Meet the QuSTEAM Team
Our Team
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Shawnta Jackson
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Shawnta Jackson is a transformational leader with over 17 years of experience in engagement, strategy, evaluation, and project management, supporting academic institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies. She has contributed to multiple NSF-funded STEM initiatives, including work in QISE and the NSF I-Corps™ Program at North Carolina A&T State University, supporting research design, data collection, and analysis. She also served as an external evaluator for the Northern Ohio Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (NOA-AGEP) and other NSF-funded initiatives. Her work focuses on program design, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and evaluation, helping organizations strengthen implementation, impact, and long-term sustainability.
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Russell Ceballos
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Russell R. Ceballos is an Associate Consultant with QuSTEAM and a Full-time Lecturer and Research Professor at Chicago State University, where he directs the Quantum Innovation and Research Center (QuIRC). His work focuses on quantum networks, materials, and interdisciplinary applications, and he serves as a co-Principal Investigator on Department of Energy and National Science Foundation–funded projects, including the Illinois Express Quantum Network (IEQNET) and undergraduate quantum curriculum development. He is also affiliated with the Pittsburgh Quantum Institute and Fermi National Laboratory, and is committed to advancing quantum education and workforce development.
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Adam Keller
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Adam Keller is an Associate Consultant with QuSTEAM and an Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at Columbus State Community College. His work spans chemical analysis and separation technologies, as well as best practices in higher education, with a strong focus on improving teaching, learning, and institutional effectiveness. In addition to his academic role, he serves as President of the Columbus State Education Association, bringing leadership experience in faculty development, institutional strategy, and collaborative problem-solving. He is particularly interested in integrating knowledge-sharing approaches and advancing student success across STEM and emerging fields, including quantum information science.
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David W. Steuerman
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
David W. Steuerman is an Associate Consultant with QuSTEAM and a leader in quantum science, innovation, and partnership development. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering at UCLA and previously held leadership roles at IonQ and The Kavli Foundation, where he advanced initiatives in quantum information science, nanoscience, and data science. His career spans academia, industry, government, and philanthropy, including roles as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Head of R&D at a technology start-up. Dr. Steuerman has contributed to widely cited publications on quantum workforce development and quantum computing hardware, and is known for building strategic partnerships that connect research, education, and real-world application.
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Steven D. Thomas
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Steven Thomas is an Associate Consultant with QuSTEAM and a science education consultant and program evaluation specialist who partners with colleges, universities, and STEM organizations to design, assess, and strengthen inclusive science engagement and workforce development initiatives. He supports institutions in implementing evidence-based strategies to improve student participation, persistence, and outcomes in STEM pathways. Steven brings experience across academia, industry, and federally funded programs, and currently serves as Coordinator for Inclusive Strategic Partnerships and Program Director at the Graduate School at Michigan State University, where he has led large-scale initiatives focused on undergraduate research, graduate preparation, and faculty-student mentoring. He previously served as Academic Coach Program Director for INSIGHT, a U.S. Department of Energy–funded undergraduate program, where he designed advising structures, mentor training, and assessment frameworks to support student success.
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Joseph Zadrozny
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Joseph Zadrozny is an Associate Consultant with QuSTEAM and an Associate Professor of Chemistry at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on using synthetic inorganic chemistry to control electronic and nuclear spin properties for applications in quantum information science, sensing, and advanced imaging. He leads a research group exploring molecular approaches to quantum systems, including strategies to improve spin coherence, reduce magnetic noise, and enable new bioimaging techniques. His work is supported by multiple federal agencies, including NSF and NIH, and he has received national recognition for both research and teaching. Dr. Zadrozny brings expertise in quantum materials, magnetic resonance, and interdisciplinary collaboration across chemistry, physics, and emerging quantum technologies.
Our Board of Directors
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Ezekiel "Zeke" Johnston-Halperin
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin is President of the Board of Directors for QuSTEAM and a Professor of Physics at The Ohio State University, where he also serves as Co-Director of the Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering. His research focuses on condensed matter physics, with expertise in spin dynamics, nanoscale materials, and quantum systems, including the study of magnetism, spin transport, and quantum phenomena at material interfaces. His research group explores applications ranging from quantum information science to advanced sensing and device physics, supported by collaborations across academia, national labs, and industry, as well as funding from federal agencies including NSF and DOE. Dr. Johnston-Halperin brings extensive experience in academic leadership, interdisciplinary research, and advancing quantum science and engineering initiatives.
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Raymond E. Samuel
TREASURER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Raymond E. Samuel is Treasurer of the Board of Directors for QuSTEAM and a Professor in the Department of Biology at North Carolina A&T State University. His work spans chemical engineering, biophysics, medicine, and translational health research, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and workforce development. Dr. Samuel has led and contributed to multiple federally funded initiatives, including serving as Contact PI and Project Director on NIH- and NSF-funded programs, as well as Site PI for the NSF-funded QuSTEAM Convergence Accelerator. He plays a key role in advancing QISE workforce development, leading efforts such as the ExpandQISE Track 2 program, which integrates research, curriculum development, and experiential learning, including undergraduate scholars programs and faculty short course training. A consistent theme of his work is expanding access and strengthening pathways for underrepresented students in STEM through research, mentorship, and institutional partnerships.
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David Awschalom
MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Awschalom is a member of the Board of Directors for QuSTEAM and the Liew Family Professor and Director of the Chicago Quantum Institute at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. He is also a Senior Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, Founding Director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange, and inaugural Director of Q-NEXT, a U.S. Department of Energy Quantum Information Science Research Center. His research focuses on spintronics and quantum information engineering, including the control of electron, nuclear, and photon spins in semiconductors and molecular systems for applications in quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Professor Awschalom is widely recognized for foundational contributions to quantum science and for advancing large-scale, collaborative quantum research and innovation initiatives.
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Angela K. Wilson
MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Angela K. Wilson is a member of the Board of Directors for QuSTEAM and Vice President for Research at Texas A&M University, where she leads a nationally ranked research enterprise exceeding $1.3 billion in annual expenditures. She is also a University Research Chair and Professor of Chemistry, with research spanning computational and theoretical chemistry, quantum science, materials, energy, and environmental systems. Dr. Wilson has held major leadership roles across academia and federal government, including serving as Division Director for Chemistry at NSF and previously at Michigan State University, where she directed the Center for Quantum Computing, Science and Engineering. A past President of the American Chemical Society, she is widely recognized for advancing interdisciplinary research, large-scale scientific collaboration, and workforce development in emerging fields including quantum science.
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Pei-Cheng “P.C.” Ku
MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Pei-Cheng “P.C.” Ku is a member of the Board of Directors for QuSTEAM and a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, with additional affiliation in the Applied Physics Program. His research focuses on optoelectronic devices and materials, with an emphasis on integrated photonics and semiconductor light sources, including both classical and quantum systems. His work includes the development of slow-light optical devices, semiconductor quantum wells and quantum dots, and integrated photonic technologies with applications in communications, sensing, and quantum information science. P.C. has contributed extensively to the field through widely cited publications in semiconductor optics and photonics and brings deep expertise in advancing quantum and optoelectronic technologies.