Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM

Dr. Sandra Johnson, a groundbreaking electrical engineer and entrepreneur, is the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer engineering. Her journey from a high school introduction to engineering to her current roles as a former IBM CTO and a board member for several companies is a testament to her resilience and determination in the face of unique challenges.

The book Soft Power for the Journey: The Life of a STEM Trailblazer is a fascinating story of the remarkable life arc of a resilient person from an underprivileged background who persistently overcomes whatever odds.

The discussion delves into her groundbreaking achievements, her passion for aiding technology entrepreneurs of African descent, and her new memoir detailing her inspiring career. Join us as we explore the intricacies of serving on corporate boards and the importance of mentorship and legacy in STEM.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. Insights on Serving on Boards
2. Facing Adversity and Finding Strength
3. Family Influence and Strong Women
4. Writing the Memoir: Soft Power for the Journey
5. The Role of Mentoring and Networking

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources:

Soft Power for the Journey: The Life of a STEM Trailblazer

National Association of Corporate Directors: https://www.nacdonline.org/

Grace Hopper Conference: https://ghc.anitab.org/

Connect with Dr. Sandra Johnson
Sandra K. Johnson, Ph.D.
Linkedin- Sandra K Johnson, Ph.D.

Sheila Buswell is the founder and CEO of Buswell Biomedical. Sheila's story is fascinating as she transitions from roles in mechanical engineering and as an army technician to becoming an innovator in the biomedical field, inspired by her own injury experiences.

We dive into imposter syndrome, women's unique challenges in STEM, and the balancing act required in entrepreneurship. Sheila also shares insights from her book, "Is This Seat for Me?" highlighting the importance of setting boundaries and seeking support in male-dominated fields. This episode is packed with valuable insights into career resilience and the systemic challenges women encounter in the tech industry.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. How Upward Mobility Device Works. A device that uses a person's power combined with artificial intelligence to aid rehabilitation activities.
2. Her journey from education to military service ultimately inspired her to start Buswell Biomedical.
3. Her battle with imposter syndrome, which led her to write a book on the topic while starting her business.
4. Her challenges in securing venture capital highlight the statistics that reflect the difficulties women face in this area.
5. Exploring Layoffs and Diversity in the Workplace

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources:

Golden Triangle Angel Networks one of Canada’s most active and longest-established angel investment clubs. 

Learn more about it here- Episode 112 – Sherry Shannon – Vanstone

A lack of parental leave policies also disproportionately impacts women in STEM, with 43% of women in STEM careers leaving their full-time job within 4-7 years of having their first child, compared to only 23% of men. - The Business Journal

Connect with Sheila Buswell 

• Book: Is the Seat For Me?
• Buswell Biomedical
• Linkedin- Sheila Buswell

Sarah Garcia is a Project Executive and Director of DEI at Novo Construction. She is a civil engineer who has worked in the construction industry for most of her career. She is passionate about getting women and other minorities into the construction industry and has seen firsthand the progress companies can make when they invest in DEI programs. Sarah has a Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. Civil engineering and how that fits into the construction industry.
2. The lack of women in the construction industry and how that is changing, specifically at the company Sarah works for.
3. Motherhood and the importance of being role models for girls going into STEM.
4. Sarah's experience in the construction industry throughout her 30+ year career.

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources

Girls Garage is a design and construction school for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 9-18. Founded in 2013, Girls Garage is the first-ever design and building workshop for female-identifying youth in the United States. (https://girlsgarage.org)

35% of STEM professionals are women.

17% of engineers are women.

4% of trades professionals are women.

Kalpana Pot is an actor, writer, host, and space communicator. Renowned for her vibrant online presence, particularly in space science, Kalpana has cultivated a platform with over 200K followers on Instagram and 4.4 million likes on TikTok.

Importantly, she challenges the prevailing narratives about women in STEM, a perspective not often encountered. Furthermore, it's uncommon to find a woman in STEM with a substantial following, but Kalpana leverages her platform to educate people about space. Ultimately, she aims to combat the recent surge in anti-science sentiments by blending storytelling with scientific exploration.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. The challenges she faces in Hollywood as a woman in science.
2. How she seamlessly combines her acting career with her passion for science content creation.
3. The importance of representation and normalizing women in STEM through mass media.
4. The significant role of science communicators in addressing misinformation and conspiracy theories.
5. Insights into her recent book, "Spaced Out."

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources

Book: Spaced Out: A Casual Approach to the Cosmos

Connect with Kalpana Pot on Instagram

Geena Davis Institute: For 20 years, the Geena Davis Institute has been at the forefront of championing equitable representation in media. Our commitment to building a better world extends beyond gender, encompassing the interconnected identities often marginalized in the media. Through our ground-breaking research, we understand the life-changing impact of representation, and have devoted ourselves to pioneering new pathways within entertainment and media.(https://geenadavisinstitute.org)

 Dr. Audra Morse, Dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan Tech, is a distinguished professional with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and degrees in Environmental Engineering. Her journey from student to dean highlights the importance of rigorous academic challenges and hands-on learning in shaping successful careers in STEM. Dr. Morse emphasizes the changing dynamics of engineering education, including the impact of COVID-19 on learning styles and the crucial role of resilience. The conversation underscores the need for a supportive environment from faculty and parents to help students navigate college life and excel in STEM fields.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. The Role and Responsibilities of a Dean in Engineering
2. Challenging the Status Quo in Engineering Practices
3. Women in Engineering: Progress and Challenges
4. Addressing the Engineering Shortage: Education and Retention Strategies
5. Preparing for Engineering: Advice for Students and Parents

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Michigan Tech- Dean, College of Engineering Michigan Tech 

As Dean of the College of Engineering, Audra Morse seeks to enhance the world-class research, scholarship, and innovation Michigan Tech provides.

Connect with Dr. Audra Morse here on Linkedin

Dr. Syatta Wallace is an advocate for women in STEM and Founder of Janisaw Company.  With over 15 years in developing gender-based programs, Dr. Wallace specializes in addressing the unique challenges women face in STEM careers. She shares her extensive experience in developing leadership and career development programs tailored for women in STEM. Her mission involves aiding companies in enhancing female leadership. As an award-winning scientist and professor, she draws from her own experiences as a woman of color in academia to empower the next generation. Dr. Wallace's initiatives include the wise-leadership series and the women of color STEM leadership lab, aiming to prepare diverse women for leadership roles. Recognized nationally, her work has been featured in Time, ABC News, CNN, and Essence. In this episode, she shares insights on advocating for women's success in STEM fields.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1.  Unique challenges women face in STEM fields, highlighting issues such as isolation, stereotype threat, and the high attrition rate among women.
2. The importance of career readiness, leadership skills, and the need for proactive efforts from institutions and companies to support and advance women in STEM.
3. Systemic challenges in academia and the workforce, the importance of self-care, personal development, and creating supportive communities.
4. Citing the active voices of the next generation and ongoing initiatives aimed at systemic change within STEM fields
5. Finding Joy and Strength in Supporting Others


Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources

You can read Scyatta's book, Success in STEM Journal here! https://www.amazon.com/Success-STEM-Journal.../dp/B0CL4KK17K

STEMM Opportunity Alliance https://stemmopportunity.org/

Reboot Representation: https://www.rebootrepresentation.org/

You can read Scyatta's book, Success in STEM Journal here! https://www.amazon.com/Success-STEM-Journal.../dp/B0CL4KK17K

STEM Next Opportunity Fund is advancing the initial work of the Noyce Foundation, which invested $75 million over 25 years to launch out-of-school STEM learning and disrupt conventional thinking about how to get dramatic and sustainable results. (https://stemnext.org).

American Advancement for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) The world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its Science family of journals, AAAS has individual members in more than 91 countries around the globe. (https://www.aaas.org).

Texas public universities and colleges are prohibited from having diversity, equity and inclusion offices and any units that perform DEI functions, with carve-outs only for registered student groups, data collection, academic instruction and research, guest speakers and student recruitment. (https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2024/01/29/dei-ban-texas-sb17-law-meaning-guide-what-ut-public-universities-lost/72283717007/#:~:text=Texas%20public%20universities%20and%20colleges,guest%2

This episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary Conversations with Women in STEM' features Charli Matthews, a champion for empowering women in STEM fields and trades. 

Charli Matthews is a visionary leader with a mission to Connect, Inform, and Educate the Global Pump Industry. Charli's groundbreaking online information and connection hub has reshaped industry communication. As a well-recognized and respected figure in key industry events, Charli bridges the gap between traditional practices and cutting-edge digital strategies. Her passion for #EmpoweringConnections is driving change for the process industries equipment manufacturers, engineers, and safety/reliability experts.

Charli's leadership extends beyond business; she's a fierce advocate for diversity and empowerment. As the Marketing Chair for the Fluid Sealing Association, she earned the prestigious Award of Merit for her dedication to industry growth. Additionally, Charli is deeply committed to empowering women in industry across the globe, championing their advancement and representation in traditionally male-dominated fields.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. Charli's Journey from Marketing to Empowering the Pump Industry
2. The Challenges and Triumphs of Starting Your Own Business
3. Navigating the Complexities of Gender Perception in the Workplace
4. The Power of Being Yourself in Professional Spaces
5. Global Outreach: Making a Difference in Uganda

Dr. Chanfeng Zhao is the VP of R&D Chemistry at TriLink BioTechnologies. She has over 25 years of experience in nucleotide and modified nucleotide chemistry for sequencing and genomics applications. She co-founded MyChem LLC, a company later acquired by TriLink, specializing in ultra-pure synthetic nucleotides. Chanfeng was the CSO and Co-founder of Sequlite Genomic (acquired by Fapon International), a company that was developing NGS instruments and reagents. Previously, Dr. Zhao was one of the first employees at Illumina, where she developed oligonucleotide attachment chemistry for BeadChip products. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from SUNY Buffalo and a B.Sc. in Petroleum Chemical Engineering. Dr. Zhao is an inventor on over 20 issued patents.


What do we talk about in this episode?

1. What are nucleotides & genomes?
2. The difference between chemistry and chemical engineering.
3. Chanfeng’s career path from chemical engineering to chemistry. Working at startups, starting her own company, and selling that company.
4. Her experience coming to the US and raising a son while going to grad school.
5. How her curiosity fuels her passion for science.

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources

Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, three-dimensional structural configuration. (Wikipedia)

Nucleotides are organic molecules composed of a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar and a phosphate. They serve as monomeric units of the nucleic acid polymers – deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid, both of which are essential biomolecules within all life-forms on Earth. (Wikipedia)

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez.

AGTC is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing genetic therapies for people with rare and debilitating ophthalmic, otologic and central nervous system (CNS) diseases. (https://agtc.gcs-web.com)

Abigail Fritschel is about to graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Abby was first on the podcast as Episode 13 when she had just graduated from high school in the summer of 2020. She's back to provide an update on college life, her college experience vs. her expectations, internships, Society of Women Engineers and what she'll be doing when she graduates this spring.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. College expectations vs. reality.
2. Why Abby almost quit engineering and what made her stick with it.
3. How Abby found and got involved with Society of Women Engineers.
4. Abby's internship experience.
5. What Abby will be doing after college.

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources

Society of Women Engineers - For more than seven decades, SWE has given women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering industry. Our organization is centered around a passion for our members’ success and continues to evolve with the challenges and opportunities reflected in today’s exciting engineering and technology specialties. (https://swe.org)

Asha Devasia is an executive with experience in strategy, products, innovation and operations in the Energy industry. She leveraged her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Business and her MBA to transition to leadership early in her career. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and empathetic leadership style.


What do we talk about in this episode?

1. Asha’s career journey and how she got into strategy and leadership.
2. Deep dive into Asha’s leadership style and roles within her career.
3. The importance of prioritization and the importance of family and friends as she began her family.
4. We discuss motherhood and women’s decisions to continue working or stay at home. Asha’s provides her advice on making decisions.
5. The importance of having a support system and having key people in your life that provide honest feedback.
6. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments as you go through life.

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

Resources

Dallas CASA – Every year, more than 20,000 Dallas County children are reported abused or neglected. Some of them must be removed from their homes because it isn’t safe for them to remain. Many enter foster care and wait for the complex, often lengthy process in which a judge will determine where they may safely and permanently live. During this time they may move from one temporary home to another, never knowing what will happen next. This is where a CASA volunteer steps in. (https://www.dallascasa.org)