Imani Porter dives deeper with commentary from her own experience from the professional development workshop led by Victoria Auger last fall. This conversation focuses on navigating STEM careers. The discussion covers key tips for early career scientists and engineers, including the importance of identity and representation, career planning aligned with personal values, and the necessity of self-care in high-pressure environments. The conversation emphasizes advocacy, mentorship, and the need for resilience as individuals navigate their unique paths in STEM.

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Takeaways

• Acknowledge and address unique challenges in STEM.
• Advocacy is crucial for underrepresented groups.
• Establish a sense of community to thrive in STEM.
• Career fulfillment should align with personal values.
• Self-care is essential to avoid burnout.
• It's okay to pivot and change career paths.
• Reflect on what truly fulfills you in your career.
• Mentorship can provide valuable guidance and support.
• Career transitions require resilience and adaptability.
• You are not stuck; explore various opportunities.

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Host Imani Porter and guest Victoria Auger discuss the complexities of navigating STEM careers. They explore the non-linear nature of career paths, the importance of understanding career transitions, building transferable skills, the power of networking and mentorship, and the necessity of resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges. The conversation emphasizes that success is subjective and varies for each individual, encouraging listeners to embrace their unique journeys in the STEM field.

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Takeaways

• Success is a personal measure and varies for everyone.
• Career transitions are essential for growth and resilience.
• Building transferable skills is crucial for career flexibility.
• Networking and mentorship can open doors to new opportunities.
• Resilience and adaptability are key to overcoming challenges.
• It's okay to feel stuck; seeking help is important.
• You don't have to have everything figured out.
• Engaging in diverse experiences builds valuable skills.
• Trusting the process is vital in career development.
• Success is a winding road, not a straight path.

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In this episode of the NALA(STEM) podcast, host Imani Porter speaks with Steven Philpott Jr., a former US Marine and current research associate at East Carolina University. They discuss Steven's unique journey through education, the influence of his military background on his career, and his passion for research in cannabis and health. The conversation delves into the challenges of navigating non-traditional academic paths, the importance of mentorship, and the impact of imposter syndrome on confidence in scientific careers. Steven shares insights on his role as a research associate and his aspirations to contribute to community health through science.

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TAKEAWAYS

• Steven's military experience shaped his educational journey.
• The importance of a supportive environment for children in education.
• Cannabis research is crucial for understanding health and performance.
• Imposter syndrome is a common challenge in academia.
• Mentorship plays a vital role in scientific careers.
• Research should tell a compelling story.
• Confidence can be built through knowledge and experience.
• Non-traditional paths can lead to unique opportunities.
• Community impact is a key motivation for scientific research.
• Understanding the science behind cannabis can change perceptions.

Graduate School Series kicks off with Imani Porter interviewing Mone't Sawyer. She's a Ph.D. Candidate at Boise State University in Biomedical Engineering. She shares her story about growing up as one of the few black people in Idaho and her experiences champion STEM despite obstacles. You don't want to miss this episode!

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In this second part of the Professional Development Series on Leadership, Imani continues to extract knowledge from Paul Faronbi's talk last year and shares impactful stories from her own life and from what she has observed as well. Paul goes deeper into leadership and talks about the Five Levels of Leadership to close out his session.

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Imani dives deep into another professional development session. This time hosted by Paul Faronbi, founder and President of NALA(STEM). He talks about Leadership and Imani shares key commentary and feedback on how she applies what he talks about and how you can do the same!

In this episode, Imani Porter interviews Keiondra Marshall. She has been a Project Coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium since 2022. Growing up she developed her love for the ocean and its organisms due to her close proximity to the east coast beaches. Keiondra is excited to work alongside the Mote team to increase the visibility and engagement of underrepresented minorities in the Marine Science field. In this episode, she discusses the value of networking and mentorship and also some insights into transferable skills you can get from unlikely places.

Learn more about her organization by going to ⁠mote.org⁠

See Internship Opportunities: ⁠mote.org/internships/⁠

Mentorship Workshops: ⁠marscilace.org⁠

Reach out Keiondra: ⁠[email protected]

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Continuing with the Professional Development series, Imani guides us through a discussion that Dr. Sana Nasim led on Mentorship.

STAY CONNECTED WITH NALA(STEM)⁠

In this third episode and beginning of Professional Development series, Imani guides us through a discussion that Dr. Ana Chicas-Mosier led on Mental Health earlier this year.

STAY CONNECTED WITH NALA(STEM)⁠

In this episode of the NALA(STEM) Podcast, Host, Imani Porter, interviews Paul Faronbi, President of NALA(STEM), discusses his journey in creating Nala(STEM) and the IncrediPaul Leadership Podcast. He shares how his passion for uniting and supporting historically excluded peoples in STEM led to the formation of NALA(STEM) which has the mission to unite, support, and build community among all historically excluded peoples in STEM. Their current focus is on on mentorship, conferences, and workshops!