Raychelle Burks, an associate professor of chemistry at American University,
transitioned from a life in the crime lab to one in the classroom. As a forensic scientist, Burks spent years helping to solve mysteries that deeply—and personally—impacted people’s lives. Today, she continues to make a meaningful impact by educating and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

“There is so much great science out there,” Burks said. “You've got to be informed by the realities of the profession so you can deliver techniques that can be integrated [into the field].”

Addressing the Skills Gap

As a leader of the Digital Imaging and Vision Applications in Science (DIVAS) Alliance, Burks is fostering a diverse and skilled STEM workforce that is equipped to meet a growing need in the natural sciences. While scientists can generate large datasets, many lack the computational skills to analyze them effectively.

“The computer itself is not a problem solver,” Burks noted. “People are the ones with the ideas, the drive, the passion, and the vision.”

The DIVAS Alliance, led by American University and Doane University and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), helps students learn coding and image analysis to address real-world challenges. DIVAS scholars use computational thinking to analyze images like plant growth timelapses to enhance crop yields, veterinary X-rays to identify fractures, and latent fingerprint scans to improve the reliability of forensic science.

Amplifying the Reach and Impact

The DIVAS Alliance partnered with AU’s Translating Research into Action Center, or TRAC, to broaden its societal impact. TRAC’s Empowering DIVAS Mentors (EDM) program expands the DIVAS Alliance training methods and framework. It uses a trainthe-trainer model, offering coding workshops, mentoring, and resource sharing to help students to develop crucial analytical and computational skills.

EDM’s objective is to create an ecosystem across higher education where both faculty and students can thrive while meeting the specific needs of each institution. “We've always had the goal of it being a franchise—like a McDonald’s franchise,” Burks explained. “If you go to McDonald’s in Tokyo, it’s still McDonald’s. You get a cheeseburger, but there are also options that are beneficial to the community and fit in with the culture.”

In addition to American and Doane Universities, the DIVAS Alliance operates at
University of Nebraska, University of Michigan, St. Edward’s University, Dixie State University, and Northwest Missouri State University. The program’s adaptability ensures it can be responsive to the challenges of each community while addressing the unique interests of its students.

Burks believes, “It still comes down to people to best support people.”

This people-first philosophy is the cornerstone of the DIVAS program, and those who have completed it are proof of its success.

In December 2024, a former DIVAS scholar credited the program during his Ph.D. defense at the University of Michigan for helping him develop his programming skills and setting him up for an impactful STEM career.

“To see happiness, fulfillment, contentment—to see it and realize that you had a little bit to contribute—I’m going to feel good about that for a long time,” Burks said.