The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges, from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our local communities. CZI partnered with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to launch the Science Diversity Leadership program, a funding opportunity that aims to recognize and further the leadership of excellent biomedical researchers who have a record of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in their scientific fields through their outreach, mentoring, teaching, and leadership.  Dr. Alissa Armstrong was just awarded a $1.5 million grant over 5 years for supporting her research project titled "Studying Inter-organ Communication with Adipose Tissue in Drosophila".  The Armstrong Laboratory's overarching research goal is to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanisms that allow fat tissue to relay nutritional information to other organs. Using the incredible genetic model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, Dr. Armstrong's research is defining how signaling pathway activity within fat cells regulate the stem cell-supported ovary.  Dr. Armstrong is also engaged in promoting diversity in research and STEM. Her current and future Diversity, Equity and Inclusion activities include serving as a mentor for UofSC PREP (Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program) and the South Carolina Advancing Diversity in Aging Research (SC-ADAR), training undergraduate and graduate students, and outreach activities at local K-12 schools. Congrats Alissa!