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Mya "Mywai" Johnson

mywaithecreative@gmail.com

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Education

Harvard University                                                                                             Cambridge, MA

A.B. Degree Candidate in Neuroscience, Minor in Theater, Dance, & Media                                                                                 May 2025​

Completion of Harvard Secondary Summer School (2019)

University School of Milwaukee                                                                          Milwaukee, WI

High School Diploma                                                                                                                                                                             May 2021

  • Cum Laude Inductee

  • Distinction in Science Research

Fellowships

Art of Science Fellowship,

                                                     University of Colorado School of Medicine (2024-25)                                            

Artist Development Fellowship,

                                                                Harvard University (2024)

Honors

Semper Cor Award,

                                       Harvard University (2025)   

Suzanne Farrell Dance Prize,

                                                        Harvard University (2025)   

Cultural Ambassador,

                                          Rebirth Jam: Street, Club, and Social Dance Festival (2024,2025)

Bessie Lawrence International Summer Science Institute Scholarship,

                                                                                                                                        Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (2021)

Publications

Krista Chamberlain, Mya Johnson, Terry-Elinor Reid, Tzvia I. Springer. “Utilizing in silico and in vitro methods to identify possible binding sites of a novel ligand against Pseudomonas aeruginosa phospholipase toxin ExoU.” Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports, Mar. 2022.

Presentations

“Computer-Aided Investigation of Methoctramine-ExoU Interactions” Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, May 2021

Research Experience

HIP HOP COLLAB - MIT                                                                                     Cambridge, MA

Student Researcher/Artist                                                                                                                                                    Feb. 2025 - Present 

  • Investigating hip-hop culture and its respective art forms to preserve the craft while creating spaces for the others to build upon its foundation

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE                                             Aurora, CO

Art of Science Fellow/Student Researcher                                                                                                                         Aug. 2024 – Present

  • Participating in a fellowship supporting independent research at the intersection of arts and science, namely developing methodologies to better analyze of the implications of dance on the brain

WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE                                                                 Rehovot, Israel

International Summer Science Institute Participant                                                                                                         Jul. 2021 – Aug. 2021

  • Analyzed the composition of nasopharyngeal cancerous cells using single cell-RNA sequencing to predict behavior of viral-driven cancers

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY - WISCONSIN                                                                Mequon, WI

Research Assistant                                                                                                                                                               Nov. 2019 – Jul. 2021

â–ª Computationally located potential allosteric binding sites within proteins to combat bacterial and viral infections  

Professional Experience

HIPSTORY                                                                                                                Boston, MA

Volunteer                                                                                                                                                                                 Apr. 2025 – Present

  • Providing support as needed to an organization that amplifies the voices and tells the stories of marginalized communities in Boston through music and film

HARVARD OFFICE FOR THE ARTS                                                                    Cambridge, MA

Student Ambassador                                                                                                                                                            Nov. 2024 – Present

• Curating events and developing novel manners in which Harvard affiliates and those in the greater Cambridge/Boston area may engage with the arts

URBANITY DANCE                                                                                                   Boston, MA

Volunteer                                                                                                                                                                               Sept. 2024 – Present

  • Providing time and support as needed to Urbanity's Dance With Parkinson's Program

HARVARD INNOVATION LAB                                                                            Cambridge, MA

Member                                                                                                                                                                                  Jan. 2024 – Present

  • Collaborating with fellow Harvard entrepreneurs and advisors in a think tank geared towards the incubation of start-up companies

HARVARD EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICES                                                    Cambridge, MA

Audio-Visual Tech Support                                                                                                                                                   Sep. 2022 – Present

  • Providing Harvard faculty and guest lecturers with audio and visual technical assistance while maintaining campus lecture halls and consolidating course recordings 

Hallwood Media                                                                                               Los Angeles, CA

Marketing Intern                                                                                                                                                                  Jan. 2025 - Jan. 2025

  • ​Collected information regarding upcoming artists and compiled the findings to plan events, market strategies, and productions featuring signed musicians and performers

STIGGITYSTACKZ WORLDWIDE                                                                              Boston, MA

Production Intern                                                                                                                                                              Jun. 2024 – Sept. 2024

  • Assisted Boston-based dancer, Stiggity Stackz, in the curation and organization of events promoting dance as a catalyst for community engagement

GARY CITY COURT                                                                                                        Gary, IN

Clerical Intern                                                                                                                                                                     Jun. 2023 – Aug. 2023

  • Contributed to the workflow of a Problem-Solving Court through court hearings and various shadowing opportunities

HARVARD SOCIETY OF BLACK SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS                        Cambridge, MA

Secretary                                                                                                                                                                              Apr. 2022 – Apr. 2023

  • Organizing the publications of various organization opportunities and compiling events into newsletters to encourage external sponsorships and support internal sense of community

Artistic Experience

EVENT DJ                                                                                                                Boston, MA

Curator of sounds and synthesizer of energy for the function                                                                                            Feb 2025 - Present

HARVARD BREAKERS                                                                                       Cambridge, MA

President                                                                                                                                                                                Aug. 2023 – Present

  • Managing funding and event curation for Harvard’s breakdancing group through grant opportunities, sponsorships, and networking at various dance events

HARVARD ELEGANZA                                                                                       Cambridge, MA

Model                                                                                                                                                                                     Nov. 2022 – Present

  • Performed as a dancer in Harvard’s Annual Dance-Fashion event celebrating diversity and dance culture

HARVARD EXPRESSIONS                                                                                  Cambridge, MA

Choreographer, Emcee, Competitive Dancer                                                                                                                Sept. 2021 – Nov 2024

  • Recognizing and celebrating Hip-Hop inspired choreography in performance settings through this Harvard dance group

    • Dancer in an off-campus Flash Mob (Fall 2023)

    • Member of EXP, Expression’s competitive subsect (Spring 2022)

HARVARD ROTC                                                                                                Cambridge, MA

Freestyle Workshop Instructor                                                                                                                                                             Sept. 2023

  • Provided a safe space for Air ROTC members to become more acquainted with dance in a freestyle context through guided instruction

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

The Big Top (2025)

  • Co-producing an event that invites attendees through an interactive journey that explores ideas of the double consciousness, identity, and general perception through conversation, DJs, dance, and circus themes

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Magic (2025)

  • Providing movement artistry in the music video for "Magic" by Leana Borsuk

 

Devon Gates and Friends (2025)

  • Served as one of the movement artists embodying the work of jazz musician Devon Gates as she used her melodic verse to explore themes of love and unity

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Messiah (2024)

  • Performed an improvisational piece depicting the lack of answerable question in life alongside singer/songwriter, Xavier Emmanuel

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kendrix (2024)

  • ​A short dance visual to a Kendrick remix (videography by Xavier Emmanuel)

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after morning (2024)

  • Danced in a music video of work by Xavier Emmanuel​

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Additional Skills

Arts:

All-Style Dance Battler, Piano, DJ, DAW (Garageband/Logic)

Research:

         MATLAB (Intermediate), Cell Culturing

Communication:

                      Spanish (Conversational), Public Speaking, Customer Service

Additional Interests

Research:

                     Neuroaesthetics, Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurocinematics

Other: 

               Entrepreneurship, Artistic Performance, Dance Video Production, Event Curation, Freestyle Dance/Dance Battling

© 2035 by MYWAI

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