Marine ecologist and scientist Dr. Tiara Moore is making waves in the field of marine science, not only for her groundbreaking research on ocean pollution but also for her advocacy for diversity in STEM.
Recently, Dr. Moore, nicknamed the ‘Curly Scientist’, sat down with Jennifer Hudson on The Jennifer Hudson Show, where she shared her journey, her passion for marine ecology, and her commitment to driving change in the industry.
Dr. Moore, the Founder and CEO of Black In Marine Science (BIMS) and Co-Founder of Ocean Justice AI, is widely recognized for her efforts to amplify Black voices in the marine science space.
During her interview, she introduced herself as the Curly Scientist, a moniker that celebrates her natural hair and Black identity.
However, she surprised the audience with a special detail about her current hairstyle.
“Usually I have my natural hair out because I like to embrace being Black. And so I have my curls. And so that’s where the Curly Scientist comes from. But I actually am wearing braids right now. And this leads to what my job is because this braid in here is made out of banana fiber,” she explained to Hudson.
Dr. Moore went on to highlight the impact of synthetic hair on the environment, pointing out that traditional synthetic braiding hair contains plastic that often ends up polluting the ocean. She proudly shared that her current braids were made from banana fiber, a sustainable alternative produced by the Black woman-owned company Rebundle.
Beyond her environmental work, Dr. Moore also spoke about her experiences with racism in the scientific community. She recalled how the racial injustices witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, pushed her to speak out about her own experiences with discrimination in academia and science.
“For the first time, my colleagues started sending me like $10 for coffee and asking me, ‘Dr. Moore, you’ve never experienced racism, right?’ And I’m like—from y’all? I experience racism every day,” she shared. “It really made me realize like, oh, they don’t even know what they’re doing to me. And so I need to start speaking up more. Like I literally need to be the change that I want to see.”
Dr. Moore’s advocacy has led to the creation of Black In Marine Science, an organization dedicated to supporting Black marine scientists and increasing their visibility in the field.
Through BIMS, she continues to break barriers and push for equitable opportunities for Black scientists in marine ecology and ocean conservation.
