STEM Southwest Podcast

Join us this week when we talk about STEM repatriation with the leaders of STEM Boomerang.  After noticing a brain drain in the STEM community, STEM Boomerang stepped in to support the journey home for many New Mexicans.  Other states are pursuing a similar program to ensure that the STEM workforce pipeline remains enriched.  It all started here in the Southwest and we are going to uncover the important information!  We will discuss everything from STEM careers to internships - don't miss this episode!

Show Notes

Fall STEM Learning offered by Be Greater Than Average - online and in-person for learners.

Also, check out the Be Greater Than Average Resources webpage to get your copy of STEM Ebook: A Semester of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Activities.

Help us grow our STEM programs through the Be Greater Than Average Facebook page.

Maggie is retired from UNM, where she was a Regents Professor of Biology, and an adjunct in Computer Science and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and a full member of the UNM Cancer Center.  Maggie chose to come to UNM because her mother was from Mexico and the students made her feel like she was among family.  Her current work is to help some of the 600+ students that she mentored at UNM and nationally to come back home to their families for great STEM careers, and to support economic development in New Mexico.

Monica Sandoval-Johnson, PhD is the co-Director at STEM Boomerang and has a passion for building up the STEM workforce in New Mexico.  Monica is a UNM alumni, who has received higher education at both the University of Colorado and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Since returning to New Mexico, her mission has been on recruiting and repatriating New Mexico's high-tech and innovation economies.

STEM Boomerang

STEM Boomerang - Job Seekers

STEM Boomerang - Employers

CNM Ingenuity Info Session

Contact:

STEM Boomerang - Contact

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We often take electricity technology for granted, until it isn't there anymore.  With one flip of a light switch, we become part of the largest machine in the country!  During this week's episode, we will explore the importance of and developments in renewable energy, what careers are available, and how local and regional power companies are partnering with consumers to change what used to be a one-way road into a two-way street by using technology to build the smart grid.  Join us as we discuss this and much, much more with our guests from PNM, Alaric Babej and Jon Hawkins.

Show Notes

Fall STEM Learning offered by Be Greater Than Average - online and in-person for learners.

Also, check out the Be Greater Than Average Resources webpage to get your copy of STEM Ebook: A Semester of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Activities

Help us grow our STEM programs through the Be Greater Than Average Facebook page.

Alaric J. Babej is the Product Development Manager at PNM and works to design and implement customer programs for electrification and voluntary renewables.  Major initiatives include transportation electrification to aid in the adoption of electric vehicles, and programs to assist customers meet their sustainability goals.  Alaric has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island where he focused on automotive technology, and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington with a focus in renewable energy systems.  He enjoys learning languages and playing hockey in his free time.  

Jon Hawkins is the Associate Director for Innovation and Communications at PNM Resources.  Jon’s team is responsible providing research and development of new technologies used in the generation, distribution, and use of energy as well as design, implementation, and maintenance of telecommunications and network systems across PNMR.  Jon has his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico, is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and has been author or co-author on multiple publications primarily focused on integration and optimization of PV with energy storage.  

PNM

PNM - Electric Vehicles

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Contact Us

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As a girl, Ann dreamed of being an astrophysicist.  Her journey into a STEM career led her into the defense industry.  After years of success, she enrolled in an MBA program and there, during a math class, she had the opportunity to help other women understand.  That moment, when she taught until “the light came on,” and her classmates’ new confidence with math, changed them and her.  That experience would change her and shift her career from math to money.  Her dream is to support women in STEM to be comfortable building their financial success and designing their financial future.  What small financial change could you make that would end in financial freedom?

Show Notes

Fall STEM Learning offered by Be Greater Than Average - online and in-person for learners; the schedule will be released in late August.

Also, check out the Be Greater Than Average Resources page to get your copy of STEM Ebook: A Semester of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Activities

Help us grow our STEM programs through the Be Greater Than Average Facebook page.

Please check out R4Creating, whose mission is to provide support for those organizations making valuable contributions to increase the number of STEM opportunities for students. 

Ann Shubert started her professional career planning to be an astrophysicist, receiving a BA in Physics from Princeton University and an MS in Astrophysics from the California Institute of Technology.  After realizing that she was not cut out to be a pure research scientist, Ann shifted gears into a 30-year career in the defense industry, first designing and building software systems and later managing multi-million-dollar aerospace programs.  In 2014, while enrolled in the University of New Mexico’s Executive MBA program, Ann made another major career transition, becoming a licensed Financial Advisor.  Three years later, she co-founded Intentional Finance LLC, an independent, woman-owned, Registered Investment Adviser firm.  Ann enjoys working with women in STEM, combining science-based approaches to financial planning, risk management and investing with her interest in behavioral finance and how people make decisions about money.  Because she knows what it is like to be a woman in a male dominated workplace, Ann feels a special kinship with women in the STEM fields, and loves helping them to reach a place of confidence about their finances so they can keep their energies focused on their STEM passion, whether in research, education or business.

Intentional Finance LLC

Contact:

Ann Shubert

[email protected]

Intentional Finance LLC

7770 Jefferson Street NE, Suite 430

Albuquerque, NM 87109

(505) 563-4500

[email protected]

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Inspired by the Apollo missions to the moon, Brian Barnett has been dreaming of being an astronaut since he was a little boy.  Not only does he plan to be a commercial astronaut in the near future, but he also hopes to inspire a new generation in the race to space. His innovation and ideas have led him to develop the Space Wide Web, allowing earth-to-space communications.  Join this family man and hear how his children have been involved in his business, Solstar Space, from very early on.  Listen in to some of his amazing stories and ideas for STEM-minded individuals.

Show Notes

Join Shelly and host, Betsy Jewell, on the latest episode of High School Hamster Wheel podcast (episode #040)

Fall STEM Learning offered by Be Greater Than Average - online and in-person for learners; the schedule will be released in late August.

Help us grow our STEM programs through the Be Greater Than Average Facebook page

M. Brian Barnett is a serial entrepreneur with 33 years’ experience in commercial space, the mobile satellite services industry, as an aerospace technologist at NASA, and at KPMG Consulting as a management consultant. He is Founder and CEO of Solstar Space Co. (Solstar), the first internet service provider for people, Internet of Things, and machines in space, that is developing technologies to build a Space Wide Web.  On April 29, 2018, Solstar demonstrated the first commercial two-way data and wi-fi hotspot service in space and Tweet from space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard crew capsule, using Barnett’s patent-pending technology.  Brian began his career at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center where he provided Space Shuttle payload integration services at the Payloads Project Office.  He also provided astronaut crew training in the Mission Operations Laboratory for Spacelab missions.  At Johnson Space Center, Brian worked in the Missions Operations Directorate, and later worked on JSC’s 1992 Strategic Plan.  He also managed a contract to document all Space Shuttle operations processes as directed by Congress after the Challenger accident.  Later, as a management consultant for KPMG’s Space and High Technology group, Brian wrote dozens of business plans and market assessments for commercial space companies.  He led the Team that wrote the initial business plan and helped identify the best location for the spaceport that eventually became Spaceport America in New Mexico.  Brian earned a B.S. in microbiology from the University of Oklahoma, a Masters in Administrative Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and is a graduate of the International Space University.  He is a classically-trained rock and reggae drummer and is founder and producer of DrumsAstro®, an organization Connecting Artists and Musicians of all Genres to Space and Space Exploration.

Solstar Space

Contact:

M. Brian Barnett

(505) 389-2299

[email protected]

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What does a good book and a video game have in common?  This week’s guest will share his thoughts on using virtual reality as classroom literature, and why it is time for us to step up and make a difference! Join us in this episode where we learn more about Esports and the possibility of it being a career.  Dr. Miles Harvey will share his experiences as a gamer and streamer, and how he is using that platform to make a difference in the lives of so many students!

Show Notes

Dr. Miles Harvey is a scholar gamer, middle years Esports coach, streamer, and teacher educator from the University of New Mexico researching media literacy and digital game-based learning.  He is a K-12 Language Arts and Media Literacy educator in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  He also instructs classes at the Central New Mexico Community College.  Miles’ research interests focus on how students make sense of their learning through multimodal experiences afforded by mixed reality, video games, and research-based instructional strategies.  He coaches New Mexico’s first-ever middle school Esports team and competed in the North America’s first international middle school Esports competition against Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

Dr. Miles Harvey - Google Scholar

Miles of Learning

James Monroe Middle School Raiding Raptor Esports

APS Esports

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TikTok

This week's guest had a serendipitous journey to her career in STEM.  In an effort to diagnose her son and improve the quality of life for her mother, Karen Crow set out to learn more about sleep which led to a breakthrough in wearable sensors.  Now, as the CEO of the startup, NeuroGeneces, Karen shares about the impact of technology on the study and the science of sleep.  Gone are the days of sleep studies with wires and adhesives attached while you try to "sleep" in a strange bed.  The growth of wearable sensors is skyrocketing!  The data those sensors are collecting can be life-changing and the opportunity for careers in the relatively unexplored science of sleep is unprecedented.  As a bonus, Karen will even share how you can get involved in the beta testing of a new NeuroGeneces product!

Show Notes

Karen Crow is the co-founder and CEO of NeuroGeneces, a woman-owned start-up focused on improving memory and cognitive performance through sleep science.  Karen started her business career in management consulting, and was a partner at Mercer Management Consulting where she was responsible for managing teams of consultants and clients addressing complex problems.  While at Google, she led Sales Operations for Fortune 1000 accounts in North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, managing over 500 people and $1.3 billion in annual revenue.  Karen is a recipient of Google Founders Award, in recognition of outstanding contribution and entrepreneurial accomplishment.  She is co-founder and head of Product Development at WiserGiving, a non-profit creating donor education tools.

Neurogeneces

WiserGiving

Contact:

[email protected]

Linkedin

Contact (Neurogeneces)

Follow Us – Neurogeneces (including signing up for beta test)

This week's episode is a great example of how business and technology meet at a crossroads to entertain! As a creative technologist, John-Mark Collins uses his STEM knowledge to build immersive technology-driven experiences.  His most recent project, Electric Playhouse, puts his background in Computer Engineering, Art, and Architecture to the test. Join us to hear about this special place where fun and learning collide and how technology is changing the way we play and learn!

Show Notes

John-Mark Collins is a creative problem solver with a wide variety of skills ranging from technical and creative to managerial and business related. As a creative technologist, John-Mark aims to build immersive technology-driven experiences that both push the boundary of current technology and adapt to shifting HCI paradigms. Having a background in Computer Engineering, Art, and Architecture, as well as a number of years in management of large teams, gives John-Mark me a unique perspective and skill-set to contribute in a multitude of ways towards building new user experiences.

Electric Playhouse

Electric Playhouse (Careers and Opportunities)

Electric Playhouse (Special Events - Immersive Dinners and Coding Camps)

Electric Playhouse (Annual Passes and Gift Cards)

Bitsbox - Coding for Kids

Contact:

[email protected]

Linkedin (John-Mark Collins)

Facebook

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Instagram

Linkedin

Find out what happens when nerds meet across the miles. Turning COVID Quarantine into opportunity, these rockstars do their part to connect the world, have interesting discussions, and throw in a bit of quirkiness for fun! We can't wait to share this special episode full of nerds from across the nation! Join us when STEM Southwest meets Nerd Talk!

Show Notes

Citizens Television, Inc.

Video Interview with Nerd Talk

Citizen's Television Videos

Contact:

Facebook

Businesses both big and small are feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are shutting doors while others are facing unprecedented growth. During this time in history, what predictors can we use to determine success of our small businesses and employers? While the unemployment rolls may be growing, the truth is that we are still facing an unprecedented STEM workforce crisis. Join us in this episode where we interview two different business owners, David Hughes and Dr. Simon Woodruff, who share their journey and how they are responding to the pandemic. We will also hear about how COVID-19 is shifting the job search and how there are still plenty of STEM career opportunities in the Southwest.

Show Notes – David Hughes

David Hughes was born in Montreal and, at age 15, moved to England with his family. David went to an English boarding school for three years, and then to university in Scotland to study philosophy and history. After university, David moved to Iowa where he developed an interest in energy; this led to a degree in Environmental Technology with a focus on renewable energy. After working in the energy efficiency field in Michigan, David moved to New Mexico and was able to start a career in the solar industry, eventually starting Affordable Solar in 1998, using an old Airstream trailer as his first office. David is married with two adult daughters and has lived in Albuquerque since 1994.

Affordable Solar

Federal Investment Tax Credit

New Mexico Solar Tax Credit

Affordable Solar - Careers

Book Recommendation:

21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari

Contact:

[email protected]

Show Notes – Dr. Simon Woodruff

After a decade of research into innovative fusion concepts at the University of Manchester (PhD), Lawrence Livermore National Lab (Postdoc), UC Berkeley Department of Nuclear Engineering (Visiting Scholar), and the University of Washington (Research Scientist), Dr. Woodruff founded Woodruff Scientific to help accelerate the development of economic fusion energy. Dr. Woodruff has performed work under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy, universities, national laboratories and to the private sector, building research devices, performing modeling and simulations primarily directed at simply-connected (hence more compact and simpler-to-engineer) fusion systems. Dr. Woodruff hosts an annual Scientific Computing Bootcamp for undergraduates, introducing many of the tools in common use for High Performance Computing. Dr. Woodruff has organized national workshops in fusion energy sciences, and is a current participant in two International Atomic Energy Agency initiatives on compact fusion neutron sources and private fusion development. Dr. Woodruff is a member of the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics.

Woodruff Scientific

SciVista

Contact:

[email protected]

Join us in this week's episode as our guest, Dr. Jason Harper, shares his STEM story. Jason has been involved as a research scientist for a national lab and shares his thoughts on how technology is impacting infectious diseases. Jason serves the community through his important work as a scientist, and also serves the community as an elected member of the New Mexico House of Representatives since 2013. We caught up with Jason on a Saturday as he squeezed our interview into his extremely demanding schedule.

Show Notes

Jason Harper was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2013, representing the northern Rio Rancho area. After serving one term, Jason was asked to serve as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which deals with tax policy and administration of state government programs. Tax reform is an issue Representative Harper is passionately pursuing, with special emphases on gross receipts tax reform. Dr. Harper is also a research scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. He recently developed a stand-alone, low-cost, lab-in-your pocket cartridge for detecting anthrax in challenging environments. This sensor received an R&D100 Award, a Federal Laboratory Consortium Excellence in Technology Transfer Award, and was selected by Popular Science Magazine as one of the greatest technological innovations of 2016. vThe anthrax sensor recently completed a successful pilot program in Afghanistan. Jason is married to Mary, a New Mexico Tech alumni with a Materials Science & Engineering degree, and is a proud father of four children.

Sandia National Laboratories (Main Page)

Sandia National Laboratories (Careers)

Anthrax Detection Sensor

Pathogen Management Kits

Contact:

Jason Harper

505-554-7970