Black Nerds Matter

Today on Black Nerds Matter, we’re honored to welcome the legendary Dr. Dawn Wright. She is a marine geologist, deep-sea explorer, and Chief Scientist at Esri. Affectionately known as Deep Sea Dawn, she holds a long list of groundbreaking achievements, including becoming the first Black woman to dive to the ocean floor and the first Black person to reach Challenger Deep, the deepest point on Earth.

We dive into her remarkable career journey from over 20 oceanographic expeditions to shaping the future of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for climate and conservation. Dr. Wright shares insights from her new book Mapping the Deep, reflects on being a role model for Black scientists, and reveals what fuels her passion for both science and storytelling.

This episode is a celebration of brilliance, curiosity, and blazing trails in STEM.