STARKVILLE, Miss.—Astrophysicist and former Division I college football star Dakotah Tyler is headlining Mississippi State’s Black History Month program “From Gridirons to Galaxies” this month.
The star-studded talk is Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. in McCool Hall, Room 100. Free and open to the public, the event is sponsored by MSU’s African American Studies program and the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
After a career-ending injury at the University of Kentucky, Tyler transitioned from athletics to academics, ultimately earning a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics from UCLA. His talk explores navigating identity in STEM, building a career in physics and finding purpose in science and life.
“Dr. Tyler’s story powerfully illustrates the many paths that can lead to excellence in scholarship and discovery,” said Don Shaffer, director of MSU’s African American Studies program and English professor. “His journey challenges narrow ideas about who belongs in science and offers students an inspiring example of perseverance, curiosity and intellectual courage.”