

• Building community is essential in academic success, as Dr. Taylor navigated cultural shifts and created supportive networks throughout her career.

• The impact of one’s work and its real-world applications can profoundly shape research direction, as seen in Dr. Taylor’s transition to healthcare robotics.

• Research collaboration with healthcare professionals reveals the practical and life-saving potential of integrating robotics into medical settings.

• Mentorship and setting clear expectations are vital in recruiting and guiding students as an academic advisor, a new role Dr. Taylor has embraced.

Angelique’s Bio:-::

Angelique Taylor is an Assistant Professor in the Information Science Department at Cornell Tech and Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Lab (AIRLab) focusing on research at the intersection of robotics, computer vision, and artificial intelligence. The AIRLab designs robots and augmented reality systems that sense and model groups of people in real-world, safety-critical environments and develops machine learning algorithms to support team collaboration. Before joining Cornell, Angelique was a Visiting Research Scientist at Meta Reality Labs Research working on AI to support multi-user collaboration in AR/VR. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California San Diego in 2021. She has received the Google Award for Inclusion Research, NSF GRFP, Microsoft Dissertation Award, the Google Anita Borg Memorial Fellowship, the Arthur J. Schmitt Presidential Fellowship, a GEM Fellowship, and an award from the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT). More information on her research can be found at angeliquemtaylor.com.