The Mission
The Research Her was created with us in mind. The goals of this platform are to:
- Help us make better health and lifestyle choices
- Divulge research that has been done to solve everyday problems
- Highlight women of color doing research in all fields
- Emphasize the need for more studies focusing on underrepresented groups
- Promote and encourage the pursuit of research that have yet to be executed
Elissia

Elissia Franklin is a passionate chemist dedicated to uncovering science that everyone should know about. There is a gap in the amount of research that is being done for and by people of color versus those who are more represented. Elissia decided to champion these topics and continue the
A native of the Southside of Chicago, Elissia grew up understanding that there are systematic disadvantages when you are black and a woman. As she has matriculated in the science community, she discovered just how deep into higher education and other professional environments the disadvantages run. With her passion for science, she is not afraid to blaze a trail and represent in a field where we need people to see themselves reflected. She is passionate about teaching anything she knows to anyone who wants to learn and believes that knowledge should be accessible to all.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was the start of Elissia’s professional career. She graduated with honors from the Department of Chemistry with a Bachelor of Science. Throughout her 4 years in college, she worked to improve resilience in the Black and Latinx communities through volunteering, opting into having difficult conversations about systemic oppression.
After receiving her B. S., her love for science continued at Purdue University, where she studies analytical chemistry. Her
Currently, Elissia is working to finish her dissertation.