Amit Arora, Ph.D., is a Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of the District of Columbia’s School of Business and Public Administration. A scholar-practitioner with over 20 years of experience across academia and industry, Dr. Arora specializes in logistics, global supply chains, sustainable operations, and emerging technologies. He holds a Ph.D. in Logistics/Supply Chain Management from Georgia Southern University, an M.S. in Energy and Environmental Management from IIT India, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. His scholarly work, published in top journals such as Sustainability, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, and Frontiers in Robotics and AI, bridges theory and practice in human-robot interaction, FinTech-CleanTech, and AI-enabled supply chains. Dr. Arora is the Principal Investigator of a $400,000 National Science Foundation Targeted Infusion Project (TIP) awarded in 2024, which focuses on infusing Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (AIR) into STEM-Business curricula at UDC. Dr. Arora has secured over $1 million in funded research, including multiple NSF and Department of Defense grants. He has also held managerial roles at Honda and Hyundai, adding industry depth to his teaching. Recognized with the U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and recently inducted as a Lifetime Fellow of Academy of International Business – Southeast (AIB-SE), Dr. Arora serves as the Past President of the Northeast Decision Sciences Institute (NEDSI), advancing interdisciplinary research and curriculum innovation.
Dr. Anna Young Franz, an accomplished architect, engineer, and academic leader, serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success at UDC’s College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), bringing expertise in value-inclusive design, urban sustainability, and interdisciplinary research to advance equitable and resilient built environments.
Catherine Meals is an Associate Professor and the Reference and Assessment librarian in the Learning Resources Division at the University of the District of Columbia. She leads the UDC Library’s assessment program and supports student learning and faculty research through information literacy instruction and reference services. Her research interests include personal librarianship, the development of student research assignments, and affective outcomes in information literacy instruction. Before joining UDC, she worked at the DC Public Library and was a strategic researcher in the labor movement. She holds an MLIS from the University of Maryland and a BA from Swarthmore College. She is a founding member of the Board of Instigators of the Diverse City Fund.
Dr. Esther Ososanya, a Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at UDC, specializes in embedded systems design and VLSI ASIC applications, with research focused on innovative solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles, robotics, and energy systems, while actively contributing to COVID-19 predictive modeling and vaccine hesitancy studies. Her work, supported by grants from the NSF and DoD, positions her as a leader in advancing smart grid systems, robotics, and autonomous vehicle technology. She was the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Woman of Color Technology All-Star Award.
Yvette N. A. Pappoe is an interdisciplinary legal scholar and professor at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. Her research examines the intersections of race, gender, and law, with a focus on fair housing, employment discrimination, and critical race theory. Professor Pappoe’s scholarship—appearing in leading journals such as the Boston University Law Review and the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change—analyzes how legal and social structures impact historically marginalized communities, particularly Black women. She is currently leading a funded research project on how artificial intelligence influences the racial wealth gap through housing and employment systems. In addition to her scholarship, she teaches Torts, Professional Responsibility, Housing Law & Policy, and Critical Race Theory.
Dr. Bushra Ahmad Saeed, Associate Dean at UDC-CC, is a respected scholar and leader in biotechnology and nanotechnology, with a strong record in program innovation, accreditation leadership, and community engagement across multiple health and science disciplines. She is also currently serving as the Division Director of the Nursing, Allied Health, Life and Physical Sciences programs at UDC-CC. In addition to her Director role, she enjoys teaching Biological Science and Fundamentals of Chemistry Lab courses at the college where she serves as a key role model for many of its students. Professor Saeed has a strong passion for seeing underrepresented students, particularly in STEM, become educated and enter the workforce highly prepared. Hence, she is a member of the District of Columbia STEM network, and annually hosts “Women in STEM” forums at UDC-CC. This actively engaging platform exposes students to accomplished women across a multitude of STEM fields (from NASA, Health institutes, FDA, etc.).
Saeed completed her Masters in Biotechnology (gold medalist) and her Ph.D. in molecular Biotechnology from the University of Karachi. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her Post Doctorate research from Cornell University in Bio-nanotechnology. Saeed has authored numerous research articles which have been published in peer-reviewed research journals. She has published on Stem Cells, micropropagation and development of new molecular diagnostic techniques for virus indexing. Professor Saeed was recently named a “Dean’s Teaching Fellow” at UDC-CC, having completed The Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE) comprehensive course on Effective College Teaching
Dhymsy Owens is a scholar, educator, and practitioner-activist currently serving as an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of the District of Columbia, where she also directs the Health Within Measure Research Lab. A Community Health Psychologist by training, her research focuses on psychological and behavioral processes in health and well-being from a sociocultural and community context. Dr. Owens strives to use her research to promote health and prevent risk in minority populations through intervention and community outreach. Her research focus is motivated by a passion to (1) understand the importance of acculturation, assimilation, and cultural identity to health and well-being, and (2) secure health equity and eradicate disparities. She has served at various outreach events and has contributed to the development and implementation of city-wide, community-based health campaigns and interventions. Dr. Owens is passionate educator. She has taught at the higher education level for 15 years and thrives off her daily interactions with students. In line with her commitment to providing excellent education and student support, she also actively engages in research within the realm of teaching and learning science. Her current focus within this regard is on developing and delivering enriching learning experiences through fostering supportive learning environments and active construction of knowledge. With this expertise she aspires to improve the quality of teaching and learning in higher education, particularly for marginalized populations.