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Maika  Mitchell

<div><strong>HELP US LAUNCH THE NEXUS INSTITUTE FOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH</strong>
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<div>I'm Dr. Maika Mitchell, and I founded NITR to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world health impact—while creating pathways for women and underrepresented scientists who have been left behind.
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<div><strong><em>WHY NITR MATTERS</em></strong>
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<div>The statistics are sobering:
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<ul>
<li>Women represent only 28% of STEM researchers globally
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<li>Black women earn less than 4% of STEM PhDs
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<li>Infectious disease research critically lacks diversity
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<li>Early-career scientists face shrinking funding and limited mentorship
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<li>Health equity gaps persist in underserved communities
</li>
</ul>
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<div><em>We're changing that.</em>
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<div>NITR isn't just another nonprofit—it's a movement to transform who gets to be a scientist, whose research gets funded, and whose health outcomes improve.
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<div><strong><em>YOUR DONATION WILL FUND</em></strong>
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<div>✅ Youth STEM Mentorship Program (Launching Spring 2026)
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<div>Connecting high school students from underrepresented communities with scientist mentors for hands-on research experiences
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<div>✅ Professional Development Workshops
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<div>Career skills training, grant writing bootcamps, leadership development, and networking for early-career researchers
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<div>✅ Mentorship Network
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<div>Pairing early-career women scientists with established researchers for long-term guidance and support
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<div>✅ Small Grants Program (Launching 2027)
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<div>Seed funding for promising research projects led by women and underrepresented scientists
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<div>✅ Operational Infrastructure
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<div>Website, program materials, outreach, and administrative costs to keep NITR running
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<div><strong>❤️ MY STORY: WHY I'M BUILDING THIS</strong>
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<div><strong>At 16, I was homeless.</strong>
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<div>I didn't know where I'd sleep that night or if I'd finish high school.
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<div><strong>At 26, I defended my PhD dissertation.</strong>
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<div>I became Dr. Maika Mitchell—a scientist, researcher, and advocate.
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<div>The path wasn't linear. It wasn't easy. But it was <strong>possible </strong>because people believed in me, mentored me, and opened doors I didn't know existed.
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<div>Now, I'm building NITR <strong>to create those opportunities for others</strong>—especially for young women and underrepresented minorities who don't see themselves in science.
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<div>Because science needs diverse voices.
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<div>Because your starting point doesn't determine your destination.
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<div>Because <strong>representation matters.</strong>
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<div>I've spent over 20 years in biomedical research, working on infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, and health equity. I've led teams at NYU Langone Health. I was recognized in the Wiley Index of Inspiring Black Scientists in 2026.
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<div><strong>But none of that matters if I don't use my platform to lift others up.</strong>
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<div>That's NITR. That's this campaign. That's YOU.
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<div><br />
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<div><strong><em>HOW YOU CAN HELP</em></strong>
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<div>1️⃣ DONATE – Every amount makes a difference
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<div>2️⃣ SHARE – Spread the word on social media
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<div>3️⃣ FOLLOW – Subscribe to our YouTube channel: <em>Dr. Maika Mitchell | NITR</em>
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<div>4️⃣ ENGAGE – Comment, like, and amplify our message
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<div>5️⃣ VOLUNTEER – Contact to get involved
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Maika Mitchell

Maika Mitchell

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