Tyrslai Menyaeé Williams-Carter, PhD
Assistant Professor of Research
Assistant Dean of Mentorship, Education, and Research LSU Graduate School
Contact
twil161@lsu.edu
225-578-4004
Education
Bachelor's Degree: Chemistry, Southern University, 2011
PhD: Organic Chemistry, Louisiana State University, 2017
Tyrslai M. Williams-Carter is the Assistant Dean of Mentoring, Research, & Education
in the LSU Graduate School and an Assistant Professor of Research in the School of
Education at Louisiana State University. Formerly, she served as the Director of OSI
Programs, where she led a team dedicated to transforming the landscape of STEM education
for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
During her doctoral studies, Dr. Williams-Carter investigated the Design, Synthesis,
and Evaluation of BODIPY-Peptidic Conjugates for Biological Applications. Over the
past 15 years, she has conducted outreach and mentored K-12, undergraduate, and graduate
students. Because of her experience with research and her passion for outreach efforts
and supporting students over the years, Dr. Williams-Carter decided to focus her research
efforts on creating pathways for all students to achieve their academic goals in the
face of barriers. She is dedicated to contributing to the professional advancement
of students from high school to graduate levels in several capacities that strengthen
the pathway to terminal STEM degrees.
Her current research investigates the strategies and supports structures necessary
to aid students through critical junctures on their academic journey while cultivating
essential skills vital for success in the workforce. Dr. Williams-Carter is dedicated
to transforming the lens through which underserved students see higher education by
broadening participation and increasing matriculation of undergraduate and graduate
students in higher education. She has designed, implemented, and investigated several
STEM projects, particularly for groups historically underrepresented in STEM.
For more information, please visit Williams-Carter's personal webpage.
Williams, T.M., (featured). (2022) Five Tips for Success in the Chemistry Lab, inchemistry, a magazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Markle, R., DeGravelles, Williams, T.M., Williams, K., deGravelles, K.H., Bagayoko, D., Warner, I.M., (2022). Supporting Historically Underrepresented Groups in STEM Higher Education: The Promise of Structured Mentoring Networks. In Frontiers in Education, (p.218) Frontiers.
Williams, T.M., & Warner, I.M.,(featured). (2021) Women, students from underrepresented groups feel less supported in chemistry graduate school in the US, Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), a magazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Crawford, M. B., Williams, T. M., Wilson-Kennedy, Z., Hooper-Bui, L., Stone, M., & Warner, I. M., (2018) Sustaining STEM Initiatives: The Challenge of a Worthy Investment. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(3), es15.
Research Related
Williams, T. M., Kaufman, N. E., Zhou, Z., Singh, S. S., Jois, S. D., & Vicente, M. D. G. H. Click conjugation of boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorophores to EGFR-targeting linear and cyclic peptides. Molecules, 2021, 26(3), 593.
Williams, T. M., Zhou, Z., Singh, S. S., Sibrian‐Vazquez, M., Jois, S. D., & Henriques Vicente, M. D. G. Targeting EGFR Overexpression at the Surface of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Exploiting Amidated BODIPY‐Peptide Conjugates. Photochemistry and photobiology, 2020, 96(3), 581-595.
da Silva Viana, R., de Mascena Costa, L.A., Leal, A.N., Williams, T.M., Luan, L., Zhang, G., Wang, M., Harmon, A.C., dos Anjos, J.V., Cueto, R. and Gomes Filho, M.A., Surface modification strategy based on the conjugation of NaYF 4: 5% Eu luminescent nanoprobe with organic aromatic compounds for application in bioimaging assays, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 2019, 21(1), 23.
Williams, T. M., Sable, R., Singh, S., Vicente, M. G. H., Jois, S. D., Peptide Ligands for Targeting the Extracellular Domain of EGFR: Comparison Between Linear and Cyclic Peptides. Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 2018, 91(2), 605-619.
Zhao, N., Williams, T. M., Zhou, Z., Fronczek, F. R., Sibrian-Vazquez, M., Jois, S. D., Vicente, M. G. H., Synthesis of BODIPY-Peptide Conjugates for Fluorescence Labeling of EGFR Overexpressing Cells. Bioconjugate Chemistry 2017, 28 (5), 1566-1579.
Education Related
Williams, T. M., Crawford, M. B., Hooper-Bui, L. M., Givens, S., Lavender, H., Watt, S., & Warner,
I. M. (2019) LSU Office of Strategic Initiatives: A Great Equalizer for Broadening
Participation in STEM. In Broadening Participation in STEM: Effective Methods, Practices, and Programs, pp. 3-34. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Research Related
Williams, T. M., Sibrian-Vazquez, M., Vicente, M. G. H. (2016) Design and Synthesis of Photosensitizer-Peptide
Conjugates for PDT. In HANDBOOK OF PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY: Updates on Recent Applications of Porphyrin-Based
Compounds, pp 45-93.
Education and Diversity Related
T. M. Williams, Understanding the Law of Human Performance: A Vaccination Against Bad Behaviors
and their Effects and a Fuel for Self-Actualization, LS-PAC MODELS Conference, New
Orleans, LA, 2022.
T. M. Williams, “Structured Mentoring Networks for Supporting Underrepresented Groups in STEM”,
Mindsets for STEM Virtual Conference. Florida-Caribbean Louis Stokes Regional Center
of Excellence, 2022.
T. M. Williams, "Advocacy and Mentoring", weSTEM Conference 2022, Champaign, IL, 2022 (panel session).
T. M. Williams, “Uncovering the Threshold: Taking Social Intelligence to the Next Level for Increased
Student Success”, LSMRCE Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2019. (podium)
T. M. Williams, D. Bagayoko, M. B. Crawford, T. Johnson, Z. S. Wilson-Kennedy, D. Zhang, I. M. Warner,
Louis Stokes Center for Promotion of Academic Careers through Motivational Opportunities
to Develop Emerging Leaders in STEM (LS-PAC MODELS), Washington, DC, 2019.
T. M. Williams and M. Graça H. Vicente, “Near Peer Mentoring: The Role of the STEM Graduate Student”,
SMTI-ASCN Workshop, New Orleans, LA, 2017.
Research Presentations
T.M. Williams, Ning Zhao, Martha Sibrian-Vasquez, Seetharama D. Satyanarayanajois, and M. Graça
H. Vicente, “Synthesis of BODIPY-Peptide Conjugates for Fluorescence Labeling of EGFR
Overexpressing Cells”, Colloquium Seminar, University of West Florida Chemistry Department,
Pensacola, Florida, 2017 (podium).
T. M. Williams, Timsy K. Uppal, Martha Sibrian-Vasquez, Seetharama D. Satyanarayanajois, and M. Graça
H. Vicente, “Contemporary Synthesis and Investigation of Peptidic-BODIPY Conjugates”,NOBCChE
National Conference, Raleigh, NC, 2017.
T. M. Williams, Timsy K. Uppal, Martha Sibrian-Vasquez, Seetharama D. Satyanarayanajois, and M. Graça
H. Vicente, “Innovative Synthesis and Investigation of Peptidic-BODIPY Conjugates”,
Professor Isiah M. Warner’s 70th Birthday Celebration: Education and Research Symposia,
Baton Rouge, LA, 2017.
T. M. Williams, Timsy K. Uppal, Martha Sibrian-Vasquez, Seetharama D. Satyanarayanajois, and M. Graça
H. Vicente, “Innovative Synthesis and Investigation of Peptidic-BODIPY Conjugates”,
Coates Symposium, Baton Rouge, LA, 2017.
Grant amount: $97,6734
Role: PI
Time of Service: 9/1/22 – 8/31/23
Founder: National Science Foundation (NSF): LSU - 9: 2021 Cohort LA-BRIDGE
Grant amount: $1,075,000
Role: Co-PI
Time of Service: 09/01/22 - 08/31/2024
Founder: National Science Foundation (NSF): REU: Smart Polymer Composite Materials and Structures
Grant amount: $312,000
Role: Co-PI
Time of Service: 4/01/21 – 03/31/24
Founder: National Institutes of Health (NIH): Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
Grant amount: $2,700,000
Role: PI
Time of Service: 06/01/20 – 5/31/25
Founder: National Science Foundation (NSF): Louis Stokes Regional Center of Excellence: Center for Promotion of Academic Careers through Motivational Opportunities to Develop Emerging Leaders in STEM (LS-PAC MODELS)
Grant amount: $2,500,000
Role: PI
Time of Service: 09/15/2018 – 08/31/24
Founder: Department of Education (DoE): Application for Grants under the Regular Upward Bound
Grant amount: $1,287,485
Role: Reviewer
Time of Service: 09/01/18–08/31/23
Founder: Department of Education (DoE): Application for Grants under the Regular Upward Bound
Grant amount: $1,287,485
Role: Reviewer
Time of Service: 09/01/18 – 08/31/23
Founder: National Science Foundation (NSF): REU: Smart Polymer Composite Materials and Structures
Grant amount: $288,000
Role: Co-PI
Time of Service: 8/24/17 – 12/31/21
2022 NOBCChE Tyrone Mitchell Mentor on the Map Award - National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)
Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Graduate Fellowship, 2015-17
Advancing Science Award, National Organization of Black Chemist and Chemical Engineers, 2011-16
COACH (Assisting in the success and impact of women scientist and engineers) Travel Award, National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) Conference, 2015
National Science Foundation LSAMP Bridge to Doctorate Fellowship, Louisiana State University, 2012-14