Angeline J. Dukes, PhD
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heydrdukes.bsky.social
Angeline J. Dukes, PhD
@heydrdukes.bsky.social
5.9K followers 760 following 330 posts
✊🏾🧠 Founding President of #BlackInNeuro 🌍 📚 Neuroscience Professor 👩🏾‍🏫 #HBCUgrad ✨ International Invited Speaker 🇹🇹🇭🇹 ΔΣΘ🔺 she/her
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heydrdukes.bsky.social
#BlackInNeuro has supported marginalized neuroscientists for 5️⃣ years!! ✨

We have gorgeous limited-edition pins 😍 for $15 donations to support BIN programming ❤️ blackinneuro.com/donate

I can mail it to you or if you just want to donate, I’ll give your pin to trainees at #ABRCMS 🤗

Please share 🙌🏾✨
A black hand with red nails holding a Black In Neuro 5 year pin against a white linen background. The pin is a gorgeous gold laurel wreath with the original Black In Neuro logo on top and the big gold glittery 5 on the bottom
November 20, 2025 at 3:00 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
If you didn’t get a chance to purchase the exclusive 5-year #BlackInNeuro pin last night, I have more with me today! ✨

We’re asking for $15 donations to support BIN programming ❤️ blackinneuro.com/donate

Allies are welcome to purchase pins as well 🙌🏾 #SfN25
A hand holding a Black In Neuro 5 year pin with a pile of them on a table in the background. The pin is a gorgeous gold laurel wreath with the original Black In Neuro logo on top and the big gold glittery 5 on the bottom A hand holding a Black In Neuro 5 year pin against a white linen background. The pin is a gorgeous gold laurel wreath with the original Black In Neuro logo on top and the big gold glittery 5 on the bottom
November 18, 2025 at 5:39 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Our #BlackInNeuro social is always the highlight of my year 🤩

These were our undergrads/lab tech, graduate student, postdoc, and faculty/professional attendees respectively ✨

Love seeing our community continue to grow & support each other in tumultuous times 💞 #SfN25 @blackinneuro.bsky.social
A group of ~30 Black undergraduates and lab technicians at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background A group of ~60 Black graduate students at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background A group of eight Black postdoctoral researchers at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background A group of ~20 Black faculty and professionals at the 2025 Black In Neuro social. The group is smiling for a photo in a lounge space with a bar and circular lights in the background
November 18, 2025 at 7:58 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
🎉 It’s not too late to register for the #BlackInNeuro social happening TONIGHT! ✨ Good food, great people, and even better energy 🖤
🗓️ November 17
🕢 7:30–10:30PM
📍 San Diego |

Hope to see y’all soon 🤗
🔗 blackinneuro47.wildapricot.org/event-6419762
Flyer with colorful abstract shapes and playful fonts invites all Black In Neuro members to the Black In Neuro SfN Social. The event will be held on November 17, 2025, from 7:30–10:30 PM, location sent upon registration. Text reads “with the BIN Family, food, and good vibes!” The Black In Neuro logo appears at the top.
November 18, 2025 at 1:40 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
First #SfN25 stop is always the @christineliu.art Two Photon Art booth! ✨

Check out these cool mystery pin boxes that they have this year 😍🐭

I love my little laser mouse 🎇
A Black woman’s hand holding three items behind a booth. The first is a Polaroid photo of her with her friend and co-creator of Two Photon Art, Dr. Christine Liu. The second item is a pin of a white mouse shining a laser and holding a sparkly purple crystal. The third item is a box that reads Lab Mouse mystery pin with 5 pin options and an extra rare surprise pin
November 15, 2025 at 9:54 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
It was such a successful event and I’m so proud of all the hard work we put into organizing it 🥰
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Spent 8 months organizing a massive Brain Day outreach event 🧠✨

We had ~240 faculty & trainee volunteers develop cool neuroscience activities about their research 🔬🧬 Over 300 community members joined us to play games, win prizes, learn, and see themselves as scientists 👩🏾‍🔬🧫
A trio of trainees at a Brain Day booth showing event attendees wearing colorful Brain hats how to make multicolored pipe cleaner neurons A group of MD/PhD students from the neurosurgery interest group posing for a photo at their Brain Day booth with a big poster behind them that reads “What Does a Neurosurgeon do?”. They have spine model and a virtual reality headset to do activities A side view down one aisle of the UMN Brain Day outreach event. Booths staffed by trainees and faculty in blue t-shirts line the aisle. Community members are actively engaged in learning about neuroscience and the work the researchers do. Brain Day attendees participating in a pain research experiment. The child’s hand is in a beaker of warm water and the parent looks on. The researchers at the booth are smiling excitedly to see the results
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Y’all I feel so loved 😭🥰 my sweet postbacc students planned a small belated birthday surprise for me 🥹💞

They know how much I love celebrating their birthdays so they made sure this milestone was a memorable one 🎉
A group photo of 8 post-baccalaureate researchers and their three program administrators taking a selfie in front of a board decorators with banners and stars that reads Happy 30th Birthday
October 21, 2025 at 11:38 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Celebrating my 30th birthday on the beautiful island of Saint Lucia 🏝️✨

#ThirtyAndThriving 💖
A Black woman wearing a yellow, orange, light blue and dark green tropical patterned skirt and top set. She’s smiling with one hand on her hip and the other holding up a glass of wine. She’s standing on the walkway of a resort with coconut trees in the background. A chocolate lava cake dessert with toothpicks with “30” numbered on top sticking out. A scoop of ice cream with a candle is also on the plate with chocolate drizzle. The plate is set on a blue tablecloth in purple mood lighting on a table in a poolside cabana.
October 15, 2025 at 1:58 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
We are #vaccinated for this season 💉✨

Reminder to make your COVID and flu shot appointments if you can! 😷
The arms of two Black people with two bandages each. There is white text on a black background that reads CVS has the newest vaccines and still accepts most insurances. Got our COVID and flu shots
October 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
A few small desk changes for the first day of #SpookySeason 🎃
An office desk with colorful neuron artwork, a Black woman nutcracker figurine, and three small orange pumpkins underneath a small bookshelf.
October 1, 2025 at 11:07 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
My husband kicked off his birthday by picking me up from the airport at 2:30am… with two dozen roses and no complaints 😭😍

Happy Birthday to the best husband I could’ve prayed for 😘✨
A gorgeous bouquet two dozen pink, white, and purple roses A Black man smiling for a photo at Chili’s. He’s wearing a teal polo and has a variety of appetizers on the table.
September 30, 2025 at 12:26 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
The #BlackInNeuro community at the 2025 BRAINS Cross-Cohort Symposium ✨

Once in BRAINS, Always in BRAINS 🧠
A large group of smiling Black neuroscientists standing on a grassy lawn with beautiful green trees under a blue lightly clouded sky.
September 28, 2025 at 3:14 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
#BINW25 Day 2 kicked off with an incredible panel on Science Communication & Ethics ✨

Great advice from our panelists:
•Ask the community what they want to learn!
•Be transparent about research (pros/cons, who has access, etc)
•Collaborate with others w/ similar passions

#BlackInNeuro 🧠
Four Black women panelists for the Black In Neuro conference. Three are in person seated on stage and one is joining on zoom. There is also a live ASL interpreter waiting to sign the event
September 11, 2025 at 4:36 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Happy #BlackInNeuro Week 2025!!! ❤️🎉

So much has changed over the past 5 years and we’d love to see how you’ve grown! Use the link below to make your own Then & Now post 🥰

#BINW25 #BlackInNeuroRollCall #5YearsOfBIN 🙌🏾 🧠
A Then and Now post with photos from 2020 and 2025. It reads CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF DIVERSIFYING THE NEUROSCIENCES. In July 2020, I was finishing my third year as a PhD student at UC Irvine. Worried about advancing to candidacy and hoping to teach someday. Now I'm starting my fourth year as an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota! I teach multiple neuroscience courses, lead outreach, and direct programs that support our communities! The Black In Neuro logo is in the bottom left hand corner with #BINW25 #5YearsOfBIN. Colorful banners are across the top and bottom of the page.
September 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Heading to D.C. for our first in-person #BlackInNeuro conference!! 🎉❤️

Can’t wait to see our BIN family 🧠✨ #BINW25
Screenshot of the first page of the Black In Neuro conference booklet. There is a colorful top geometric banner with the Black In Neuro logo below it. Followed by Black In Neuro conference booklet in orange letters. Wednesday Sept. 10th to Friday Sept. 12th Washington DC and a beautiful group photo from the last Black In Neuro social grace the bottom of the page.
September 9, 2025 at 3:17 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Happy First Day of School 📚✏️

This headband was perfect for my first day fit 😍 #TheProfessorIsIn
A Black woman professor standing in her office smiling. She’s wearing a light blue tank top with a yellow skirt and blue headband in her natural curly hair. She has black glasses and red lipstick on. In the bottom right hand corner there’s white cursive text that reads “First Day of School”. A denim blue headband with pearls and school icons such as a stack of books, a red apple and a pencil.
September 2, 2025 at 5:20 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Summer has been busy for all my programs ☀️

•bittersweet end of the Diversifying the Community of Neuroscience program❤️‍🩹

•welcomed our new cohort of MINDS post-baccalaureate scholars 🙌🏾

•celebrated at the symposium for our summer undergrad researchers 📊

Grateful to still pour into our communities💖
A group photo during the last official meeting of the Diversifying the Community of Neuroscience longitudinal mentorship program. The group of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and physicians are smiling for a photo on an outdoor terrace at the University of Minnesota campus. The 2025-26 cohort of incoming first year and second year MIND post-baccalaureate researchers with their program leadership. The group is smiling for a selfie outside in front of trees. The 2025 neuroscience group of the Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program. The undergraduates and their program directors are all dressed up and smiling for a group photo at the end of the summer symposium
August 9, 2025 at 3:10 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
June was a whirlwind for our post-bacc program.

The grant that funds us was terminated 😣

But we had an amazing symposium & celebrated our scholars going to grad school🎉 🎓

Now the Ten Simple Rules paper authored by our scholars is finally published 🙌🏾 journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
A termination notice for a post-baccalaureate research program that reads “This project is terminated effective 07/31/2025. Research programs based primarily on artificial and non-scientific categories, including amorphous equity objectives, are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand our knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness. Worse, so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion ("DEI") studies are often used to support unlawful discrimination on the basis of race and other protected characteristics ICO's, which harms the health of Americans. Therefore, it is the policy of NIH not to prioritize such research programs. Therefore, no additional funding will be awarded for this project, and all future years have been removed. If appropriate, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA may request funds to support patient safety and animal welfare to support an orderly phaseout of the project.” The 2025-2026 cohort of MINDS post-baccalaureate scholars, their near-peer graduate student mentors, faculty mentors, program directors, and mini-MINDS participants standing in front of a project screen that reads 2025 MINDS post-baccalaureate research symposium A full seminar room of faculty, students and community members listening to the oral presentation by a second year MIND scholar. A Ten Simple Rules perspective paper “Ten simple rules for thriving in a post-baccalaureate research program” authored by Michaelle E. DiMaggio-Potter, Angelica Velosa, John C. Brent IV, Osmar Del Rio, Eyerusalem F. Abebaw, Fernando Aguilar-Ortega, Dante Rogers, Patrick E. Rothwell, and Angeline J. Dukes.
July 2, 2025 at 8:46 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
We’ve been married for 6 years and together for 12 ✨

#BlackLove #CollegeSweethearts 🥰 #FiskForever 💙💛
A happily married Black man and woman smiling widely while taking a selfie in front of pink trees. The woman is wearing a black shirt, brain necklace and black glasses. She has natural curly shoulder length hair. The man is wearing a light green shirt and has a mini Afro
July 1, 2025 at 2:42 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
I’m living in my own little rom-com and I needed to slow down to really appreciate it 💖
Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads "You really are an amazing wife. It's only fair that you get what you put into this relationship. I'm not the only one trying here" June 10th Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads Literally took the shirt off his back so my thighs wouldn't burn sitting on a seat in the Tennessee heat June 22nd Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads I was stressed before my work trip. He said "I got you" - Pre-packed my suitcase. Washed and moisturized my hair. Made a snack box for the plane. Created a backup plan to ease my anxiety. And tightly held my hand to keep me grounded while driving me to the airport June 29th Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads He sent me a voice memo - "Just calling to let you know I love you and I'm proud of what you're doing." June 30th
July 1, 2025 at 2:42 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
I’ve been going through a rough time. To help me stay present in joy, I started keeping track of all the wonderful things my husband said or did for me each day this month.

He had no idea. And I couldn’t have prayed for a better partner.

30 Days of Being Loved 💖
Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads “You’re with a man who is madly in love with you” June 9th Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads “I see you Angeline. I see you showing how much you care and I appreciate it.” June 18th Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads “How can I take care of you today?” June 24th Blue hydrangeas overlaid with white text on black background that reads It was storming this morning and he stayed in bed until I woke up. "You make a certain noise when you're having bad dreams. I heard that noise and didn't want to get out of bed in case you needed me" June 28th
July 1, 2025 at 2:42 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
Some joy:

I’m the new chair of the neuro outreach committee ✨ we hosted tables at #STEMFest to share our love for neuro with our local community 🧠

We did a Brain Zoo, altered reality experiment, and Mind Flex game!

Making science accessible & exciting for everyone is why we do this work 💖
Two Black graduate students showing two toddlers and their parents animal brains of different species at a Brain Zoo table A graduate student doing a bean bag toss altered reality experiment with some adult community members A research scientist excitedly describing a Mind Flex activity with a kid and his parents Several graduate students, faculty and an undergraduate volunteer smiling for a group photo after a successful STEMFest event. They’re wearing UMN of STEMFest shirts and are standing behind a table with brain tablecloth in the UMN hockey arena.
June 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
These beautiful pins came in! 🙌🏾 they’re gifts for our MINDS post-bacc scholars who will be starting grad school in the fall ❤️🎉

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Always love supporting women-owned, people-of-color-owned businesses ✨ but I especially love supporting my friends @christineliu.art 😍 twophotonart.com
Four pins from Two Photon Art. One is a brain cloud with crystals dangling off, another is a brown hand holding a test tube with flowers that says “keep growing”, another is a pride color rainbow brain, and the other is a saggital section of a brain.
May 28, 2025 at 12:47 AM
heydrdukes.bsky.social
“I feel a little less despair” ❤️‍🩹
“I feel more hopeful & inspired” 🙌🏾
“It’s good to know that other people are still fighting so I can too” ✊🏾

-feedback I received from grad students and postdocs after giving my talk at Rutgers ✨
A Black woman with long curly hair taking a selfie. She is wearing a cream dress with orange and pink flowers that has green watercolor leaves, gold necklaces and a burgundy headband. She also has black glasses and red lipstick on. A group photo of guest speaker Dr. Angeline Dukes taking a selfie with the IRACDA INSPIRE program inside a classroom at Rutgers A selfie of Dr. Angeline Dukes and Dr. Kaliris Salas, a Black woman and Puerto Rican woman neuroscientists. Both women are smiling widely inside a classroom A photo of Dr. Troy Roepke and Dr. Angeline Dukes sitting outside on Rutgers campus. Troy is wearing a pink and purple floral shirt with pink pants. Angeline is wearing a cream dress with watercolor pink, orange and red flowers with green leaves.
May 3, 2025 at 1:16 AM