KENTUCKY: Dr. Kazi Javed, Director of KSU’s Peer-Led Team Learning Program, retires
Dr. Kazi Javed took a small Kentucky NSF EPSCoR grant for nanotube research at the University of Kentucky and evolved it into a program at Kentucky State University supporting hundreds of undergraduate students.
In July 2022, Dr. Javed retired, concluding his work as a teacher, mentor, and leader. “I mean this from the bottom of my heart, it’s not about me. It’s about how we started, how we performed, and how we can sustain it. I’d like to think of myself simply as the catalyst.”
With Kazi’s retirement, Dr. Suzette Polson, his longtime faculty colleague, is picking up the torch. “Dr. Polson has been coordinating the PLTL organic and biochemistry workshops since the inception of the program. I trust she will continue to grow the program. If it continues to have the impact, it is still worth supporting. For the STEM pipeline, and as the only HBCU university in the Commonwealth, it is incredibly important to do the best we can for our STEM students to succeed. I’ll be rooting for their success in every way I can.”
Feature video on PLTL produced by KY NSF EPSCoR in 2018
Kazi came to Kentucky State University in 1996 to teach chemistry. While he loved his work as a professor, he questioned parts of the educational system, particularly for those struggling. He looked for new ways to connect and edify students outside the classroom.
The PLTL program was born and now offered under-represented minorities a support system. What began as a small grant for nanotube research was now helping dozens of students excel.