Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. Episode 138 is the 26th monthly feature of “Our Voices,” intended to accelerate social change that levels the playing field—helping everyone live to their full potential. The aim is for you to see a bit of yourself in these journeys, and embrace—we’re more similar than not. Molly is joined by Carolyn Chun, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the US Naval Academy, shares her journey from childhood “math geek” to researcher and educator and now advocate for social justice in higher education. Growing up with her twin sister and two younger brothers with a mix of privilege, potential and naivety, Carolyn recalls being ”sheltered within her own mind, not really understanding what was going on around me.” Half Caucasian, half Asian in a predominately white school, she describes her younger self as “unaware of her race”—not picking up on racial epithets from other kids—and open that to this day she’s still figuring out how she perceives herself and how others perceive her. Daughter to two professional mathematicians, Carolyn always found math easy. Despite her love for it, she wasn’t 100% set on graduate mathematics; Peace Corps and corporate jobs were on the table. Hear how she eventually followed her heart to LSU, studying under James Oxley, a world leader in his field. Carolyn sheds light on gender discrepancy within STEM fields. She first felt the “us against them” while studying at Rutgers, when ideas and solutions from her and other females often would come under scrutiny and be shot down, unlike for male peers. In this case, her naivety was a benefit—not being discouraged by extra barriers women in STEM face—and she stuck to “optimization mode”; earning numerous degrees: BS in physics; BS/MS/PhD in mathematics, and Masters of Fine Arts with distinction. Today, she has a reputation internationally as a leader in her field. Carolyn delves into teaching at USNA—the good and not so good—including an undervaluing of female contributions in the classroom and a “military bias” in which students tend to idolize military faculty members despite at times their underachieving in learning outcomes. Carolyn talks about the disconnect she sees: while being in the best interest of all parties to work together, leadership has created a culture of competition between the military and civilian faculty. Don’t miss Carolyn share what she’s proud of in life and her career, and some things she’d do differently! She inspires all to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true and best selves. Molly’s thought for the week: The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.