Bio

Kennita Johnson, Ph.D., received her bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar. She performed her graduate work at the University of Florida. There, she earned a Master’s degree in medical physics and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, she came to UNC to start her research career path in the UNC-NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME). Dr. Johnson is currently expanding her research on biomedical imaging of chronic kidney disease, which disproportionately affects Black and Brown people. In 2020, Dr. Johnson became the first Director of Diversity and Equity in the Joint BME Department. This unique but complex department combines the College of Engineering at NCSU with the UNC School of Medicine and the UNC College of Arts and Sciences. As the director, she chairs the department’s active diversity committee and has developed internal initiatives to bring undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, faculty and staff together. She is involved with several diversity organizations on both campuses, including serving as diversity liaison to the School of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences at UNC. At NCSU, Dr. Johnson serves on the Graduate Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and the Dean appointed her to the College of Engineering’s Broadening Participation Strategic Planning Committee. Her favorite part of research, teaching, and diversity work is interacting with students through mentoring student research projects, teaching students complex concepts and talking to potential students about joining her department.