Modern Figures Podcast

Episode 39 – Young, Gifted, and Black-ademic Part 1

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Twitter:

.@Dr_Kyla

Episode Description: This episode is part of a series dedicated to giving the Modern Figures Podcast listeners the inside scoop of a career in academia directly from our hosts, Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen.

From mapping out a career path and investing in yourself to navigating tenure politics, this series will cover it all. Consider this your window into the inspiring, and sometimes a bit messy, life of academia.

Jeremy’s Bio –

Dr. Jeremy Waisome is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education where she conducts research on broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing (STEM+C). She is particularly interested in understanding how formalized mentoring programs impact student trajectories and self-efficacy.

Kyla’s Bio – Dr. Kyla McMullen earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she was also a Meyerhoff Scholar. She earned her Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan (2007-2012). While earning her Ph.D. she was also a faculty member at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. At Wayne State University she taught computer literacy courses to over 2,000 students. Dr. McMullen is the first (and currently the only) woman of color to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan. She is currently a tenure-track faculty member in the University of Florida’s Computer & Information Sciences & Engineering Department. Dr. McMullen has a personal commitment to encouraging women and minorities to pursue careers in computing and other STEM fields. She is the author of “Beautiful, Black, and Brainy” and “Brilliant is the New Black” which showcase hundreds of exceptional young African Americans who excel in STEM fields and don’t fit the typical “scientist” stereotype. In addition she is the cohost of a podcast series entitled Modern Figures, which focuses on elevating the voices of Black Women in Computing. 

Episode 38 – Big Brain Energy

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Sayde King

Twitter:

Episode Description: DOne of our loyal listeners, Sayde King, joins us to share how the Modern Figures podcast changed her life. Sayde shares her career journey from being the IT person in high school to being a Phd student in Computer Science and Engineering. Learn how she navigates the challenges of grad school and how she became the definition of why the Modern Figures podcast exists.

Sayde’s Bio –  Sayde King is a Ph.D. student at the University of South Florida in their Computer Science and Engineering department. Under the advisement of Dr. Tempestt Neal in the Cyber Identity and Behavior Research (CIBeR) Lab, Sayde’s current research focuses on deception detection in the context of mental health. As a 3rd year Ph.D. student and soon to be MS holder, Sayde is always looking for opportunities to interact with and help make a way for those who are underrepresented and interested in a similar journey.

Episode 37 – Black ComputeHER: Chicken Soup for the Soul

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Jamika Burge

Twitter:

Episode Description: Dr. Jamika Burge joins us for her second appearance on the Modern Figures Podcast. She talks about the origin of the BlackComputeHER conference and how it focuses on the intersection of identity while providing space for community. What began as a conference now includes a Fellows program, and the citeHER publication program. Dr. Burge shares how her organization became a thought leader in changing the conversation on Black women in tech.

Jamika’s Bio – Jamika D. Burge, PhD, is Co-Founder and President of blackcomputeHER.org, INC., a non-profit (501(c)3) an organization dedicated to supporting computational thinking, design thinking, and workforce development for Black women and girls in computing+tech. blackcomputeHER.org, INC has raised and invested over $1 million in funded to supporting Black women in computing+tech, and has partnered with prominent and influential organizations for maximum impact. Dr. Burge is an authority in research and programming that investigates the intersectionality of Black women and girls in computing, and she is also a tech founder (and principal) of Design & Technology Concepts, LLC, a tech consultancy that provides computer science education & research and inclusive design. Jamika is also an executive leader in industry, serving as Head of Enterprise Design Research at Capital One, where she leads a team of researchers who develop human insights, at scale, including for Eno, Capital One’s conversational AI. She is also the Founder of Capital One’s Intersectional Symposium, which centers intersectionality as fundamental to exploring the dimensions of how our lived experiences matter in the products and experiences we create for each other and customers, Dr. Burge serves on the advisory board for the Center for Minorities and People with DIsabilities in IT (CMD-IT) (since 2015), the Virginia Tech Alumni Advisory Board for the Computer Science Department (since 2017); the Friends of Technology Advisory Board (Advisors to the President), at Grambling State University (since 2019); and the Center for Inclusive Computing, at Northeastern University (since 2020). She is a graduate of Fisk University and holds a PhD in Computer Science from Virginia Tech. In addition to serving as a research and industry practitioner, she has also been a computer science professor at several HBCU’s, including Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Howard University. In 2020, she began serving on the National Academy of Science Committee on Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women of Color in Tech. 

Episode 36 – Not Your Average Computer Scientist (part 2)

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Christina Gardner-McCune

Twitter:

Episode Description: In part two of this two-part episode, we hear what Christina has been up to in the AIforK12 space.

Christina’s Bio – Dr. Gardner-McCune is currently an associate professor at the University of Florida. She has a B. S. degree in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University and earned both her master’s and a doctorate in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology with specializations in Software Engineering and Learning Sciences and Technology. In addition, she completed a postdoctoral research position in Computer Science Education at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Her research focuses on the integration of computing across the middle and high school curriculum. Through her research, she designs interest and disciplinary-based curriculum and after-school & summer camp programs to engage middle and high school students in science and computing. She uses these learning environments to broaden participation in computing and for computing education research.

Episode 35 – Not Your Average Computer Scientist

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Christina Gardner-McCune

Twitter:

Episode Description: In part one of this two-part episode, we hear the origin story of someone who was not your average computer scientist growing up. Dr. Christina Gardner-McCune was not “sitting around building servers” in her free time. Instead, she participated in student government cheerleading and developed a passion for education-based interventions. Although she had a couple of setbacks and restarts in her educational journey with her mother’s encouragement and a desire to blend her creativity with computer science, Dr. Gardner McCune was able to lay the foundations for her career successfully.

Christina’s Bio – Dr. Gardner-McCune is currently an associate professor at the University of Florida. She has a B. S. degree in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University and earned both her master’s and a doctorate in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology with specializations in Software Engineering and Learning Sciences and Technology. In addition, she completed a postdoctoral research position in Computer Science Education at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Her research focuses on the integration of computing across the middle and high school curriculum. Through her research, she designs interest and disciplinary-based curriculum and after-school & summer camp programs to engage middle and high school students in science and computing. She uses these learning environments to broaden participation in computing and for computing education research.

Corrections:

Episode 34 – All The Resources

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guests: Daniela Cárdenas, Alejandra Guzmán, and Elyse Okwu

Episode Description: In this episode, Alejandra, Daniela, and Elyse discuss all of the resources! This dynamic trio works within the Computing Research Association to manage, organize, and implement programs that create positive experiences for individuals from populations underrepresented in computing research and education. So whether you are an undergraduate student interested in computing, a graduate student looking for community, an early or mid faculty, or someone working in industry, they probably have a program for you. Many of the guests we have had on the podcast have mentioned these exact programs or programs very similar. They have talked about how integral the programs were in their success in the computing world, so we wanted you to hear from the women helping make it happen!

Daniela’s Bio – As Sr. Program Associate, Daniela supports CRA and CRA-WP program activities with administrative and logistical matters such as planning meetings, workshops, outreach activities, and committee support. Daniela holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government and a minor in Education from Florida State University. In her spare time, Daniela enjoys boxing, painting, and spending time with friends.

Alejandra’s Bio – Alejandra graduated from Brown University in 2015 with an Education Studies degree. During her undergraduate career, she was deeply involved with student organizations that supported underrepresented student communities such as first-gen, low-income, etc.
She has continued that work in her professional career as she supports disenfranchised students, particularly in STEM fields. Before joining CRA, Alejandra promoted computer science learning through Code Success, a Google-sponsored program at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), which focused on enhancing NSBE members’ CS technical skills as well as professional skills to ensure they were job ready upon graduation. In her free time, Alejandra enjoys spending time with her family, reading, running, and playing with her cats.

Elyse’s Bio – Prior to joining CRA-WP, Elyse worked as a research associate at Arizona State University to examine factors of persistence for women in STEM doctoral programs nationwide. At the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, she worked with INVESTING NOW to expose young women to engineering. Elyse is passionate about working with underserved populations to ensure that access and equity are attainable in their quest for education in STEM.

Elyse holds a Master’s of Education from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor’s in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University. She is an HBCU enthusiast who believes in helping students “find a way or make one” in higher education. Elyse is the proud mother of a sweet toddler son, and their happy place is the beach.

Episode 33 – Securing the Technical Bag

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guests: Portia Kibble Smith and Dr. Katherine Picho-Kiroga

Portia’s LinkedIn: Portia Kibble Smith

Portia’s Email: [listen for it in the episode … because … bots]

Katherine’s Twitter: @drkpicho

Katherine’s LinkedIn: Katherine Picho-Kiroga

Katherine’s Research Lab: RISE Lab

Karat’s Website: https://karat.com

Brilliant Black Minds Program: Brilliant Black Minds

Episode Description: In this episode, Portia and Katherine delve into how they work with Karat to identify the factors that are keeping capable Black people out of tech jobs. They have launched the Brilliant Black Minds program to address these gaps and help Black people and a full-time job in tech. If you haven’t heard, Karat is the go-to company when it comes to finding and interviewing software engineering talent that goes to big tech companies. In fact, they have committed to offering $1 million dollars of free support to get Black people into tech. The episode is full of practical tips for entering the tech workforce as a person of color. If you’re thinking of changing careers and/or making your break into tech, this is the episode you shouldn’t miss.

Portia’s Bio – Portia Kibble-Smith is the Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Karat. She has dedicated her career to helping more Black professionals land roles within tech and continues to pioneer that work at Karat. She has played a key role in helping launch the Brilliant Black Minds program to honor the rich legacy of genius found throughout Black America and empower the next generation of Black engineers, and co-authored the Interview Access Gap Report for Black Engineers alongside Dr. Katherine Picho-Kiroga  and Dr. Legand Burge III.

Katherine’s Bio – Dr. Katherine Picho-Kiroga is a quantitative research methodologist by training, with a doctorate in Social and Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut. Katherine’s research centers on the role of social learning contexts and their impact on the interest, engagement and performance of women and people of color in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Specifically, she seeks to understand key contextual factors that exacerbate stereotype threat in K-12 school settings, and how these contexts interact with psychological factors to sabotage the achievement of members of these groups in STEM.

Episode 32 – Cultivating Tech

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Nashlie Sephus

Nashlie’s LinkedIn: Nashlie Sephus, Ph.D.

Nashlie’s Twitter: @phenomenashlie

Nashlie’s Instagram: @phenomenashlie

Nashlie’s Ted Talk: “The How and Why of Diversity in Tech“

Bean Path Instagram: @TheBeanPath

Episode Description: Modest in nature, Dr. Nashlie Sephus is a tech giant. A native of Jackson Mississippi, she grew up doing it ALL. She has worked with everyone. She knows everyone. She probably has your number. As a tech evangelist and gardening enthusiast, everything she touches springs to life. Her mantra, “doing what I’m supposed to do and always doing my best” has propelled her into unimaginable spaces and places.

Nashlie’s Bio: Dr. Nashlie Sephus is the Tech Evangelist for Amazon AI focusing on fairness and identifying biases at AWS AI. She formerly led the Amazon Visual Search team as an Applied Scientist in Atlanta, which launched visual search for replacement parts on the Amazon Shopping app in June 2018. In 2018, Dr. Sephus became the founder and CEO of The Bean Path non-profit organization based in Jackson, MS assisting individuals and startups with technical expertise and guidance. In September of 2020, she became the owner and developer of the Jackson Tech District—14-acres of mixed-use commercial real-estate in downtown Jackson—to bring tech training and workforce/economic development to the area.

Jewel Burks Solomon – LinkedIn

Episode 31 – Like a Kid in a Computing Store

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Amber Johnson Avery

Amber’s Instagram: @CallMeRudy

Kidult’s Instagram: @TheKidultLife

Bean Path Instagram: @TheBeanPath

Episode Description: Being the first Black woman to earn a PhD in Computer Science at Purdue University is only one part of Amber’s story. Amber has always been curious and interested in gadgets (and their destruction at times) which led to her interest in computer science. Despite being discouraged from pursuing the PhD by her initial advisor, Amber never forgot her purpose and persevered to the end. True to form, her passion for giving back is evidenced by her drive to build visualization tools for electronic healthcare records to make predictions that inform treatment guidelines. Currently, Amber is giving back to her community in Jackson Mississippi, as the COO and co-founder of the JXN Tech District, a $150M live-work-play, mixed-use real estate development project in Jackson, MS.

Amber’s Bio: Dr. Amber Johnson Avery is a Jackson, MS native, entrepreneur, and trailblazer. She is the owner of The Kidult Life, a lifestyle brand she founded after becoming the first black woman to graduate with a PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University. Dr. Amber is also Chief Operating Officer (COO) and co-founder of the JXN Tech District, a $150M live-work-play, mixed-use real estate development project in downtown Jackson, MS.  

Dr. Amber attended Lanier High School, Tougaloo College, The LeMoyne-Owen College, and Jackson State University (JSU). As an undergraduate student Dr. Amber was a 2-sport athlete and student ambassador. Dr. Amber earned a M.S. in Computer Science from JSU as a Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (LSMAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate scholar. Upon graduating from JSU, Dr. Amber pursued a PhD at Purdue University where she served in many capacities, most notably, President of the Computer Science Graduate Student Board where she piloted programs aimed to create community within the Computer Science department. Dr. Amber also piloted her PhD research, where she developed a suite of software tools, changing the way in which medical professionals treat and assess chronic conditions in patients. Her contributions to the field were greatly inspired by her aunt, who suffered from a chronic lung disease and passed away while Dr. Amber was pursuing her PhD. 

Dr. Amber worked as a software engineer for Northrop Grumman, where she was a part of the Future Technical Leader (FTL) Program. She has helped mobilize a number of startup companies as well as pilot and develop educational programs. Dr. Amber has served as an instructor and mentor for organizations such as Girls Who Code, Black Girls Lead, and BRIGHT-CS, National Coalition of 100 Black Women (in partnership with Apple), which all aim to bridge the digital divide and pour into youth through tech programming. 

Dr. Amber’s experience in several tech sectors, both public and private, has been a driving force for innovation through entrepreneurship, consulting, software engineering, software development, and education. In 2019, Dr. Amber coined the phrase, “Be who you are no matter where you are.” and founded The Kidult Life to encourage others to embrace the kid at heart and be themselves no matter the space they’re in. Dr. Amber currently supports operations for The Bean Path, a non-profit organization based in Jackson, MS, assisting individuals and startups with technical expertise and guidance.    

Episode 29 – Big STEM Energy

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guest: Dr. Karina Liles

Karina’s Instagram: @DrKLiles

Karina’s Facebook: @Karina.Liles

STEM Truck’s Instagram: @STEMTruck

STEM Truck’s Facebook: @STEMTruck

Description: Dr. Karina Liles is nothing short of amazing. She has been using technology to solve problems from a young age. From teaching colors to her sister at a young age, to being the on-call tech guru for her family and friends, creating clever scripts to get her job done faster, and making video games for her brother, Karina has always been an advocate of using technology to engage others. Currently, as the Chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department Claflin University, an educational consultant, and the creator of the STEM Truck SC, Karina ensures that the next generation of computer scientists are just as excited about computing as she is.

Karina’s Bio: Dr. Karina Liles is a native of Bennettsville, SC in Marlboro County. She is the Chair of the department of Mathematics and Computer Science where she teaches computer science courses. She is the director of the Social Technologies and Robotics (STAR) Lab.

Prior to employment at Claflin University, Dr. Liles taught computer science courses at University of South Carolina. She has also worked for Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), AT&T, and Merrill Lynch as a technology analyst. She has worked at Northeastern Technical College as a Research and Statistical Analyst and adjunct professor. Dr. Liles has also served as a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) consultant for K-12 school districts and currently owns a STEM Truck, a mobile STEM classroom that visits rural areas and provides STEM resources to students and educators.