Kentucky State Valedictorian Zhakeya Hawkins Takes Accelerated Path to Climate Research

After completing two years of undergraduate study in one year, the 4.0 graduate is applying data science and geospatial modeling at UC Merced

FRANKFORT, Ky. — One year was enough for Zhakeya Hawkins to complete two years of undergraduate study, maintain a 4.0 GPA, compete as a scholar-athlete, and graduate as Kentucky State University’s 2026 valedictorian.

Now, Hawkins is carrying that same drive into atmospheric and climate research at the University of California, Merced.

Hawkins is spending the summer as a post-baccalaureate research scholar through UC Merced’s BRAAG-SURI program. Working with Professor Adeyemi Adebiyi’s Aerosol-Climate Group, she is studying interactions among atmospheric aerosols, agriculture, air quality, and the global climate system.

Her research focuses on mineral dust and smoke, including how fallowed agricultural land in California’s Central Valley may affect dust emissions and regional air quality.

“By bridging my existing skills in image analysis and geospatial modeling with the lab’s sophisticated climate simulations and satellite observations, this opportunity serves as a pivotal stepping stone,” Hawkins said.

Those skills developed through an unusually accelerated academic journey.

Hawkins arrived at Kentucky State having already earned an associate degree while still in high school. She then completed what would ordinarily be her final two years of undergraduate study in one year.

Along the way, she served as a USDA 1890 National Scholar, competed for the Thorobreds, and developed expertise in mathematical computer science, data science, and geospatial technology.

“Zhakeya distinguished herself through exceptional discipline, intellectual curiosity, and an ability to connect computing and data analysis with practical challenges,” said Dr. Chi Shen, dean of the College of Business, Engineering, and Technology. “Her accelerated academic progress and research experience at Kentucky State prepared her well for this opportunity and for the doctoral study she plans to pursue.”

That preparation now supports Hawkins’ transition into atmospheric and climate research at UC Merced.

For Hawkins, Kentucky State’s Geographic Information Systems Lab became a place where computational methods connected with practical challenges in agriculture and natural resources.

“The GIS Lab was the space where raw data intersected real-world dirt,” Hawkins said.

Her Kentucky State research included the use of ArcGIS Pro, remote sensing, Python-based data analysis, and Getis-Ord Gi* hot spot modeling. Through that work, she explored how data and mapping can support sustainable agriculture, urban food systems, and informed decision-making.

At UC Merced, Hawkins is combining satellite observations and climate simulations with the analytical methods she used at Kentucky State. The summer program also provides preparation for graduate education, scientific communication, and research careers.

Her experience as a USDA 1890 National Scholar added another dimension to that preparation. The federal program provides educational support and paid professional experiences for students attending the nation’s 19 historically Black land-grant universities, including Kentucky State.

Athletics offered another test of Hawkins’ ability to manage demanding goals.

She competed in cross country and track and field while completing her accelerated degree. At the 2026 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship, Hawkins won the women’s pole vault and established a meet record.

She drew upon that experience during Kentucky State’s May Commencement ceremonies, where she addressed the University’s largest graduating class in recent history.

“I don’t see education as a race; I see it as a relay,” Hawkins told the Class of 2026. “I wasn’t just crossing those stages for myself; I was carrying the baton for my family.”

That relay now continues at UC Merced.

Hawkins plans to pursue a Ph.D. in data science and use machine learning, geospatial technologies, and environmental data to help address challenges affecting agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and communities.

She describes her approach through a personal motto: “Gather and Go.”

At Kentucky State, Hawkins gathered the knowledge, technical skills, discipline, and research experience needed for the next stage of her education. Her summer work in California marks another step toward her goal of becoming “Dr. Zhakeya Hawkins” and using data to help solve consequential, real-world problems.