Dr. Mays Imad’s academic journey began at the University of Michigan–Dearborn, where she pursued philosophy and minored in chemistry. She earned a doctoral degree in cellular & clinical neurobiology, with a minor in biomedical sciences, from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona’s Department of Neuroscience, she joined Pima Community College (PCC), where she taught a variety of biology-related subjects. During her tenure at PCC, she founded their Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). Throughout her education and professional journey, Dr. Imad has maintained a keen interest in exploring how the nervous system perceives and interacts with the world, which has deeply influenced her approach to both teaching and research.

Currently serving as an associate professor at Connecticut College, Dr. Imad is focused on understanding the social determinants of student wellbeing and success and conducts research on equity pedagogy. Her work reflects a deep commitment to equity and justice in and through education. With fervor, she advocates for institutions to pay close attention to intergenerational trauma and to prioritize repair, healing, and growth. She holds fellowships with the Gardner Institute, AAC&U as a Senior STEM Fellow, the Mind and Life Institute, a Scholar-in-Residence at the Red House at Georgetown University, and is a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ).