Two years ago, I was selected for a prestigious Leshner Fellowship through the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which helps mid-career professionals develop skills in public engagement. It involves a research project and a project for institutional change. My institutional change project is to work toward incentivizing and rewarding public engagement with science and engineering across my institution. I was subsequently selected for a UA Provost Faculty Leadership Fellowship to implement this project, which was delayed for a year by COVID-19 but is now back on track. I recommend the Leshner Fellowship for any mid-career academics in science or engineering looking to up their outreach game. It is wonderful and a lifelong fellowship with great people and invaluable resources. 

I am pleased to announce that The University of Alabama is OK with keeping me around, as they have promoted me to the rank of Professor. I'd like to thank my family and department for all the support they've shown me over the years, without which none it would have been possible.