Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM: Recent Episodes
Kathy Nelson
I’m an electrical engineer who enjoys listening to and sharing stories of ordinarily extraordinary women that work in STEM fields. The women featured on these episodes work in different STEM fields, are at different phases in their careers, and bring their unique perspectives and stories. I am endlessly fascinated by what these women do, how they have navigated their careers, balanced families, and why they made the career choices they did. Most STEM fields are dominated by men which makes for unique circumstances for women to navigate. It’s a privilege to be able to share their stories through this podcast.
Lisa Fennell shares her non-linear career path—from studying police science at a technical college, to restaurant work and administrative roles, to becoming a business analyst and eventually a sales and marketing leader in utility tech. Along the way, she opens up about confidence, mentorship, being “the only woman at the table,” and what it’s like building a career without a traditional four-year degree.
What you’ll hear in this episode
What Lisa does today
Lisa explains Ping Things and the need for high-resolution, high-density grid data that can actually make it into the hands of data scientists—so utilities can train machine learning algorithms, understand what’s happening on the grid, and decide what to do next.
“Reflex vs reason”
A standout analogy the grid needs both immediate “reflex” at the edge and deeper “reason” centrally. Lisa compares it to touching a hot stove—your reflex pulls your hand back, but your brain learns “don’t do that again.” Ping Things supports the “learning” layer.
A career journey that didn’t follow the typical script
Lisa walks through her path technical college → a mentor encouraging her to rethink shift-work policing → customer service/restaurant leadership → an office role → recognized technical aptitude → business analyst → writing software requirements/specs → utility industry tech roles → sales leadership.
Working in a technical field without a four-year degree
Lisa talks candidly about how long it took to admit she didn’t have a college degree—and how mentorship, opportunity, and her own tenacity shaped her success.
Sales in technical spaces
Lisa describes the gift of translating “engineer language” into “normal language,” the importance of listening more than speaking, and how relationship-building is often the real differentiator.
Married to an engineer in the same industry
She and her husband Kevin have traveled together for industry events and customer dinners, and Lisa shares how she brings levity and connection—often with fun icebreakers that instantly melt the room.
Proud moment
A sweet moment Lisa’s dad tells Alexa about her career story (including the no-four-year-degree part), and Lisa shares how meaningful it is to feel that pride from a parent, no matter your age.
Not Expert” listener question
Kathy, Linda, and Lisa share not-expert perspectives on timing, preparation, and how workplace culture has evolved (and still has a long way to go).
In this episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM, host Kathy Nelson sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Mendes, a newly minted PhD and postdoctoral researcher whose work focuses on rare and aggressive pediatric cancers.
Dr. Mendes recently completed her PhD at Duke University, where she spent over five years researching rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood soft-tissue cancer. Her goal: identify new biological targets that could one day lead to better, more effective treatments for children. Kathy and Liz explore not only the science behind pediatric cancer research, but also the deeply human reasons that drive this work.
What We Talk About in This Episode
- What pediatric sarcomas are—and why they’re so challenging to treat
Liz breaks down complex cancer biology in an approachable way, explaining how sarcomas differ from more common cancers and why their ability to “change form” makes them particularly dangerous. - A non-traditional path into science
From archaeology and zoology to teaching middle school math and science, Liz shares how curiosity—and not a straight line—ultimately led her to molecular biology, cancer research, and a PhD. - Choosing pediatric cancer research
Liz explains why she decided to focus on rare childhood cancers that receive less funding but have devastating outcomes—and how personal experiences with cancer shaped that decision. - Science close to the patient
We discuss the importance (and rarity) of researchers interacting directly with patients, families, and clinicians—and how those experiences fundamentally change how science is done. - Life after the PhD: postdocs, fellowships, and moving to the UK
Liz shares what it’s like to finish a PhD, move countries, start a new research position, and navigate life and work during a major transition. - Being your whole self in STEM
From makeup and music to mental health and social media, Liz talks about rejecting outdated stereotypes of what scientists “should” look like—and why authenticity matters for the next generation. - Representation, mentorship, and science communication
Liz reflects on why visibility matters, especially for women and first-generation students, and how platforms like social media can help make science more accessible and human.
A Conversation About More Than Science
This episode goes beyond lab work and credentials. It’s a candid conversation about grief, resilience, identity, and the responsibility scientists carry—not just to discovery, but to people. Liz’s story is a powerful reminder that STEM careers don’t require fitting into a mold—and that compassion belongs in science.
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
- Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode
- Share with a friend, colleague, or student who might need this story
Have thoughts, questions, or guest suggestions?
Email us at ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.com
or leave a voicemail on our website.
In this episode, Kathy sits down with Vinayasri Nidadavolu, a specialist engineer in offshore wind energy at Siemens Energy. Vinaya’s story spans continents, megawatts, and life stages — from earning a rare degree in wind engineering to climbing offshore turbines hundreds of kilometers out at sea, and now navigating her career as a new mother.
Vinaya takes us inside the fascinating world of offshore wind turbines — explaining how today’s turbines have grown from 2–3 megawatts to an astonishing 14–15 megawatts, and what it actually looks like to work on machines that can produce enough energy for two households with a single blade rotation.
We talk about what it really takes to work offshore: the extensive safety and survival training, life aboard service vessels for weeks at a time, and what it feels like to climb, ride lifts, and work inside turbines that are now larger than many apartments. Vinaya shares vivid details about the physical, mental, and emotional demands of the job — and why she still considers it the best career decision she’s ever made.
The conversation also explores Vinaya’s path into engineering, beginning with childhood curiosity and fixing broken appliances, through being the only woman in her mechanical engineering class, to choosing sustainability and renewable energy as her long-term focus. Her story is a powerful reminder that representation matters — and that girls belong everywhere curiosity leads them.
As a new mom, Vinaya reflects on balancing motherhood with a demanding technical career, why she chose not to “compromise herself” professionally, and how leading by example matters more than ever. Her reflections on identity, resilience, and modeling possibility for the next generation are honest, thoughtful, and deeply relatable.
In the Ask the (Not) Expert segment, Vinaya shares practical, no-nonsense advice on how to ask for a raise — especially for women — emphasizing documentation, advocacy, and the importance of asking more than once.
We wrap up with rapid-fire questions that touch on self-care (never underestimate a single cup of coffee), courage, and why Vinaya believes her own life story may one day become her favorite STEM “book.”
This is a wide-ranging, inspiring conversation about engineering at scale, renewable energy, confidence, and choosing not to shrink — even when life changes.
Topics We Cover:
- What offshore wind engineers actually do
- How wind turbines have evolved from 2 MW to 15 MW
- Life, safety training, and work on offshore service vessels
- The physical reality of climbing and working inside turbines
- Choosing sustainability and renewable energy as a career path
- Being the only woman in the room — and staying anyway
- Motherhood, identity, and not compromising your career
- How (and why) to ask for a raise
- Leading by example for the next generation of girls in STEM
Music by Kay Paulus
In this episode, Kathy and Linda LaTourelle sit down with Linda Rhodes, a former large-animal veterinarian, pharmaceutical executive, entrepreneur, and author, to explore an extraordinary career path rooted in agriculture, science, and perseverance.
Linda shares her journey from being one of the few women working as a large-animal veterinarian to building a groundbreaking career in veterinary pharmaceuticals, biotech startups, and executive leadership. Along the way, she reflects honestly on the realities of being a pioneer in a male-dominated field, the personal tradeoffs that come with ambitious careers, and the importance of making intentional choices — even when there’s no clear roadmap.
This conversation dives into what really counts as STEM, why agriculture and veterinary medicine belong in the STEM conversation, and how women can redefine success on their own terms at every stage of life.
🌾 What We Talk About in This Episode
- Why veterinary medicine and agriculture are often overlooked as STEM careers
- Being one of the first women in large-animal veterinary medicine
- Learning to balance — and sometimes choose between — career, relationships, and personal fulfillment
- Writing Breaking the Barnyard Barrier and transitioning from scientific to narrative writing
- Navigating male-dominated spaces in biotech, pharmaceuticals, and venture capital
- Starting, scaling, and selling a successful animal health company
- Why career paths don’t have to be linear — and often shouldn’t be
- Advice for early-career professionals trying to figure out what they actually want to do
- Redefining success, freedom, and fulfillment later in life
Breaking the Barnyard Barrier by Linda Rhodes
👉 Purchase the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Barnyard-Barrier-Woman-Veterinarian/dp/1647792355
👉 Purchase the book on Barnes and Noble here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-the-barnyard-barrier-linda-rhodes/1147476620?ean=9781647792350
💡 Ask the (Not) Experts – Listener Question
“How do I find a career that I’ll like?”
Linda, Kathy, and Linda LaTourelle reflect on why it’s okay — and often necessary — to try different paths, reassess over time, and pay attention to what doesn’t fit just as much as what does.
✨ Favorite Moments
- The moment Linda first realized she could be a veterinarian
- A candid discussion about the pressure women feel to “do it all”
- Why some of the most fulfilling decades of life can come later than expected
Have a question for Ask the (Not) Experts or want to say hello?
📧 Email us at ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.com
🎙️ Or leave us a voicemail at ordinarilyextraordinary.com
Music by Kay Paulus
In this episode, Kathy sits down with Christine Hollis, the Chief Talent and Diversity Officer at Marshall Gerstein & Borun — one of the top intellectual property law firms in the U.S. Christine brings a fresh, energetic perspective to the often-misunderstood world of patent law and STEM-driven legal careers.
Together, they explore what intellectual property (IP) law really is, how STEM professionals are critical to patent work, and why careers like technical specialist, patent agent, and IP attorney can be incredibly dynamic, creative, and rewarding. Christine also opens up about her winding path from aspiring physician to industrial/organizational psychologist to talent leader in IP law.
This conversation is uplifting, surprising, and packed with insights on innovation, communication skills, resilience, and the future of STEM in law.
Topics We Cover
- What intellectual property (IP) law actually is — and what it isn’t
- How scientists, engineers, and STEM grads power patent work
- The differences between technical specialists, patent agents, and patent attorneys
- How patent agents can take the patent bar without a law degree
- What prosecution means in the patent world
- How to know when to contact a patent attorney about an idea
- Why communication skills matter as much as technical skills
- Diversity in IP law and building a more inclusive STEM-to-law pipeline
- How remote work has shifted resilience, social skills, and workplace culture
- Christine’s path from psychology to legal talent leadership
- Why patent law is “like Disneyland” for people who love innovation
Key Messages
- STEM backgrounds are incredibly versatile. Engineers and scientists aren’t limited to labs — they can build long, impactful careers in patent law and innovation strategy.
- You don’t need a JD to work in patent law. Patent agents can draft and prosecute patents with only the patent bar + STEM expertise.
- Communication is a superpower. The ability to translate complex science into everyday language is essential everywhere — especially in IP.
- Career paths can be nonlinear and still land exactly where you belong. Christine’s story is a great example.
- Humans need connection. Christine’s insights on resilience, mental health, and post-pandemic social shifts apply far beyond law.
About Our Guest
Christine Hollis is the Chief Talent & Diversity Officer at Marshall Gerstein & Borun LLP in Chicago. She leads recruiting, professional development, DEI strategy, and organizational culture for a firm filled with engineers, scientists, and attorneys working at the forefront of innovation. Christine has a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and has built a career helping technical professionals thrive in people-first workplaces.
Links & Resources
- Marshall Gerstein & Borun LLP: https://www.marshallip.com
- Patent Pending Speakeasy in NYC: https://www.patentpendingnyc.com/
Connect With Us
- Podcast Website: https://www.ordinarily-extraordinary.com
- Email: ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.com
- Voicemail: Leave a message directly on our website!
- Follow & Review: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform
Your ratings and shares help amplify women’s voices in STEM. Thank you for listening and supporting our mission!
Music by Kay Paulus
In today’s episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary – Conversations with Women in STEM, Kathy and Linda sit down with environmental engineer and river guide Mishael Umlor — a woman who pressed pause on her engineering career to live a year of adventure, intention, and joy.
Kathy first met Mishael this summer while rowing through the Grand Canyon on a 14-day paddle trip. What began as a passing “Wait… you’re an engineer?” moment turned into months of wanting to learn more about her unconventional, intentional path. Today, you’ll hear that full story.
About Mishael Umlor
Mishael holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental engineering and worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on hydrology, water quality, and river systems modeling. After earning her PE, she made the bold decision to step away for a year to travel, guide rivers, reconnect with family, and build a life that aligns with her values.
During her year away she:
- Guided rafting trips in the Grand Canyon
- Traveled for six weeks in Belize — where she and her husband had their wedding attire custom-designed
- Rode motorcycles through Central America
- Spent months backcountry camping in Baja
- Completed a five-week ski tour using a DIY truck camper
- Visited family across the Midwest
- Got married
- And reconnected with the outdoors in ways that shape the next chapter of her engineering career
Her story is a powerful example of designing a life with intentionality, courage, and creativity.
In This Episode, We Talk About:
- How Mishael discovered environmental engineering through community college and a love of math
- Her experience working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Taking a year off after earning her PE — what she learned and how she made it possible
- The logistics and finances of long-term travel and seasonal living
- River guiding, safety stories, and what it’s really like flipping a fully loaded kitchen boat in the Grand Canyon
- Finding balance between a technical career and a passion-driven outdoor lifestyle
- What she wants her engineering career to look like next — and how she plans to blend contract work and river-based fieldwork
- The beauty of creating a life you actually want (even when it doesn’t look like the traditional path)
Why You’ll Love This Episode
Mishael’s story is a refreshing and inspiring look at the many ways women in STEM can shape careers that don’t fit into boxes. Her honesty about fear, joy, logistics, and dreams makes this a conversation that will resonate with anyone rethinking their own path — whether early, mid, or late career.
Connect & Follow
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps others discover these stories.
Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode, and share with a friend, colleague, or fellow adventurer.
Have a question or comment?
Email us at OrdinarilyExtraordinaryPod@gmail.com
or leave a voicemail at Ordinarily-Extraordinary.com
In this special episode, Kathy and her co-host Linda sit down for a heartfelt conversation about the release of Kathy’s brand-new Women in STEM Coloring Book—a three-year passion project created in collaboration with her daughter, Emily. This book showcases contemporary women in STEM, brought to life through hand-drawn illustrations and inspiring biographies.
Kathy shares the story behind the book, why representation of real, modern women in STEM matters, and how her daughter’s artwork brings these stories to life. They talk through favorite pages, the women featured, the challenges and joys of self-publishing, and the importance of normalizing women in STEM from an early age.
Whether you’re a parent, educator, or someone passionate about STEM advocacy, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look into creating a resource designed to inspire the next generation.
In This Episode We Discuss:
- The origin and three-year journey of creating the Women in STEM Coloring Book
- Why showcasing contemporary women—not just historical figures—is so important
- The need to normalize women in STEM roles for both girls and boys
- How Emily created 31 hand-drawn illustrations and character pages
- Favorite featured women:
- A bat scientist
- A glaciologist
- A crash test engineer
- A satellite communications engineer
- A code breaker
- How the biographies and real photos in the back bring authenticity to the book
- The process and unexpected challenges of self-publishing through Amazon KDP
- Kathy’s experience approaching local stores and embracing the identity of “author”
- A fun sidebar about Linda’s granddaughter writing and illustrating her own books
- What comes next as the book launches during holiday season
About the Book
STEM Super Stars: Women of Today Changing the World
A beautifully illustrated coloring book featuring 25 real women working in STEM fields today. Perfect for kids, classrooms, and anyone who wants to see more representation in science and technology.
✔ 31 single-sided coloring pages
✔ Science, Technology, Engineering, Math & “Other” categories
✔ Real photos and biographies of every woman featured
✔ Hand-drawn illustrations by Emily Nelson
✔ Created in Minnesota and inspired by women making real impact across the globe
Buy the Book
Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2YSJ9XW
Bulk or Educational Orders: Contact Kathy at kathy@kathykalenelson.com for information
Credits
- Hosted by: Kathy Nelson & Linda LaTourelle
- Produced by: Ordinarily Extraordinary Podcast
- Music: Custom intro/outro by Kay Paulus
Support the show
In this inspiring and deeply human episode, Kathy and Linda sit down with Amanda Mavropoulis, a global project and portfolio management leader in technology including 15 years in the electric utility space, and one extraordinary career pivot.
Amanda shares her unconventional STEM journey—from early days taking apart alarm clocks, to working in IT as a student worker, to a long career in utilities, and ultimately into her “unicorn job” at a major tech company. Along the way, she opens up about her unexpected breast cancer diagnosis, navigating treatment after leaving a longtime job, and the clarity and boldness it brought to her next steps.
This conversation is filled with humor, wisdom, honesty, and plenty of laughs as Amanda, Kathy, and Linda reflect on career longevity, teamwork, life detours, and why sometimes you just have to “science the hell out of it.”
Topics We Cover
- A full-circle reconnection: How Linda and Amanda met during a massive utility system conversion—and why team culture matters.
- Life in a global tech environment: Agile management, nonstop meetings, time zones, boundaries, and protecting heads-down time.
- Finding balance: Hybrid work, maintaining work–life separation, setting expectations, and empowering teams.
- Career pivoting after 15 years in utilities: What it’s like to be “new again” in a fast-paced tech company.
- Breast cancer survival and perspective shifts: How Amanda approached treatment, resilience, and redefining what she wanted out of life.
- Unicorn jobs: Applying for stretch roles, building confidence, and not letting fear stop you.
- STEM pathways that aren't linear: Environmental science beginnings, early IT work, accidental opportunities, and embracing unexpected journeys.
- Hiring challenges today: Entry-level roles requiring experience, the impact of layoffs, and navigating the job market as a new grad.
- Diversity of thought & representation in tech: Why it matters and what Amanda sees in her new workplace.
About Amanda Mavropoulis
Amanda is a technical project and portfolio management leader with a BS in Environmental Studies from Texas A&M, an MS from Walden University, and three decades in the IT and utility sectors. She’s known for her leadership, empathy, ability to build strong teams, and her passion for mentoring women entering STEM fields. She’s also a breast cancer survivor whose resilience fueled her leap into a dream role in global technology.
Connect with the Podcast
We’d love to hear from you!
Have a question, comment, or want to submit your own “Ask the Not-Expert” question?
- Email: ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.com
- Website & Voicemail: ordinarilyextraordinary.com
Music by Kay Paulus
Follow Kay on Instagram @kaypaulus8
Support the show
In this bonus, Halloween and Bat Week episode, we talk with Dr. Kristen Lear, a bat conservation scientist, National Geographic Explorer, and If/Then® Ambassador whose lifelong passion for misunderstood creatures turned into a career protecting bat populations around the world.
Kristen shares how a childhood Girl Scout project building bat houses led her to a career at Bat Conservation International (BCI), where she now directs the Agave Restoration Initiative—a binational program supporting endangered nectar-feeding bats and the ecosystems (and tequila plants!) they rely on.
With contagious enthusiasm, Kristen explains how she uses infrared cameras, environmental DNA (eDNA), and community partnerships to track and protect migratory bats across Mexico and the U.S. Southwest. The conversation covers everything from bat “supermoms” and nocturnal fieldwork to tequila, rabies myths, and why bats are vital pollinators and pest controllers.
They also discuss Girl Scouts as a gateway to STEM, Bat Week (the annual celebration leading up to Halloween), and Kristen’s mission to make the world a friendlier place for these essential — and often misunderstood — creatures.
💡 Topics We Cover
- How Kristen’s childhood love of “underdog animals” led to a career in bat conservation
- Her early Girl Scout project building bat houses and creating a “Go Batty!” patch
- What bat scientists actually do in the field — from mist nets to infrared tech
- Using eDNA (environmental DNA) to track migrating bats through agave plants and hummingbird feeders
- The relationship between bats, agave, and the tequila industry
- Debunking myths about bats and rabies
- How to humanely remove a bat from your house
- What it’s like to work nights studying nocturnal animals
- Girl Scouts, mentorship, and how Kristen’s mom inspired her confidence
- Kristen’s work as an If/Then Ambassador and National Geographic Explorer
- Why Bat Week matters — and how you can get involved
🌎 Resources & Links
- Bat Conservation International: www.batcon.org
- Bat Week: www.batweek.org
- If/Then® Initiative: www.ifthen.org
- Follow Dr. Kristen Lear: LinkedIn – Kristen Lear
🧠 Key Takeaways
- You can make a career out of your childhood passion — even bats!
- Conservation is as much about people and partnerships as it is about science.
- Technology like infrared imaging and DNA sampling are transforming wildlife research.
- Myths about bats are being replaced with understanding — thanks to scientists like Kristen.
- Supporting pollinators helps protect ecosystems and local economies.
Music by Kay Paulus
Follow Kay on Instagram @kaypaulus8
Support the show
In this episode, Kathy and Linda talk with Catherine Jackson Jones, a coach and mentor with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding STEM opportunities for students and empowering educators to bring real-world STEM experiences into classrooms across the country.
Catherine shares how NMSI builds awareness and access to STEM fields, particularly for students in under-resourced and rural communities. Through long-term partnerships with school districts, NMSI provides professional development for teachers and administrators, helping them integrate critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills into every subject. Catherine explains how the initiative creates lasting change by training educators to sustain programs long after NMSI’s involvement, ensuring equity and opportunity for all students.
Catherine also opens up about her personal journey — growing up in poverty, being the first in her family to graduate college, and how a single teacher’s belief in her changed the trajectory of her life. That experience fuels her passion for helping students see their own worth and possibilities, no matter where they come from.
Together, they explore:
- How NMSI supports teachers and districts to create engaging, hands-on STEM learning
- The importance of exposure, opportunity, and representation in STEM education
- The ripple effect one teacher or mentor can have on generations of learners
- How engagement and curiosity transform learning environments
- Breaking cycles of poverty through education and belief in possibility
Ask the (Not) Expert
A listener asks:
“I have a team project with all boys. None of them want to do any work, and I don’t want to get a bad grade. What do I do?”
Catherine shares her teacher’s perspective: divide responsibilities clearly, let everyone choose their section, and document who’s responsible for what. That way, teachers can fairly assess individual contributions — a real-world lesson in accountability and teamwork.
Rapid Fire Questions
- Favorite STEM book: Alchemy of the Mind, by Diane Ackerman
- Favorite college course: Shakespeare with Dr. Rey
- Best advice ever received: “You’re bigger than the moments that surround you.” – Theresa Smith, the teacher who changed her life
Episode Takeaway
Catherine’s story is a testament to the power of education, mentorship, and believing in others. Her passion for teaching — and for helping students realize their potential — reminds us that opening even one door can change entire families and communities.
Learn More
Visit the National Math and Science Initiative at www.nms.org
to learn how to get involved, support programs, or explore partnership opportunities.
Music by Kay Paulus
Follow Kay on Instagram @kaypaulus8
Support the show
In this episode, Kathy and Linda talk with Manyphay Viengkham, an accomplished technology leader whose career spans energy innovation, systems engineering, and entrepreneurship. With degrees in biochemistry and computer science, Manyphay has built a career defined by curiosity, continuous learning, and resilience—navigating roles in major companies like GE and Honeywell before launching her own consulting business.
Together, they explore:
- How following her curiosity led from science to technology to energy innovation
- The importance of personal resilience and adaptability in career transitions
- Lessons learned from working across IT, OT, and product management
- Building a strong professional network and personal brand that opens doors
- The ups and downs of starting her own business—and finding joy in the process
- Why compassion, authenticity, and professionalism are essential leadership traits
- Learning to speak up and show your expertise, especially when underestimated
The episode wraps with their “Ask the (Not) Expert” segment, where Kathy, Linda, and Manyphay discuss handling assumptions in the workplace—like being mistaken for administrative staff—and how to respond with confidence and professionalism.
Key Takeaways
- Your career doesn’t have to follow a straight line—curiosity creates opportunity.
- Resilience and adaptability matter as much as technical skill.
- Building genuine relationships can define your career success.
- Authentic leadership blends confidence with compassion.
- Taking the leap into entrepreneurship can be both empowering and fulfilling.
- Manyphay's planned book has become a blog which can be found on Substack here: https://substack.com/@manyphay
Acronym Glossary
- AMI – Advanced Metering Infrastructure
- SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
- IoT – Internet of Things
- IT – Information Technology
- OT – Operational Technology
- HVAC – Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
Support the show
In this episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary – Conversations with Women in STEM, Kathy and Linda sit down with Lawanda Parnell, a retired technology and utility leader whose career began at IBM in the early 1980s and spanned decades of innovation and leadership.
Lawanda shares her journey from studying business administration with a strong math and computer science foundation at the University of Florida, to becoming one of the few Black women in tech during her era, to leading large-scale projects in the utility industry.
She reflects on:
- Transitioning from IBM into the utility sector and the challenges of large-scale software implementations.
- How her love of math, particularly calculus, shaped her career path.
- The importance of mentors and sponsors, including those who encouraged her to pursue a master’s degree.
- Building strong, diverse teams and the value of hiring people smarter than yourself.
- Overcoming the fear of public speaking as an introverted techie.
- Her perspective on management versus technical career paths and advice for navigating that choice.
- Why utilities need to do a better job of marketing themselves to the next generation of STEM professionals.
The conversation also dives into listener advice questions, covering:
- Should you move into management if you love technical work?
- What to do if your company offers to pay for grad school in a field you don’t love.
Lawanda’s story is one of resilience, lifelong learning, and the joy of finding passion in work while paving the way for future generations.
About Lawanda:
Lawanda Parnell is a retired technology and utility leader whose career began at IBM and later spanned leadership roles in the energy sector, including CPS Energy and Pedernales Electric Cooperative. With a background in business and computer science, she combined her love of math and technology with strong project management skills to lead large-scale IT transformations and mentor future STEM professionals.
Want to ask a question for our new advice segment?
- Leave us a voicemail through our website www.ordinarily-extraordinary.com
- Or email: ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.com
Music by Kay Paulus
Follow Kay on Instagram @kaypaulus8
Support the show
After almost a year away, Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM is back — and we’re relaunching with something new: a co-host!
In this episode, Kathy is joined by her longtime friend and new co-host, Linda LaTourelle, to talk with Stacy Cluff, IT and Broadband Manager at Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative. Stacy has worked at Mille Lacs for 28 years, wearing many hats in technology, IT, and now leading the co-op’s broadband program — bringing critical fiber broadband service to rural Minnesota communities.
What We Talk About
- Why Kathy took a break from the podcast and what’s new in the relaunch
- Linda’s background in utility technology and excitement for co-hosting
- Stacy’s career journey from paralegal studies to becoming a leader in IT and broadband
- What it’s like to manage fiber projects, grant funding, and IT at a small electric co-op
- Balancing career, education, and raising a family — and advice for women considering going back to school
- The importance of broadband in rural areas and the impact it has on communities
- The challenges of stepping out of your comfort zone to speak up, network, and lead
- Reflections on empty nesting, staying busy, and what’s next (including Stacy’s exciting news about becoming a grandma!)
New Segment: Ask (Not) an Expert
As part of the relaunch, we’re introducing a new advice section where listeners can send in questions. In this episode, Kathy, Linda, and Stacy weigh in on:
- How to handle being excluded from after-work socializing with male colleagues
- Deciding when to go back to school vs. starting a family, and how to manage both
Rapid Fire with Stacy
- Favorite STEM inspirations
- One word to describe her career journey
- The most unexpected skills she’s had to learn on the job
About Our Guest
Stacy Cluff is the IT and Broadband Manager at Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative. She manages the cooperative’s broadband deployment, including grant funding, contractors, and customer engagement, while also overseeing IT operations. Stacy is passionate about bringing affordable, reliable internet to rural communities and supporting her co-op’s mission to serve its members.
Want to ask a question for our new advice segment?
- Leave us a voicemail through our website www.ordinarily-extraordinary.com
- Or email: ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.com
Music by Kay Paulus
Follow Kay on Instagram @kaypaulus8
Support the show
Fae Gaze is a mathematician, data scientist, and machine learning researcher with degrees in mathematics, molecular biology, computer science, and data science engineering. She shares her journey into the world of math, data science, and machine learning and discusses the joy she finds in problem-solving and working with data.
The conversation also touches on mental health, the importance of breaking down complex challenges, and how algorithms can be applied in research and life. Fae’s inspiring perspective highlights the beauty of math in everything from nature to decision-making and offers encouragement for those intimidated by the field.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- Fae’s STEM Journey: Fae’s early love for math and puzzles led her into data science and machine learning. Her educational path includes degrees in math, molecular biology, and computer science.
- New Job & Kaggle Competitions: Fae discusses her current role as a machine learning researcher and her work in predictive analysis, time-series data, and her involvement in Kaggle AI/ML competitions.
- Breaking Down Complex Problems: Fae emphasizes the importance of breaking large, intimidating problems into smaller, manageable steps, which she applies both in her research and personal life.
- The Joy of Math: Fae shares how math brings her joy and explains how the logic behind math can simplify life’s challenges.
- Mental Health & Math’s Impact: Fae explores how math and its principles, like building backup plans and creating algorithms, can help manage anxiety and uncertainty.
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:
Kaggle Competitions
The National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) in New York City
Connect with Fae Gaze
- Linkedin- Fae Gaze
- HashMap YouTube Channel
Support the show
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?
- Insights on Serving on Boards
- Facing Adversity and Finding Strength
- Family Influence and Strong Women
- Writing the Memoir: Soft Power for the Journey
- 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 JohnsonSandra K. Johnson, Ph.D.
Linkedin- Sandra K Johnson, Ph.D.
Support the show
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?
- How Upward Mobility Device Works. A device that uses a person's power combined with artificial intelligence to aid rehabilitation activities.
- Her journey from education to military service ultimately inspired her to start Buswell Biomedical.
- Her battle with imposter syndrome, which led her to write a book on the topic while starting her business.
- Her challenges in securing venture capital highlight the statistics that reflect the difficulties women face in this area.
- 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?
- Civil engineering and how that fits into the construction industry.
- The lack of women in the construction industry and how that is changing, specifically at the company Sarah works for.
- Motherhood and the importance of being role models for girls going into STEM.
- 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 influencer. 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?
- The challenges she faces in Hollywood as a woman in science.
- How she seamlessly combines her acting career with her passion for science content creation.
- The importance of representation and normalizing women in STEM through mass media.
- The significant role of science communicators in addressing misinformation and conspiracy theories.
- 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
ResourcesBook: 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?
- The Role and Responsibilities of a Dean in Engineering
- Challenging the Status Quo in Engineering Practices
- Women in Engineering: Progress and Challenges
- Addressing the Engineering Shortage: Education and Retention Strategies
- 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?
- Unique challenges women face in STEM fields, highlighting issues such as isolation, stereotype threat, and the high attrition rate among women.
- The importance of career readiness, leadership skills, and the need for proactive efforts from institutions and companies to support and advance women in STEM.
- Systemic challenges in academia and the workforce, the importance of self-care, personal development, and creating supportive communities.
- Citing the active voices of the next generation and ongoing initiatives aimed at systemic change within STEM fields
- 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?
- Charli's Journey from Marketing to Empowering the Pump Industry
- The Challenges and Triumphs of Starting Your Own Business
- Navigating the Complexities of Gender Perception in the Workplace
- The Power of Being Yourself in Professional Spaces
- 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?
- What are nucleotides & genomes?
- The difference between chemistry and chemical engineering.
- Chanfeng’s career path from chemical engineering to chemistry. Working at startups, starting her own company, and selling that company.
- Her experience coming to the US and raising a son while going to grad school.
- 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?
- College expectations vs. reality.
- Why Abby almost quit engineering and what made her stick with it.
- How Abby found and got involved with Society of Women Engineers.
- Abby's internship experience.
- 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?
- Asha’s career journey and how she got into strategy and leadership.
- Deep dive into Asha’s leadership style and roles within her career.
- The importance of prioritization and the importance of family and friends as she began her family.
- We discuss motherhood and women’s decisions to continue working or stay at home. Asha’s provides her advice on making decisions.
- The importance of having a support system and having key people in your life that provide honest feedback.
- 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)
Sylleste Davis is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 100th District. She is the Chair of the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee. Prior to representing the people of South Carolina, Sylleste worked at an electric company in various roles from Information Technology to Power Supply leadership positions. Sylleste has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and a Master of Arts in Computer and Information Systems Management.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- What does a Sylleste do as a State Representative?
- How did she get started in politics and why did she go into it?
- How does her experience in the utility industry and technology background fit into her work in politics.
- Why she majored in math and our joint love of mathematics (and architecture).
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
Sylleste Davis Legislature Biography: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=0456249946
Kathy Ford is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Kura Oncology. She has over 30 years experience in biopharmaceuticals. She is equally passionate about the work she does bringing treatment to cancer patients and as a mom and grandmother. Kathy earned her R.N. from Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing and her B.S.N. from Fitchburg State College.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- Kathy's journey from nursing, being a stay at home mom, and back into the job market and into executive management in biopharmaceuticals.
- The changes she has seen for women in medicine and STEM fields over the past several decades.
- The importance of family in her life. Grandmotherhood is her greatest joy!
- Her passion for working for a company working to treat and cure cancer.
- The importance of women, especially in higher positions, using their voice to support other women.
- What does a COO do?
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
Hematologic cancers begin in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, or in the cells of the immune system. Examples of hematologic cancer include leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. It's also referred to as blood cancer. (https://www.summitcancercenters.com/cancers-we-treat/hematologic-cancer/#:~:text=Hematologic%20cancers%20begin%20in%20blood,referred%20to%20as%20blood%20cancer.)
Some 37% of active physicians in the U.S. were women in 2021, up from about 36% in 2019, and about 47% of residents and fellows were women, according to the AAMC report.Large gender pay gaps still exist, however. A 2021 report from the Rand Corporation published in Health Affairs found female physicians earn $2 million less than men over the course of their career, with the largest gaps in male-dominated specialties. (https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/AAMC-us-physician-workforce-women-specialties/640621/#:~:text=Some%2037%25%20of%20active%20physicians,according%20to%20the%20AAMC%20report.)
Sheryl Recinos is a physician, author, speaker and advocate. She is a locums hospitalist. After spending her teen years homeless and living on the streets in Los Angeles, she got a Bachelor's Degree in Cellular and Microbiology and later went back to school for her MD. Her childhood trauma helps her identify trauma in patients she sees and she advocates and works with homeless in Los Angeles. She has written several books about homelessness including a memoir, Hindsight, which chronicles her childhood.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- Sheryl's traumatic childhood and how she survived and became a physician.
- How the trauma she grew up with helps her in her job as a physician.
- How she strives to be the parent she always wanted to have.
- Her writing career. She has written a memoir about her childhood, a series of young adult books, and is about to publish a children's book.
- How the system not only failed her as a child, but actually worked against her.
- Her life now a physician, author, speaker, and mother.
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 find lots of information and resources and work Sheryl is doing here: https://sherylrecinosmd.com
"Hindsight: Coming of Age on the Streets of Hollywood": https://www.amazon.com/Hindsight-Coming-age-streets-Hollywood-ebook/dp/B07HYJTPKZ/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1583000285&refinements=p_27%3ASheryl+Recinos&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Sheryl+Recinos
My Friend's Place - For 33 years and counting, My Friend’s Place has been
assisting and inspiring youth experiencing homelessness
to build self-sufficient lives. (https://www.myfriendsplace.org)
There's a lot of information and statistics on foster care system that can be found here: https://www.aecf.org/blog/child-welfare-and-foster-care-statistics
One in every five foster youth is homeless when they age out of the system at 18. Ten percent of foster children are placed in institutions and group homes, many of whom are older teenagers. Four percent of foster cases have the goal of emancipation, but over 50 percent have the goal of reunification. (https://www.fosterva.org/blog/what-happens-to-foster-children-when-they-turn-18#:~:text=One%20in%20every%20five%20foster,have%20the%20goal%20of%20reunification.)
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, is on a mission to eradicate self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them simple strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with a proven model and is known for her actionable tips and ability to build trust quickly. During her corporate career, she led a team of facilitators while traveling the globe consulting industry leaders on the seemingly soft skills that impact the bottom line. Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication, as well as the host of her highly ranked podcast, Ignite Your Confidence.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- How Karen got into confidence coaching.
- Karen's signature "Confidence Cocktail"TM.
- Karen provides advice and tips on how to improve your confidence.
- Her influences in childhood that helped her build her confidence.
- How to introduce yourself using the PPU method.
- Creating a Celebration Portfolio.
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
Karen Laos' website: https://karenlaos.com
"Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication" book. (https://karenlaos.com/book/)
"Ignite Your Confidence" Podcast (https://karenlaos.com/podcast/)
Between the ages of 8 and 14, girls' confidence levels fall by 30 percent. At 14, when girls are hitting their low, boys' confidence is still 27 percent higher. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/01/well/family/confidence-gap-teen-girls-tips-parents.html)
"Pioneers in Skirts" An Emmy-nominated 60-minute documentary about the issues that affect a woman’s pioneering ambition. Real-life stories and frank commentary leave viewers seeing their role in the solution, feeling hopeful, and motivated to act. (https://www.pioneersinskirts.com)
The phrase “Women must be seen and not heard” originates from an old English proverb, “Children must be seen and not heard”. This proverb first appeared in a book by John Mirk published in the 15th century titled Mirks Festial. (https://doseofwonani.wordpress.com/2021/08/23/why-i-have-a-problem-with-women-must-be-seen-and-not-heard/#:~:text=The%20phrase%20“Women%20must%20be,15th%20century%20titled%20Mirks%20Festial.)
Liz Lee Heinecke is an author and media figure for science and STEM. She has loved science she was young which drew her to study molecular biology where she worked in research for ten years. As she transitioned to parenting, she began sharing her love of science through experiments with her kids which became the basis for her books and media appearances. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Art and a Master's Degree in Bacteriology.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- How Liz got involved in writing and media appearances in STEM.
- How you can potentially get involved in presenting STEM on TV.
- Her philosophy about saying "yes" and trying anything which has led to great experiences.
- Teachers can put kids on a good or bad trajectory. They have a lot of influence - good or bad.
- Math is a language and should be taught as a language.
- Experiment Outside the Box.
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
Liz's website with her books and appearances: www.lizleeheincke.com
Connect with Liz here: Email at lizleeheinecke@gmail.com or find her @lizheinecke on Instagram, @kitchpantrysci on Twitter and Liz Heinecke, The Kitchen Pantry Scientiston Facebook.
Books:
Biology for Kids
Kitchen Science Lab for Kids, Edible Edition
Outdoor Science Lab for Kids
Chemistry for Kids
STEAM Lab for Kids
Kitchen Science Lab for Kids
Star Wars The Padman Cookbook
Ecology for Kids
Physics for Kids
Star Wars Maker Lab
Sheet Pan Science
Kitchen Science for Kids
She Can STEM: 50 Trailblazing Women in Science From Ancient History to Now
Super Fun Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids: 52 Family Friendly Experiments From Around the World
Radiant: The Dancer, The Scientist, and a Friendship Forged in Light
Pamela Kellert is a strategic leadership coach focusing on women in STEM. She works with individuals and organizations to elevate their leadership skills, confidence and organizational impact. She is the Founder of Women Leading in STEM. Prior to starting her own business, she spent 16 years in the corporate world leading strategy within technical companies in the transportation sector.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- Pamela's work as a career coach and strategist.
- The importance of mentors, networks, and community.
- We discuss how far women have come in leadership roles. Men have been leaders for thousands of years. It's been very recent that women have been in leadership. Sometimes we get discouraged thinking we're not making progress fast enough, but we are making progress! It's an important perspective.
- How can we make a better and more productive user experience for women in STEM at work.
- Do we need "job therapy"?
- We discuss the systems we work in and how they affect women's views of themselves.
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
www.womenleadinginstem.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenleadinginstem
List of elected and appointed female heads of state and government: The first woman to be democratically elected as prime minister of a country was Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), when she led her party to victory in the July 1960 general election. (Wikipedia)
Fewer than a third of UN member states have ever had a woman leader. Women currently serve as the head of government in just 13 of the 193 member states of the United Nations. And fewer than a third of UN countries have ever had a woman leader, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/28/women-leaders-around-the-world/)
Research has shown that firms with more women in senior positions are moreprofitable, more socially responsible, and provide safer, higher-quality customer experiences — among many other benefits. (https://hbr.org/2021/04/research-adding-women-to-the-c-suite-changes-how-companies-think)
Countries led by women had “systematically and significantly better” Covid-19 outcomes, research appears to show, locking down earlier and suffering half as many deaths on average as those led by men. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/18/female-led-countries-handled-coronavirus-better-study-jacinda-ardern-angela-merkel)
Between the ages of 8 and 14, girls' confidence levels fall by 30 percent. At 14, when girls are hitting their low, boys' confidence is still 27 percent higher. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/01/well/family/confidence-gap-teen-girls-tips-parents.html#:~:text=and%20their%20parents.-,Between%20the%20ages%20of%208%20and%2014%2C%20girls%27%20confidence%20levels,is%20still%2027%20percent%20higher.)
Dr. Alison Banwell is a Glaciologist and Research Scientist in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), part of the University of Colorado Boulder. She studies glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctica and glacial lakes that form from glacial ice melt. She has led many field expeditions in Antarctica and has also conducted fieldwork on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Svalbard and the Himalaya. She has a PhD in Polar Studies from the University of Cambridge.
What do we talk about in this episode?
- What is a glaciologist or glacier scientist and how she got interested in this field.
- How climate change is affecting glaciers throughout the world and how studying glaciers can help understand climate change.
- What her field work experiences in Antarctica and the Arctic.
- What it's like to be a glaciologist when you hate the cold!
- How does one get to Antarctica for work (it's a really long commute)?
- Penguins in Antarctica...they're so cool!
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
Contact Dr. Banwell: email: alison.banwell@colorado.edu; Instagram & Twitter: @alibanwell
Info on Dr. Alison Banwell and links to her publications: https://cires.colorado.edu/researcher/alison-banwell
3.2% of all climbers are women.
Longyearbyen is the administrative centre of Svalbard, is a tiny Norwegian metropolis with 2,400 residents from almost 53 different countries. Longyearbyen is the gateway to the nature-based experiences and the starting point for most adventures in Svalbard. (https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/destinations/longyearbyen)
As powerful predators, polar bears pose a major risk to human life and property. Throughout the polar bear’s range, attacks on humans and property continue to rise. In recent years, more than 20 direct attacks on humans have been reported within the polar bear’s range. (WWF)
Leopard seals are the only seals known to regularly hunt and kill warm-blooded prey, including other seals. Although rare, there are a few records of adult leopard seals attacking humans. (www.doc.govt.nz)
A glacier is an accumulation of ice and snow that slowly flows over land. At higher elevations, more snow typically falls than melts, adding to its mass. (https://nsidc.org/learn/parts-cryosphere/glaciers)
Mer de Glace, (French: “Sea of Ice”) one of the longest glaciers in the Alps, extending for 3.5 miles (5.6 km) on the northern side of Mont Blanc near Chamonix, France. (Britannica)
McMurdo Station is located on volcanic rock marking the southernmost solid ground accessible by ship, it is the gateway of most all scientific, private, and touristic jaunts into the Antarctic. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mcmurdo-station)
The Drake Passage is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile, Argentina and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean (Scotia Sea) with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean. The passage is named after the 16th-century English explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake. The Drake Passage is considered one of the most treacherous voyages for ships to make. Currents at its latitude meet no resistance from any landmass, and waves top 40 feet (12 m), hence its reputation as "the most powerful convergence of seas". (Wikipedia)
Nancy Joie Wilkie worked for over thirty years in both the biotechnology industry and as part of the Federal Government’s biodefense effort. Nancy is now retired and explores many creative pursuits including writing, composing original music, playing a variety of instruments, and is recording many of her compositions. Nancy has a BA degree in Biology and a MS degree in Bio-Chemistry.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Nancy recently published a book "Faraway and Forever", a collection of 5 novelettes combining STEM, science fiction, and faith. Nancy shares how she brings together her STEM career, music, writing, and art into her life in retirement. She shares how she got into biochemistry in the late 1970s and her successes and challenges.
- How Nancy weaves art, music, and writing into her life now that she is retired.
- How her grandfather influenced her which led to her becoming a biochemist.
- Her experience working at NIH and developing the second known small pox vaccination.
- Faith and science. One does not preclude the other.
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
http://www.mindsights.net - Nancy's website featuring her art, music, and writings.
"Faraway and Forever" by Nancy Joie Wilkie. A collection of 5 novellas.
Radiocarbon dating, or carbon-14 dating, is a scientific method that can accurately determine the age of organic materials as old as approximately 60,000 years. First developed in the late 1940s at the University of Chicago by Willard Libby, the technique is based on the decay of the carbon-14 isotope. (news.uchicago.edu).
This is a recording from a keynote speech I gave at a women in energy forum in 2017.
I talk about the importance of:
- Showing up - especially as your authentic self
- Signing up, or just say "yes" if an opportunity comes up
- Speaking up - use your voice, even when it shakes
- Giving a hand up - to women who come behind you - we need to support each other.
Sherry Shannon - Vanstone is a serial entrepreneur. She started her career as a cryptology mathematician in the US government, then went on to work at a start up in Silicon Valley. She then went on to co-found and found companies specializing in security and her latest company, Profound Impact, a female-founded, Canadian data analytics company that leverages AI and machine learning to provide solutions for the higher education and research sectors. She has a BS degree in Mathematics and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Sherry shares her passion for promoting women in STEM and women in sports. Sherry began her career in cryptology as a code breaker over 40 years ago. She shares her experience as a woman working in this field so many years ago. She shares her experience in Silicon Valley and then working in security and encryption founding and co-foudning companies with her husband and later on on her own.
- How she brings her "why" into her work and other ventures.
- Being a code breaker for the government is indeed as cool as it sounds!
- How a university president changed her course of study and got her into mathematics - our supporters and champions are so important.
- How she met her husband - at a mathematics conference!! (There has to be an equation for that!)
- Her experience trying to get funding, her work on changing the VC world for female founders and opportunities we may all have to make change in this space.
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
Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics is an independent research centre in foundational theoretical physics located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. (Wikipedia)
The Emmy Noether Councilworks collectively with Perimeter to increase the number of women in physics and drive the philanthropic support that will advance women at critical stages of their education and careers at Perimeter and beyond. They are specifically focused on leading the growth of the Emmy Noether Emerging Talent Fund, an endowment devoted to providing support and programming for exceptional PhD students at Perimeter. (https://perimeterinstitute.ca/emmy-noether-council)
Golden Triangle Angel Networks one of Canada’s most active and longest-established angel investment clubs. (https://www.goldentriangleangelnet.ca)
Lydia Blume is the Morning Meteorologist at WDAY in Fargo, North Dakota. Lydia has a Bachelor of Science degree in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology. She focuses on communications of scientific information to non-scientific people.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Lydia talks about her love for meteorology and weather from a young age. She grew up on a farm in rural South Dakota, fascinated by weather and never deviated in her goal of becoming a meteorologist. She shares the challenges of being a female meteorologist, including being pregnant, on live TV in the age of social media.
- "Nothing great comes from your comfort zone".
- Her insane schedule - she wakes up at 2 a.m. to get to work and prepare for live TV which starts at 5 a.m. All of this with a 16 month old baby.
- How she became interested in being a meteorologist at a young age and has been laster focused on achieving this goal ever since.
- How she handles the negative comments she gets from viewers (people are mean - be nice people!!)
- The importance of the spouse or life partner you choose. Her husband is her biggest champion and supporter.
- Being pregnant in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers on live TV.
- The science behind weather forecasting, weather balloons, and the importance of humans behind computer generated forecasts.
- Meteorologists are not weather girls!!!
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
Lydia Blume: https://www.facebook.com/lydiablumewx/
There are 122 National Weather Center Offices throughout the United States. They typically consist of 20 - 50 counties per office. (https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/wfos)
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist, is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the
Nicole Kelner is a science and climate artist. She is the founder of Arts and Climate Change. Prior to founding Arts and Climate Change, she was an Artist in Residence at MCJ Collective. Prior to these two positions she worked in operations areas at climate companies. Nicole has a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Shreyer's Business College and Honors in Engineering Entrepreneurship from Penn State.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Nicole shares how she went from technical areas into art with a focus on science and climate. She talks about her journey figuring out her major in college, starting out work and how that lead her to where she is now. She shares what she does as a science and climate artist and some of her latest work.
- What is a science and climate artist and how did she get there?
- Her experience as an entrepreneur while she was still in college.
- Her college journey - from undecided to elementary education to advertising and communications. What seemed to be random prepared her for where she is now in her career and provides the perfect background for what she does now.
- Nicole's upcoming projects and where to find her work.
- Left brain vs. right brain - reality or myth?
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 find Nicole's work here: https://nicolekelner.darkroom.com
The U.S. grid is divided into three major regions: The Eastern Interconnection, which operates in states east of the Rocky Mountains; the Western Interconnection, which covers the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountain states; the Texas Interconnected system.(https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/us-grid-regions)
A regional transmission organization (RTO) in the United States is an electric power transmission system operator (TSO) that coordinates, controls, and monitors a multi-state electric grid. The transfer of electricity between states is considered interstate commerce, and electric grids spanning multiple states are therefore regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The voluntary creation of RTOs was initiated by FERC Order No. 2000, issued on December 20, 1999. The purpose of the RTO is to promote economic efficiency, reliability, and non-discriminatory practices while reducing government oversight. An independent system operator (ISO) is similarly an organization formed at the recommendation of FERC. In the areas where an ISO is established, it coordinates, controls, and monitors the operation of the electrical power system, usually within a single US state, but sometimes encompassing multiple states. RTOs typically perform the same functions as ISOs but cover a larger geographic area. (Wikipedia)
Left Brain vs. Right Brain: According to recent research, the idea of people being "left-brained" or "right-brained" may also be less fixed than we'd thought. (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/right-brainleft-brain-right-2017082512222)
"A Brighter Future: Illustrating Climate Change and Solutions" In this beautifully illustrated book, Nicole Kelner has created an educational and playful way to learn about climate change. (https://www.amazon.com/Brighter-Future-Illustrating-Climate-Solutions/dp/1667870807)
Dr. Sirisha Kuchimanchi is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, podcast host, live radio and live radio show host. She's a former tech executive who left the corporate world to start her own business. She founded Sahita, a Global community for South Asian Women to achieve Career & Financial empowerment so you can "Live the life YOU Dream". She has a PhD and Master's Degree in Materials Science and a Master's Degree and Bachelor's Degree in Physics.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Sirisha shares her experience leaving corporate life and starting her own business. She has a passion for empowering women both in their careers and helping them achieve financial independence. We talk about raising children, teenage boys, confidence in both boys and girls, networking and the importance of community and bringing people together.
- The different thought processes between science and engineering.
- You're not expected to know everything when you are coming out of college.
- Getting her PhD while she was a stay at home mom.
- The different stages of raising children. We have less control over out kids personalities than we think we do when we go into parenting.
- Owning your career and owning your financial future.
- Meet up with people in your network face to face when you travel to different cities.
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
Sahita - A global community for South Asian Women. (Sahita.live)
LinkedIn Live Fireside Chat: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7053836357298761728/
Dr. Rachel Cady is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist and a Certified Menopause Practitioner. She is an active member of both the North American Menopause Society and the International Menopause Society. Among the concerns and symptoms she treats are weight management, sexual problems, vaginal dryness, abnormal bleeding, pelvic floor rehab, incontinence, heart health, mood swings, hormone replacement, bone health, sleep issues, and hot flashes.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Dr. Cady shares a wealth of information about menopause: symptoms, treatment, hormone therapy, and so much more. We talk about hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, mood swings, weight changes, estrogen receptors and so much more. Dr. Cady answers all my menopause questions and questions from listeners.
- What is menopause and perimenopause and how do I know when I’m in it?
- Hormone Replacement Therapy. What is it? Who needs it? How to figure out what to do.
- What is a menopause specialist and how do I find one? What do they do? There are 1,000 Certified Menopause Practitioners in the United States.
- Weight management and nutrition in menopause. Women need 400-500 less calories when we go into menopause.
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
International Menopause Society's mission of the International Menopause Society (IMS) is to work globally to promote and support access to best practice health care for women through their menopause transition and post-reproductive years, enabling them to achieve optimal health and well-being. (https://www.imsociety.org)
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is North America’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life of all women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. (https://www.menopause.org)
To find a Certified Menopause Practitioner in the US: https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx
The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) is a multi-site longitudinal, epidemiologic study designed to examine the health of women during their middle years. The study examines the physical, biological, psychological and social changes during this transitional period. (https://www.swanstudy.org)
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) is a long-term national health study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, or NHLBI. (https://www.whi.org)
“You Are Not Broken” Podast hosted by KJ Casperson, MD – Empowering women (and the partners who love them) to live their best sex lives. Combining the power of mind-work, body-science and relationships, I joyously smash the societal barriers that are keeping us from living our best intimate lives.
Dr. Ginger Campbell is a Palliative Medicine Physician. Prior to Palliative Care, Dr. Campbell was an Emergency Physician. She earned a BSE in Electrical Engineering and an MSE in Biomedical Engineering prior to her MD. Dr. Campbell launched her podcast Brain Science in 2006 and was inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2022.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Dr. Campbell shares her experiences in palliative and emergency room medicine. She is in the process of moving from doing palliative care in the US to doing palliative care in New Zealand. She also talks about her podcast and the difference between podcasting in the early years of podcasting and podcasting now.
- What is palliative care and a palliative care doctor?
- A day in the life of a palliative care doctor and a day in the life of an emergency room doctor (it is not so much like the TV series ER).
- The importance of being able to communicate with people in a way they can understand especially at critical times such as end of life.
- Dying is part of living. The importance and honor of escorting people out of this world and preparing their family for the transition.
- What working with people at end of life has taught her for her own life.
- Her favorite podcast topic and guest.
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
Brain Science Podcast has been exploring how recent discoveries in neuroscience are unraveling the mystery of how our brain makes us human. (https://brainsciencepodcast.com)
Dr. Campbell’s background is an important element in her success as a science communicator. Prior to medical school she studied electrical and biomedical engineering. In 2011 she was chosen one of 40 Engineers Making a Difference as a part of 40th Anniversary celebration of the School of Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where she was an assistant professor from 1985-1989.(https://www.virginiacampbellmd.com)
Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350. (Wikipedia)
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern (born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. A member of the Labour Party, she was a member of Parliament (MP) as a list MP from 2008 to 2017, and for Mount Albert from 2017 to 2023 (Wikipedia)
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross - Her bestselling first book, On Death and Dying, 1969, made her an internationally-renowned author. Even today, her trail-blazing book is required reading in most major medical, nursing, and psychology programs. A 1969 Life Magazine article outlining her work gave further mainstream credibility and awareness to this new way of dealing with dying patients, although her conclusions were quite revolutionary at the time. (https://www.ekrfoundation.org/elisabeth-kubler-ross/biography/)
Doc Hollywood is a 1991 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Caton-Jones and written by Daniel Pyne along with Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman, based on Neil B. Shulman's book What? Dead...Again? The film stars Michael J. Fox, Julie Warner, Barnard Hughes, Woody Harrelson, David Ogden Stiers, Frances Sternhagen, and Bridget Fonda. (Wikipedia)
Anna Litvinova is a Flight Test Engineer. She graduated from college with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering about three years ago and spends her time writing test plans, executing test missions on planes per those test plans, and analyzing the data from the tests. Anna immigrated to the US after growing up in Russia and then Germany. She is currently working on a Master’s Degree in Flight Test Engineering at the National Test Pilot School.
What do we talk about in this episode?
"If one never tries, one never knows" - Anna shares her experience growing up as the daughter of two physicists and being interested in airplanes and aerospace from a very young age. She also shares her experiences coming to the US at 16 years old, leaving her friends behind, the challenges that brought and how she overcame some of those challenges.
- What does a flight test engineer do? How does one become a flight test engineer?
- Challenges of "fitting in" in coming to a new high school from another country. Learning a new language while taking classes with the content in the new language.
- Anna's hobbies of travel and photography.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Resources
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. (Wikipedia)
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (ASEA) is an agency of the European Union with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitoring. (Wikipedia)
Aileron - a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll, which normally results in a change in flight path due to the tilting of the lift vector. (Wikipedia)
Aerospace Engineering - the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. (Wikipedia)
Rhythmic Gymnastics - a sport in which gymnasts perform on a floor with an apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon. The sport combines elements of gymnastics, dance and calisthenics; gymnasts must be strong, flexible, agile, dexterous and coordinated. (Wikipedia)
"Man's Search for Meaning" is a 1946 book by Viktor Frankl chronicling his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and describing his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about, and then immersively imagining that outcome. (Wikipedia)
National Test Pilot School (NTPS) - The mission of the National Test Pilot School is to educate and train military and civilian aviation personnel so that each graduate increases flight test competency, improves flight test and aviation safety, and enhances the aerospace profession worldwide. (https://www.ntps.edu)
Pat Muoio is a partner at Sinewave Ventures where she assess the technical value and viability of emerging technologies and make investment recommendations in the federal marketplace. Prior to joining Sinewave, she worked in cybersecurity and cryptography both in the private sector and at the Department of Defense. She has a PhD in Philosophy from Yale University.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Pat shares her journey from getting a PhD in Philosophy and a planned academic career, into cryptography at DOD, to cybersecurity and into her current career in Venture Capital (VC).
- The world of start up investments (VC 101). Seed, Series A and Series B funding, Angel investments and more.
- Advice for being successful at getting funding. The importance of the pitch and framing it to what's important to the group you are pitching it to.
- Women founders are more successful than male founders, but it's still much more difficult for women to get funded than men.
- Pat's experiences in VC and in the tech space.
- How VC firms are funded.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
Seed funding is the first official equity funding stage. It typically represents the first official money that a business venture or enterprise raises. Some companies never extend beyond seed funding into Series A rounds or beyond. You can think of the "seed" funding as part of an analogy for planting a tree. This early financial support is ideally the "seed" which will help to grow the business. (https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/102015/series-b-c-funding-what-it-all-means-and-how-it-works.asp)
The first round after the seed stage is Series A funding. In this round, it’s important to have a plan for developing a business model that will generate long-term profit. Typically, Series A rounds raise approximately $2 million to $15 million. In 2021, the median Series A funding was $10 million. (https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/102015/series-b-c-funding-what-it-all-means-and-how-it-works.asp)
Series B rounds are all about taking businesses to the next level, past the development stage. Investors help startups get there by expanding market reach. Companies that have gone through seed and Series A funding rounds have already developed substantial user bases and have proven to investors that they are prepared for success on a larger scale. Series B funding is used to grow the company so that it can meet these levels of demand. (https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/102015/series-b-c-funding-what-it-all-means-and-how-it-works.asp)
A business incubator is a workspace created to offer startups and new ventures access to the resources they need, all under one roof.In addition to a desk or office, incubators often provide resident companies with access to expert advisors, mentors, administrative support, office equipment, training, and/or potential investors. (https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-business-incubator)
About 60% of companies that reach pre-series A funding fail to make it to Series A, so the success rate is only 30%-40%. About 65% of the Series A startups get series B, while 35% of the companies that get series A fail. (https://spdload.com/blog/startup-success-rate/#:~:text=About%2065%25%20of%20the%20Series,Noissue.)
Cryptanalysis refers to the process of analyzing information systems in order to understand hidden aspects of the systems. Cryptanalysis is used to breach cryptographic security systems and gain access to the contents of encrypted messages, even if the cryptographic key is unknown. (Wikipedia)
Heather Jackson, co-founder of GenM, shares how GenM works with brands to provide awareness and branding of products that support women in menopause. GenM also provides research, awareness and resources for women going through menopause. Heather is the former CEO of An Inspirational Journey, the company behind several programmes, events and online activities including The Balanced Business Forum (formerly known as The Women's Business Forum and now recognised as the world’s first gender balanced leadership conference).
What do we talk about in this episode?
Heather shares how she came to start GenM and the importance of normalizing the conversation around menopause and creating brand awareness, signage, etc. around products that support women during perimenopause and menopause.
- Menopause does not have to be something we suffer through. Women are typically at the best part of their life when they go through menopause. We should be swinging from the chandeliers during this time - not suffering through it.
- Menopause is the new vegan.
- We need to normalize conversations about menopause in society as well as in the workplace.
- Menopause affects everybody. Not just women. Almost everyone knows someone, works with someone, or lives with someone going through menopause. We are all affected.
- The highest suicide rate and divorce rate for women is during the age of menopause.
- Nutrition and exercise are critical in menopause care.
- There are ways to treat menopause symptoms with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or naturally.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
GenM's Mission - We exist to incite a first-of-its-kind movement to make the menopause a more positive experience for everyone, and introduce forward-thinking brands, organisations and employers to this new, commercially attractive market in a responsible, ethical way.
Why? Because there are 15.5 million menopausal consumers in the UK alone. It’s a market desperate for better understanding, support and representation. Now is the time to purposefully unite, so we can all cater for, better support and connect with this incredibly underserved audience.
Working closely with progressive organisations, we can all use GenM’s ongoing groundbreaking research, knowledge and experience to better understand the 48 symptoms, provide better support to all those in menopause and signpost them to products and services that already exist.
The Invisibility Report - The findings of this report are the foundations for everything that GemM as the Menopause Partner of Brands stands for. We are here to collectively unite responsible brands, organisations and employers, to improve the menopause experience, normalise the conversation, and stop those in menopause being overlooked at home, at work and across society. (https://gen-m.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/106847-Gen-M-Invisibility-Report-082.pdf)
Raising Awareness of the Menopause One Campaign At a Time Men: Misunderstanding Menopause is a national campaign helping to raise awareness of the menopause and its symptoms amongst men. (https://gen-m.com/shattered/)
Maryon Stewart BEM, with more than 29 years of experience of study and expertise, is known as the pioneer of the natural menopause movement. She has written 28 self-help books and was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2018.(https://maryonstewart.com)
Tera Greene - Kickstart Your Confidence (https://2kyw5krv.pages.infusionsoft.net/?affiliate=0)
Jill Anderson is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Southern California Edison. She has served in several leadership roles in several utilities in her career. At SCE in addition to her current position, she has also been the Senior Vice President of Customer Service and Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning & Power Supply. At New York Power Authority, she worked as the Chief Commercial Officer, Vice President of Public Affairs and Energy Policy and Chief of Staff to the CEO. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from NYU.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Jill shares her career journey starting out in the utility industry, moving into leadership positions early in her career; she discusses her wide variety of experiences from leading people in the field to leading people in an office. We talk about some of the challenges faced in being a woman in the field of a utility and how to handle those challenges. Jill provides insight into leadership and her leadership experiences. She shares how she has developed her skill sets over her career to move into the executive leadership role she currently inhabits.
- The importance of meeting people where they are - one person at a time.
- Jill's experience in a variety of leadership experiences at different utilities. Technical leadership roles and leadership roles in non-technical areas of utilities.
- Why and how Jill uses social media and is purposefully visible so she can be a role model as a woman engineer and a woman executive.
- The importance of being in leadership and being in the field with her employees.
- How Jill strategically and intentionally uses her time in a week and how she intentionally invests in herself.
- Enjoying the people side is one of the most important parts of being in leadership vs. staying technical
- Avoiding office manager type tasks - or sharing them equally with others on your team.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
A capacitor bank is a group of several capacitors connected in series or parallel combinations. Capacitors are electrical and electronic components that store electrical energy. Thus, capacitor banks (cap banks) store the reactive energy (leading) and compensate for inductive energy (lagging), thus improving the power factor. As a result, the grid gets more stable and higher transmission capacity and suffers fewer transmission losses. (https://www.electricalvolt.com/2022/08/what-is-a-capacitor-bank/)
Reactive load refers to the electrical load that consumes apparent power in a circuit, such as an inductor or capacitor. This type of load consumes current that is out of phase with the voltage, and can cause power factor issues in a power system. Reactive load refers to the electrical load that consumes apparent power in a circuit, such as an inductor or capacitor. (https://www.quora.com)
The Nobel Conference is an academic conference held annually at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Founded in 1963, the conference links a general audience with scientists in topics related to the natural and social sciences. (Wikipedia)
California Announces Almost 18 Percent Of Cars Bought In 2022 Were Electric (https://insideevs.com/news/619370/california-18-percent-new-cars-electric/).
In 2022, 5.8% of the new cars Americans bought were electric, up from 3.2% in 2021. Total EV sales topped 800,000 for the first time. (https://www.kbb.com/car-news/new-car-sales-fell-in-2022-but-new-electric-car-sales-rose-dramatically/)
It has been estimated that nearly 40% of women who earn engineering degrees either never enter the profession or quit. (https://hbr.org/2016/08/why-do-so-many-women-who-study-engineering-leave-the-field)
Hayley Hoaglund and Madeleine Howard developed a tampon that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect cervical cancer without a pap smear. They share their journey with the intersection of women's global health, business, and tech.
Hayley has worked in health care and program management from rural settings to government level. From community level health efforts in the Peace Corps in Peru to working on program design and management within the Ministry of Health, she’s designed and implemented projects from the ground, up.
Madeleine also works in global health and reproductive health both within the government and global health organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and US Global Leadership Coalition.
What do we talk about in this episode?
We talk about so many things on this episode! In addition to talking about the AI tampon itself, we dive into global health, women's health and reproductive health, how to normalize talking about women's health issues, the intersection of business, health, and technology.
- What is a tampon with artificial intelligence? How did this come about?
- The goal of the AI tampon and how it can reduce cervical cancer and cervical cancer deaths globally.
- The importance normalizing conversations about women's healthcare and reproductive care.
- How to take an idea from concept to reality of a product on a shelf.
- They both share their journeys in global health and their experiences in health care working in other parts of the world.
- Global health spending and how the US spends 3X more on healthcare than any other developed country, without necessarily having better outcomes. But, we do have great medical care in the US.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
USAID - Promotes and demonstrates democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. In support of America's foreign policy, the U.S. Agency for International Development leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises. (https://www.usaid.gov)
Gender Based Violence (GBV) - refers to harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality and the abuse of power. (https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/gender-based-violence.html)
John's Hopkins Carey Business School- the graduate business school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. (Wikipedia)
Women’s health has been underfunded and understudied for decades. Even though women make up 51% of the United States population, women’s health research accounted for only 10.7% of all basic research funding from the NIH in 2020. (https://medium.com/@karenrubin/why-womens-health-is-a-500m-problem-worth-solving-d0f3696e1c6a)
The U.S. spends three to four times more on health care than South Korea, New Zealand, and Japan. (https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2023/jan/us-health-care-global-perspective-2022)
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are third party companies that function as intermediaries between insurance providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. PBMs create formularies, negotiate rebates (discounts paid by a drug manufacturer to a PBM) with manufacturers, process claims, create pharmacy networks, and review drug utilization. (https://content.naic.org/cipr-topics/pharmacy-benefit-managers)
Parmin Sedigh is a high school senior in Canada who enjoys researching and creating content about stem cells and developmental biology. She is also also the VP of Communications at Eye Hope Canada and a Sponsorships Associate at the Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Parmin developed a passion for stem cells and developmental biology. She talks about how she became interested in the subject through The Knowledge Society (TKS) and created blogs and a YouTube channel to explain stem cells to non scientific people.
- The importance of making scientific and medical information consumable to lay people.
- Stem cell research and how Parmin got interested in it in high school.
- Permian's high school experience and activities and how COVID affected her high school experience.
- How to get young people interested in STEM careers.
- Parmin helped organize a TedX conference at her high school.
- Permin's plans for university and how sure should someone be about what they want to study before going to university?
- The importance of people in the industry connecting with students and young people when they reach out. And definitely don't ghost them if they do reach out!
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
Parmin's Website: https://parminsedigh.medium.com
Parmin's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHCv6JNpw5oNrf6bAtdA05Q
Gairdner Science Week - The Gairdner Foundation was established in 1957 with the main goal of recognizing and rewarding international excellence in fundamental research that impacts human health. Annually, seven awards are given: five Canada Gairdner International Awards for biomedical research, one John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award, specifically for impact on global health issues, and one Canada Gairdner Wightman Award, reserved for a Canadian. (https://gairdner.org/events/gairdner-science-week-2022/)
In most provinces of Canada, the third Monday in February is observed as a regional statutory holiday, typically known in general as Family Day (French: Jour de la famille)—though some provinces use their own names, as they celebrate the day for different reasons. (Wikipedia)
The Knowledge Society (TKS) helps ambitious young people change the world. TKS offers a 10-month educational accelerator for high school students wherein they'll learn about cutting-edge technologies, growth mindsets that are key to success, and how to use this knowledge to reach their full potential. TKS students also have the opportunity to work alongside and learn from industry-leading experts at companies and organizations like the United Nations, Google, Apple, and more. (https://www.tks.world)
Isabel Nelson is a senior majoring in computer science, minoring in business at Montana State University. She is in her last semester of college and is beginning to look for jobs.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Isabel talks about why she decided to go into computer science even though she had never taken a coding class before declaring her major.
- How Post Secondary Education Option (PSEO) and starting college during COVID affected her college experience.
- The difference between a BS and BA in computer science.
- How to deal with social anxiety when you're starting to job hunt and interview.
- Challenges of starting work life remotely. Her full remote internship was not a great entry into the work world.
- The importance of internships and leveraging connections and networks to find and change jobs.
- Don't be afraid or embarassed to find resources such as tutors to help you be successful in college.
- Girls should be able to be themselves - dress how they want to, wear makeup, do their nails, etc. and be in STEM fields.
- Normalizing girls and women in STEM in media, social media, etc. to make it more accessible to young girls/women.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
"Hello World!": A complete Python-based computer programming tutorial with fun illustrations, examples, and hand-on exercises. (https://www.amazon.com/Hello-World-Computer-Programming-Kids/dp/161729702X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2J3RCZ05QGXZU&keywords=hello+world+python&qid=1676681470&sprefix=hello+world+pyt%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1)
In software engineering, the terms frontend and backend (or sometimes referred to as back end or back-end) refer to the separation of concernsbetween the presentation layer (frontend), and the data access layer (backend) of a piece of software, or the physical infrastructure or hardware. In the client–server model, the client is usually considered the frontend and the server is usually considered the backend, even when some presentation work is actually done on the server itself. (wikipedia)
Esteffanie - A YouTube content creator who likes to build things and share my projects, experiments, and failures on my YouTube and Instagram channels. (https://www.estefannie.com)
Grace Hopper Celebration - Created in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, the AnitaB.org flagship event Grace Hopper Celebration brings the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. (https://ghc.anitab.org)
In computer graphics, turtle graphics are vector graphics using a relative cursor (the "turtle") upon a Cartesian plane (x and y axis).
Girlboss, also known as girlboss-ism, is a neologism popularised by Sophia Amoruso in her 2014 book Girlboss, which denotes a woman "whose success is defined in opposition to the masculine business world in which she swims upstream". The concept's ethos has been described as "convenient incrementalism". (wikipedia)
Junior Achievement’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. The inspiration piece comes from community volunteers who not only deliver our lessons, but share their experience. In the process, these volunteers serve as role models helping to positively impact young people’s perceptions about the importance of education, as well as critical life skills. (https://jausa.ja.org/programs/index)
Eliza Kosoy is the Founder of Eliza Dolls, a doll which teaches young girls how to code and build hardware through custom, tech-enabled projects based on things girls love. Eliza is also a PhD Student at University of California, Berkeley working in child development and Artificial Intelligence.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Eliza shares how she came to start Eliza Dolls and what her goals and aspirations are for her company. She also shares how her work in her day job as PhD student studying children and AI and how Eliza Dolls has affected her research.
- Eliza shares how starting Eliza Dolls will hopefully change future generations and encourage more girls to go into STEM fields.
- Girls play and interact with coding differently than boys.
- How does an idea become a prototype and then become a product? How do you find investors, factories, and get a product to market?
- Normalizing girls being interested in STEM and women going into STEM fields - this needs to be part of our everyday, normal lives.
- What is an angel investor?
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
Eliza Dolls - https://www.elizadolls.com.
An angel investor (also known as a business angel, informal investor, angel funder, private investor, or seed investor) is an individual who provides capital for a business or businesses, including startups, usually in exchange for convertibledebt or ownershipequity. (Wikipedia)
Girlboss, neologism popularised by Sophia Amoruso in her 2014 book Girlboss, which denotes a woman "whose success is defined in opposition to the masculine business world in which she swims upstream". The term became popular in 2014 after Sophia Amoruso used it with a hashtag prefix in her bestselling autobiography, which was adapted into a TV show of the same name. Its early usage was defined by perceived empowerment. Its popularity led to it becoming a "a template for marketing and writing about powerful women in virtually every industry". (Wikipedia)
Sophia Amoruso launches Trust Fund for founders- https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/19/sophia-amoruso-enters-venture-with-her-trust-fund-nasty-gal-girlboss/
"How Things Work" Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-things-work/id1524856935
Lennis Perez is the founder and chief wellness engineer at Just Lennis, LLC, a wellness consulting company focusing on helping organizations and individuals implement stress management strategies to prevent burnout, improve efficiency, productivity, and overall well-being. She is a certified meditation teacher and coach and has a Masters in Chemical Engineering with over 16 years of experience in the chemical industry.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Lennis is passionate about wellness and helping other women in STEM to stop putting themselves and their wellness last or as an afterthought to ensure they are being their best selves in all aspects of life. She shares how she works with individuals and corporations and we walk through some challenges I'm having and how she would potentially work with me to help me achieve my wellness goals.
- The importance of wellbeing throughout our lives and how to incorporate wellbeing into our lives NOW...don't wait until the next thing to start...
- What we eat affects our gut and how that affects many, many aspects of our wellbeing. It impacts mood, hormones, cravings.
- How sleep is affected by what you eat. And the importance of sleep and rest.
- Making changes that impact your well-being by creating new patterns in your brain.
- Only make one small change at a time. Pick the low hanging fruit - how can I get the biggest benefit with the smallest effort. Taking on too much change is not sustainable.
- Change can be hard because we are letting go of a piece of ourselves we've had for 20, 30, 40+ years.
- The importance of meditation (mindfulness, breath work, whatever you want to call it).
- The four stages of meditation. Thoughts, repetition of the mantra, falling asleep, and stillness.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Resources
Lennis Perez is an international speaker and coach. Through her workshops, events, and individual mentoring, she teaches professionals in STEM how to manage stress in practical and sustainable ways to ultimately become the conscious leaders and role models of well-being in their workplace and beyond. With her engineering background, meditation and nutrition certifications, she brings a unique but relatable approach to holistic wellness in STEM. She calls it Engineering Wellness from Within(TM). You can book a complimentary 30-minute chat with Lennis here: https://calendly.com/lennisperez/call
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennis-perez/)
Primordial Sound Meditation, or PSM, is a healing practice that allows us to experience inner calm and deep relaxation. For thousands of years, people have used meditation to move beyond the mind's busy activity and emotional turbulence into profound peace and expanded awareness. (https://chopra.com/articles/what-is-primordial-sound-meditation)
Ohm - the SI unit of electrical resistance, expressing the resistance in a circuit transmitting a current of one ampere when subjected to a potential difference of one volt. (wikipedia)
Deepak Chopra - an Indian-American author and alternative medicine advocate. Chopra studied medicine in India before emigrating in 1970 to the United States, where he completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in endocrinology. As a licensed physician, in 1980 he became chief of staff at the New England Memorial Hospital (NEMH). In 1985, he met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and became involved in the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement. Shortly thereafter, Chopra resigned his position at NEMH to establish the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center. In 1993, Chop
Saba Khalid is a Manager in Technical and Business Consulting focusing on Energy & Utilities. She has Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Electrical Engineering.
What do we talk about in this episode?
Saba and I talk about some challenges many of us face as women in STEM in STEM (or women in any career for that matter).
- Perfectionism and being people pleasers. Why do we feel the need to be liked by everyone?
- Navigating careers. How do you determine what's next? When do you bring in outside help, such as career coaches?
- How a life changing event can impact where you want your career, and life, to go.
- The importance of innovation and being creative and where does creativity fit into engineering?
- Creating a career bucket list. Failing can actually be helpful. And when do you get out and try something else?
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Other Resources
"Utilities' Need for Advanced Telecommunications". By Saba Khalid, Spencer Hotovec, & John Clancy. Climate and Energy. The Wiley Library. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/gas.22323)
The University Innovation Fellows (UIF) program empowers students around the world to become agents of change in higher education. Fellows create opportunities that help their peers unlock their creative potential and develop the design-centered mindset required to take on complex challenges in today’s world. Students of all majors and academic levels – from first-years to PhDs – who want to shape the future of education are encouraged to apply. (https://dschool.stanford.edu/university-innovation/university-innovation-fellows)
Ashley McDonald is the Interim Vice President of Sustainability at National Pork Board. Ashley's passion for agriculture, farming, and STEM started at a very young age and she specializes in sustainability and policy.
Ashley has a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Economics and a Doctor of Law (JD) from George Mason University.
Episode Notes
Ashley shares the close relationship between agriculture and STEM fields. She specializes in sustainability in the pork industry and she talks about the many facets of sustainability - including...the importance of poop!
Science, technology, and engineering all play critical roles in agriculture which Ashley explains. She also shares how she got interested in the industry and how she comes from a background of both agriculture and engineering influences in her life. And she debunks some common myths such as the reduction of family farming in the US and how gender diverse farming truly is.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Capturing Cow Farts and Burps - Using silly science, Erin engages young children in science and energy. (https://www.amazon.com/Capturing-Farts-Burps-Erin-Twamley/dp/1647648572)
Most farms are still family owned in the US. (https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/01/23/look-americas-family-farms)
Lois Melbourne is the co-author of the newly released science-fiction novel, "Moral Code", a book about ethical artificial intelligence. Lois has also written two children's books and is the former co-founder and CEO of Acquire, a global technology company which provides talent management solutions.
Lois now calls herself the Chief Storytelling Officer - a great title! She has a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Episode Notes
Lois Melbourne's book, "Moral Code" is a book about the power of artificial intelligence and and an AI who's mission is to defend against child abuse and trafficking. The book features strong female STEM characters and is a wonderfully written, thought provoking science fiction novel. Lois shares how she got started writing fiction and her enjoyment that comes from this new career for her.
Lois spent nearly 20 years as the CEO of Acquire, a company she co-founded with her husband. They also co-authored "Moral Code" and work well together! Lois shares her career journey and how she navigated the technology space as a young, female CEO a couple decades ago and the challenges and opportunities it brought her.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Moral Code - Dr. Keira Stetson has two passions: ethical artificial intelligence—AI with a conscience—and creating technology that improves children’s lives. Trapped in an earthquake-flattened building with a half-dozen panicked five-year-olds, she fears the worst. When billionaire Roy Brandt leverages his mysterious nanite technology to rescue them, she’s both grateful and intrigued. Impressed by his prototype technology but alarmed at its potential for exploitation, Keira merges her company with Brandt’s. The merger gives Keira access to much-needed funds for the development of her own tech, and access to Brandt’s powerful minuscule robots. In turn, she and her AI assistant, Elly, embed Keira’s trademark Moral Operating System in Brandt’s nanite SmartDust to rein in its power. But Brandt’s technology has been kept secret for a reason. Though he’s adamant about using the Dust to improve life, not destroy it, corporate raiders and the military have other ideas. They want to weaponize Brandt’s nanites. Suddenly, everything Keira has worked for is in jeopardy. Exposed to the worst humanity has to offer, she and Elly must fight to use this newfound tech for good and keep it out of the wrong hands…before it’s too late. (https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Code-Lois-Melbourne-ebook/dp/B0B44H9FH7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=moral+code&qid=1668562601&sr=8-1)
Moral Code Available Now
https://www.amazon.com/product/dp/0997679204
Proceeds of Moral Code go to the following organizations: www.preventchildabuse.org and www.thorn.org.
The STEM Club Goes Exploring (My Future Story) https://www.amazon.com/STEM-Club-Exploring-Future-Story/dp/1626343039/ref=sr_1_2?crid=33SYV7698AOT0&keywords=lois+melbourne&qid=1668562707&sprefix=lois+melbourne%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-2)
Kids Go To Work Day (My Future Story) (https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Work-Day-Future-Story/dp/1626343861/ref=sr_1_3?crid=33SYV7698AOT0&keywords=lois+melbourne&qid=1668562707&sprefix=lois+melbourne%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-3)
A nanite is a microscopic robotic device, and a form of nanotechnology that was built by manipulating atoms. Nanites were small eno
Patty Mechael is a leader in digital transformation of global health in low-and middle-income countries. She is the Co-founder and Policy Lead of HealthEnabled. She has held numerous executive and leadership positions, traveled to over 40 countries, and spent more than 20 years improving public health throughout the world. She has served as Executive Director of the mHealth Alliance at the UN Foundation and Executive Vice President of the Personal Connected Health Alliance at HIMSS as well as Visiting Professor at Princeton University and Adjunct Professor at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Patty takes this deep knowledge of public health and combines it with a passion for writing fiction. She recently released a middle-school novel "The Antidotes: The Pollution Solution" a book she wrote with input from her middle-school aged son during the pandemic.
Patty has a PhD in Public Health and Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has a Master of Health Science, International Public Health/International Health from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and a BA in Near Easter Studies from The Johns Hopkins University.
Episode Notes
Patty’s newly released book “The Antidotes: The Pollution Solution” brings together two of her greatest passions – writing fiction and global health. Patty shares how she became interested in writing fiction, how she actually began the writing process, her inspirations, and provides some guidance that may be helpful for other scientists who are interested in writing.
She shares her extensive experience in global health in over 40 countries and more than 25 years in the field. We talk a bit about the pandemic and she provides her viewpoints of what went well, what could be improved upon and our joint hope for our future in the youth of the world.
To learn more about Patty and to join the The Antidotes Community visit: www.patriciamechael.com/antidotes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Bellagio Fellowship - The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency Program is a project-based residency that offers academics, artists, policymakers, and practitioners a serene setting for focused, goal-oriented work, and the unparalleled opportunity to establish new connections with residents from a wide array of backgrounds, disciplines, and geographies. (https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bellagio-center/residency-program/)
Rūta Šepetys; born November 19, 1967) is a Lithuanian-American writer of historical fiction. As an author, she is a #1 New York Times and international bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow and the first American writer of young adult literature to speak at the European Parliament and NATO. (Wikipedia)
The history of plastic pollution in the ocean is extensive because of plastic's long life. The material never truly goes away — it merely breaks apart into microplastics that marine animals ingest and absorb. Three species of fish in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean have been found to have polyethylene and polyester microplastics in their bodies. (https://www.4ocean.com/blogs/blog/a-brief-history-of-the-plastic-crisis)
Dr. LaQuandra S. Nesbitt is a board-certified family physician with over a decade of experience leading population health initiatives in governmental public health agencies. Dr. Nesbitt currently serves as the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health in Washington, DC, a position she has held since January 2015. (https://dchealth.dc.gov/biography/laquandra-s-nesbitt-md-mph)
Erin Twamley is an award-winning children’s book author, educator and lifetime Girl Scout. Erin's current children's book series, Everyday Superheroes, provides female role models in different STEM, energy, and engineering careers. Erin's background in psychology, education, and energy provide the foundation from which Erin creates this book series featuring real women in real careers in a format designed for children and educators.
Erin has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Education. Erin spent four years working as an education specialist at the Department of Energy and recently was named a Clean Energy Champion for her storytelling and literacy efforts.
Episode Notes
Erin talks about her newly released book "Everyday Superheroes: Women in Energy Careers", a multicultural children's book featuring real women working in energy careers around the world. She shares how she got into writing children's books about women in STEM from her background in psychology and education. We talk about the importance of women and girls in STEM in media.
Erin has a deep passion and knowledge of the energy industry and for story telling. Her books are geared towards educators and parents in addition to children. The illustrations are remarkable. She writes in bite size chunks to make it easy to read a new story and person & career daily. I'm excited to share these books with my nieces and nephews for Christmas this year!
Erin also shares her experiences traveling to and living overseas since leaving her hometown of Brainerd, Minnesota - which happens to be where I live now. I even got to meet Erin (and her STEM mom) this summer.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Everyday Superheroes: Women in STEM CareersThis children's book features women STEM superheroes from a variety of careers from A to Z. It introduces six STEM super powers. (https://bookshop.org/books/everyday-superheroes-women-in-stem-careers/9781634891981)
Everyday Superheroes: Women in Energy Careers This book features thirty-four real-life energy superheroes who install solar panels, dig wells miles into the ground, connect power lines, and drive us into the future with battery-powered cars. (https://bookshop.org/p/books/everyday-superheroes-women-in-energy-careers-erin-twamley/18361212?ean=9781634894340)
Capturing Cow Farts and Burps - Using silly science, Erin engages young children in science and energy. (https://www.amazon.com/Capturing-Farts-Burps-Erin-Twamley/dp/1647648572)
Climate Change: The Science Behind Melting Glaciers and Warming Oceans with Hands-On Science Activities(Nomad Press, 2020)
Renewable Energy: Discover the Fuel of the Future (Nomad Press, 2016)
Dr. Emilia Molimpakis is the co-founder and CEO of thymia, a company that uses video games based on Neuropsychology along with analysis of speech and facial micro expressions to quickly, accurately, and objectively diagnosis mental health issues, including depression. In 2020/2021 she won the Young Innovators Award.
Emilia has a PhD in Neuroscience and Linguistics, a Master's Degree in Language Sciences with specialisation in Linguistics with Neuroscience.
Episode Notes
Emilia shares how she came to start thymia and how her work in neuroscience and linguistics came together in a very personal way when a friend of hers attempted suicide. The gap in the ability for clinicians to objectively analyze depression and warning signs led Emilia to use her skillset and time spent consulting in a scientific area of gaming to start thymia.
Emilia shares her experience taking her idea, finding a co-founder to work with, starting thymia, securing venture capital and the challenges, hurdles, and successes she faced along the way. We talk quite a bit about the world of venture capital (VC) and how toxic and challenging it is for female founders. Emilia talks about the Entrepreneur First and how she met her co-founder there and they're experience working together after they found their "match" - yep, it's a bit like blind dating.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
thymia - We use video games based on Neuropsychology together with analyses of facial microexpressions & speech patterns to make mental health assessments faster, more accurate and objective. (https://thymia.ai)
Suicide Rates - United States - 16.1 per 100k; United Kingdom - 7.9 per 100k (https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country
Entrepreneur First - Entrepreneur First isn’t an accelerator. We don’t invest in pre-existing companies or teams. We select individuals we recognise to have huge founder potential, from all walks of life, and bring them together to find their co-founders. We allow them to find co-founders they wouldn’t normally meet, but that make the best partner for them. Every one of our founders is hand-chosen for their skills, behaviour and potential, and committed to building company now. We create the ideal environment for you to trial partnerships, and test ideas at a rapid pace. We’ll cover your living costs while you do it. We’ll give you access to a global network of founders, advisors and investors. If we believe the company you build has the potential to succeed at scale, we’ll invest. It’s intense, it’s challenging, it’ll be the fastest you ever build in your life. But our most successful founders create $1M a week in value – so if you succeed, it’s worth it. (https://www.joinef.com)
Hicksposum ParticleA quantitative analyst or “quant” is a specialist who applies mathematical and statistical methods to financial and risk management problems. (https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/careers-advice/4-reasons-why-you-should-become-quantitative-analyst)
If you think that men make better leaders, not only do we disagree, but we have the data to back it up! The 32 companies that have women as CEOs have significantly outperformed the companies run by men. Over the past 10 years, the difference in returns is 384% from female-led companies vs. 261% from male-led companies. A few notable companies with women CEOs are GM, UPS, Citigroup, and CVS. (https://www.personalfinanceclub.com/are-female-ceos-better-than-male-ceos/)
Venture Capital (VC) - a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to startups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth potential or which have demonstrated high growth. (Wikipedia)
Kimberly Moore is the founder and CEO of KDM Engineering, a consulting firm specializing in utilities and telecommunications. She is the founder and president of Calculated Genius, an organization dedicated to helping underrepresented youth explore and connect to STEM in an effort to inspire and support a brighter future. Kimberly serves on several boards of directors and has won several awards including 2021 Society of Women Engineers Entrepreneur Award, 2018 Engineering News Record (ENR) 20 Under 40 National Award, 2019 Chicagoland ATHENA Emerging Leader Award, and many more.
Kimberly has a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, a Master's Degree in Engineering and recently started working on a PhD in Electrical Engineering.
Episode Notes
Kimberly shares her experiences as an engineer and how she founded KDM Engineering, which she founded 14 years ago. She shares how she became interested in engineering as it wasn't a career she knew anything about when she was growing up. She shares how running KDM led her to start Calculated Genius. And she talks about her latest endeavor starting a restaurant - which is also related to KDM. She shares her goals and aspirations of where she wants to go personally and with KDM.
Kimberly also talks about the challenge of being the "only" in her engineering classes and jobs and the importance of finding community. She also talks about the business of her life and how she manages the many aspects of her life (she has added hours to her day ;-)).
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
KDM Engineering is a WBE/MBE professional engineering firm focusing on power distribution design, gas distribution and telecommunications design. Headquartered in Chicago, the firm also has branch offices on the east coast. (https://kdmengineering.com)
Calculated Genius is dedicated to helping underrepresented youth explore and connect to STEM in order to inspire and support a brighter future. The organization was founded by Chicago engineer and entrepreneur, Kimberly Moore, to bridge the gap between education and application. (https://www.calculatedgenius.org)
1308 Chicago - A SpeakEatery located in the new Salt District touting a dining experience with a fresh twist on new American cuisine. With an ownership team made up of local entrepreneurs from backgrounds of all types, 1308 is a melting pot of ideas and experiences. (https://www.1308chicago.com)
Boards of Directors is the correct plural.
A PhD in electrical engineering general takes 5 to 7 years to complete. (https://www.allengineeringschools.com/engineering-careers/article/phd-engineering/)
Located on the campus of UNC Charlotte, the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) was formed through private and public funding in response to the need to supply well-educated and highly trained engineers qualified to meet the demands of the energy industry, and to provide sustainable support for applied research. (https://epic.charlotte.edu)
For more than seven decades, Society of Women Engineers (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. (www.swe.org)
A growing number of men are undergoing a radical and expensive surgery to grow anywhere from three to six inches. The catch: It requires having both your femurs broken. GQ goes inside the booming world of leg lengthening. (https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle/article/leg-lengthening-surgery-men)
Adriana Talianová is a 16 year old student in Slovakia. She recently completed an internship at NASA and is also working as a research assistant at Northwestern University.
Episode Notes
Adriana talks about her experience working at NASA SEES (Stem Enhancement in Earth Sciences) and as a Research Assistant at Northwestern University at such a young age. She talks about the importance of just going for it - applying for jobs, etc. even if you don't think you will be hired or accepted.
She shares her experience taking hard math and science classes and being the only girl in some of those classes. She talks about her interest in space and what got her interested in space. She shares how biographies of women in STEM peaked her interest and let to her taking more math and science classes and being interested in STEM.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
NASA Earth Science NASA’s Earth Science Division uses unique global observations from space, air, sea and on land. This data enables informed decision-making for agriculture, water and food security, urban planning, disaster preparedness and response, transportation, climate and weather, and myriad other things that benefit life on Earth. (https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science)
23% of engineers in US are women. 27% of people working in STEM fields in US are women. (https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html)
Approximately 19% of STEM University graduates in Slovakia are women (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Share-of-university-graduates-in-STEM-related-subjects_fig1_280298391)
In the US, Physics classes are generally taught/taken in 11th grade (https://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum/high-school-physics.html)
Madison Sidebottom is a Civil Engineer currently working towards her Professional Surveyor License. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from Western Kentucky University.
Episode Notes
Madison shares her experiences as a new civil engineer - her challenges starting out as one of the only women in her department in her company. How an internship helped her not only figure out what she wanted to do as a civil engineer, but also was such a positive job experience, that it helped when she encountered a more challenging job situation after graduation.
Madison shares how she got interested in civil engineering (cows - who knew cows had anything to do with civil engineering??) and what her future career plans are (running the world - I have no doubt that she can!). Madison is from central Kentucky and grew up in an area with few engineering or STEM influences. We also talk about the importance of women in STEM in media.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
A Professional Surveyor is an accredited professional who conducts land surveys to measure and define real property and its boundaries. The professional may denote their certification as Professional Surveyor (P.S.), Licensed Surveyor (L.S.), Professional Land Surveyor (P.L.S.), Registered Land Surveyor (R.L.S.), Registered Professional Land Surveyor (R.P.L.S.), or Professional Surveyor and Mapper (P.S.M.). In the U.S., the most common designation is P.S., while in Canada they are referred to as Canada Land Surveyor (C.L.S.). Licensed Surveyors may work as a sole proprietor or contract surveyor, or may be employed by a Land survey company. Land surveying companies often take the form of a survey coordination firm, where a large network of professional surveyors are contracted by a smaller group of staff professional surveyors. The staff surveyors serve as the single point of contact with the client, coordinate with the contract surveyor to conduct the land survey, and then review the land survey or “plat” for the client’s specifications and quality assurance/quality control. Licensed Surveyors are considered distinct from professional engineers; however, the fields are often closely related, particularly in civil engineering. (https://www.partneresi.com/resources/glossary/professional-land-surveyor)
New dinosaur tracks have been uncovered in Texas due to a severe drought that dried up a river. The new tracks, found at Dinosaur Valley State Park, had been buried under layers of sediment. The park is located southwest of Dallas. Many parts of Texas have experienced severe drought this summer. The park, where visitors can observe dinosaur tracks and other wildlife and camp has been under a "burn ban effect" – meaning no fires allowed, due to the drought. The tracks at the park date back 113 million years and the majority of them belong to two species: A theropod called Acrocanthosaurus and a sauropod called Sauroposeidon, Garcia said. An Acrocanthosaurus would stand about 15 feet tall as an adult and weight close to seven tons. Sauroposeidon would be about 60 feet tall and weigh about 44 tons as an adult. (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-dinosaur-tracks-uncovered-drought-dried-up-river-texas-dinosaur-valley-state-park/)
Dr. Monique Chism is the Undersecretary for Education at the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Chism is repsonsible for coordinating educational programming throughout all of the Smithsonian facilities. She has spent her life working in education including the Department of Education. She is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of work and life. Dr. Chism has a PhD in American Studies.
Episode Notes
Dr. Monique Chism shares the fascinating history of the Smithsonian Institute and why she considers it to be one of the most accessible and relevant museums in the country. She talks about her role as the Undersecretary of Education at the Museum - what she does, the programming she is involved in, some of the fascinating people she gets to meet (she had just Mae Jamison the night before our interview). We talk about the intersection of art an science (which is at the core of the Smithsonian's history) and the importance of both.
The Smithsonian Institution is made up of 60 museums - not all of them are located in the Washington DC area. It is the largest museum complex in the world. Dr. Chism explains about the educational programming the Smithsonian has (and there is a lot - almost all free!!) and their goal of bringing the Smithsonian to every American. There's so much great work and programming going on at the Smithsonian, both on site and virtually!
(So, here's a side note...I love the Smithsonian - I try to visit at least one museum everytime I'm in DC. I thought I knew a lot about it, but I have apparently just scratched the surface. I learned so much about the museum and the institute both by meeting Dr. Chism in person at the Smithsonian Castle where she works - I rarely have gotten to meet my guests in person and through our conversation)
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Smithsonian Museums, Galleries, and Zoo
Smithsonian Institution Research Centers
IF/Then Collection
Mae Carol Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. (Wikipedia)
The space shuttle Discovery is the centerpiece of the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.
“The Smithsonian Institution”―When most people hear the name, museums, scientific research, even Dorothy’s ruby slippers and the Wright brothers’ plane come to mind. But many don’t know how, or for that matter, who created the Smithsonian. The Institution is now 169 years old, but its true beginning happened 250 years ago with the birth of a seemingly ill-fated boy named James Smithson. Smithson (c. 1765–1829), the founding donor of the Smithsonian, was an English chemist and mineralogist. He was the illegitimate son of Hugh Smithson, the first Duke of Northumberland, and the wealthy widow Elizabeth Hungerford Keate Macie. His exact birthday remains a mystery because he was born secretly in Paris, where his mother had gone to hide her pregnancy. He was born James Lewis Macie, but in 1801, after his parents died, he took his father’s last name of Smithson. Toward the end of his life, under a clause in his will, he left his fortune to the United States. It was to be used to found “an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge…” in Washington, D.C. and it was to be named the Smithsonian Institution.
Jodi Boone is a Product Manager 2 for Microsoft's Azure platform, a cloud computing platform for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers. Jodi graduated graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science in 2020.
Erin Chapple is a product and technology executive who delivers multibillion-dollar revenues through innovation, product leadership and technology acumen. She leads Microsoft Azure Core product and design. Erin has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering and a Master's Degree in Applied Behavioral Science - Coaching and Consulting in Organizations.
Episode Notes
Jodi and Erin share their experience as a mentor and mentee. They talk about their experience from their different perspectives. Erin as an experienced executive who has been in the industry for many years and Jodi as an entry level computer science graduate. Jodi and Erin connected at a SheHacks hackathon which was the beginning of a series of conversations and eventually developed into a mentoring relationships.
We talk about the benefits of mentoring, not just for the mentee but also for the mentor and how a mentorship resembles dating...a thread that weaves itself throughout our conversation. Erin and Jodi's mentoring relationship was built over time and has been instrumental in guiding Jodi as she started her career and pivoted to a new focus shortly after entering the job market.
We also talk about the importance of networking and the difference between sponsorships and mentorships.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
SheHacks+ is Canada’s biggest all-female and non-binary 36 hour hackathon, which aims to help individuals who are subject to gender discrimination realize they belong in tech. (https://shehacks.ca)
SCRUM - a framework for project management, with an initial emphasis on software development, although it has been used in other fields including research, sales, marketing and advanced technologies. It is designed for teams of ten or fewer members, who break their work into goals that can be completed within time-boxed iterations, called sprints, no longer than one month and most commonly two weeks. (wikipedia)
Microsoft Azure - The Azure cloud platform is more than 200 products and cloud services designed to help you bring new solutions to life—to solve today’s challenges and create the future. Build, run, and manage applications across multiple clouds, on-premises, and at the edge, with the tools and frameworks of your choice. (https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/cloud-computing-dictionary/what-is-azure/)
Cindy Lawrence is the Executive Director and CEO of the Museum of Mathematics. The Museum of Mathematics began in 2008 with the mission of enhancing public understanding and perception of mathematics. Its dynamic exhibits and programs stimulate inquiry, spark curiosity, and reveal the wonders of mathematics.
Episode Notes
Cindy shares her joy of mathematics and the Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) and the importance of making mathematics accessible, joyful, and beautiful for all that visit MoMath. She shares how her perspective as a non-mathematician was very important during the museum's creation as exhibits were being developed to ensure the museum was a place where all people would feel welcomed and that all people could understand the exhibits.
She shares how the museum came together (initially it was a traveling exhibit), how she got involved, and the process of fundraising to bring the museum to fruition.
MoMath is an amazing place that is immersive, interactive, and beautiful. It is well worth the visit when you're in NYC!
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
MoMath is located at 11 East 26th Street in Manhattan and is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, seven days a week, 364 days a year (MoMath is closed on Thanksgiving Day and after 2:30 pm on one Wednesday every month for Math Encounters*). Information can be found at https://momath.org.
Stan Wagon invented the square wheel tricycle and is from Minnesota. He is a Canadian-American mathematician, a professor of mathematics at Macalester College in Minnesota. He is the author of multiple books on number theory, geometry, and computational mathematics, and is also known for his snow sculpture. (wikipedia)
Erik D. Demaine (born 28 February 1981) is a professor of Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a former child prodigy. (wikipedia)
Jennifer Chase (data scientist) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennchase/
A study of 104 children from ages 3 to 10 found similar patterns of brain activity in boys and girls as they engaged in basic math tasks, researchers reported Friday in the journal Science of Learning."They are indistinguishable," says Jessica Cantlon, an author of the study and professor of developmental neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University. (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/11/08/777187543/math-looks-the-same-in-the-brains-of-boys-and-girls-study-finds)
Eileen Marie Collins (born November 19, 1956) is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force (USAF) colonel. A former flight instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle and the first to command a Space Shuttle mission. (wikipedia)
Lisa Bowers is a mission-driven, visionary, senior executive in the biopharmaceutical industry. She has extensive experience leading strategic, operational, field, program and product initiatives in healthcare. She is passionate about improving access to healthcare and healthcare products for underserved populations in businesses and nonprofits. Lisa has an Master of Health Services Administration and a bachelor's degree in English.
Episode Notes
With the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022 women's rights were grievously attacked. Lisa brings a long history of working in biotech and reproductive health. Lisa shares her perspectives on what the overturning of Roe means to women and their reproductive health. She brings an optimistic viewpoint to the discussion and shares how this may be a catalyst for much needed change to contraception and women's health care.
While a lot of the discussion focuses on reproductive health, we also talk about the work she currently does at Day One Biopharmaceuticals where she focuses on bringing cancer treatments to children with brain cancer. Typically, most biotech companies study their medicines in adults first and then move to children later, but Day One begins their drug development programs in children first.
We also talk about the important role of humanities and communications in STEM.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Day One BioPharmaceuticals - https://www.dayonebio.com
Pediatric low-grade gliomas are a heterogeneous set of tumors. They encompass tumors of astrocytic, oligodendroglial, and mixed glial-neuronal histology. Although their clinical behavior can vary, the majority of low-grade gliomas are indolent and do not undergo malignant transformation. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917804/)
Shelley Alpern, Director of Corporate Engagement at Rhia Ventures
1 in 8 pregnancies end in miscarriage. 1 in 5 pregnancies end in abortion.
"Reproductive Justice" by Loretta Ross - https://www.amazon.com/Reproductive-Justice-Introduction-Vision-Century/dp/0520288203
Rhia Ventures - https://rhiaventures.org
SisterSong - SisterSong is a Southern based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. (https://www.sistersong.net)
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte - Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (PPMM) is the largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the U.S., providing medical and education services to more than 220,000 people annually at over 30 health center locations in mid-California and northern Nevada. (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-mar-monte)
National Network of Abortion Funds - The National Network of Abortion Funds builds power with members to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access by centering people who have abortions and organizing at the intersections of racial, economic, and reproductive justice. (https://abortionfunds.org)
Additional podcast notes can be found at https://ordinarily-extraordinary.com/episode-86-lisa-bowers/
Cynthia Changyit Levin is the author of the newly released book "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Mom's Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started". Cynthia has been active in the advocacy world since her children were very small. She advocates on a number of bi-partisan issues, but her main focus is global health. Cynthia has bachelor's and master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering and shares how her STEM background helped her as she moved into her advocacy career.
Episode Notes
Cynthia shares her journey into mechanical engineering and how she went from mechanical engineering into advocacy. She shares how when her children were born, she made the decision to leave the engineering world to care for them, intending to go back. However, as we all know, life sometimes sends us on a different path - Cynthia's path was into global health advocacy - sometimes with her young children in tow. Cynthia's recently published book shares some of the stories of meeting with legislators with her children and some of the hilarity and humanity that ensued and provided for some great connections.
Cynthia and I went to school together, from grammar school to high school. We share many of the same math teacher influences that helped get us into engineering. We talk about a lot on this podcast...global health, politics, the importance of using our voices, electricity, and so much more - not to mention her book - from what's in it to different ways books can get published.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Cynthia's website: https://www.changyit.com
Cynthia's book "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World": https://www.changyit.com/books
Spectrum (Radio Frequency (RF Spectrum)) - Electromagnetic waves in this frequency range, called radio waves, are widely used in modern technology, particularly in telecommunication. (wikipedia)
Turberculosis - an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis. Around 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, if left untreated, kill about half of those affected. Typical symptoms of active TB are chronic cough with blood-containing mucus, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. It was historically referred to as consumption due to the weight loss associated with the disease. Infection of other organs can cause a wide range of symptoms. (Wikipedia)
Danica Bunnett is the Chief Operating Officer of Bluon, a mobile app and technology platform that supports the HVAC technician community. Danica shares her passion for supporting a community that hasn’t traditionally received a lot of support and for making their lives easier and better. She has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Product Design (Mechanical Engineering) from Stanford University where she was the president of Stanford Women in Design. She is an outdoor enthusiast and gets her energy from the outdoors and the sun (she says she’s “solar powered”!)
Episode Notes
Danica’s love for taking things apart, understanding how they work and spending time learning about the world through opportunities provided by her parents when she was growing up formed her love for design and engineering. She shares about the fun opportunities she had in her family as a child (she may not have necessarily thought of them as fun at the time), what got her interested in Product Design in Mechanical Engineering and how that differs from “strict” Mechanical Engineering and how she came to Bluon and then into leadership within Bluon. She talks about the importance of being able to have honest, authentic communications with the CEO she works with and how that sets the stage for them to have true trust within the organization.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
HVAC (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. (Wikipedia)
Bluon is a mobile app and support platform utilized by 100k HVAC-R technicians or one third of the U.S. market.Bluon is set to revolutionize the way in which technicians connect to their local distributors, resulting inempowered technicians, informed distributors and a more productive HVAC industry. (LinkedIn)
Stanford Women in Design (SWID) was formed due to a gap in current mentorship opportunities at Stanford, and to address the challenges facing womxn in design. We aim to empower womxn through inspiring and catalyzing skill-development, career-mapping, and learning through the self-pursuit of innovative new projects, beyond the classroom experience. (https://stanfordwomenindesign.com)
Dr. Prineha Narang is an Assistant Professor at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. She leads an interdisciplinary group at Harvard SEAS at the intersection of computational science, phenomena away from equilibrium, and quantum dynamics in matter. She has won numerous awards, fellowships, and grants including Forbes "30 Under 30". She has a PhD and Master's Degree in Applied Physics from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and did her post-doctoral work at MIT.
Episode Notes
Dr. Pri Narang shares her experiences as an Assistant Professor at Harvard University, a researcher, and a CTO in the field of Quantum Physics and Quantum Theory. She also shares what that is...and how she got interested in it and her journey from having an interest in Physics - she says she's always been a physicist, even at a young age - to how she started the Narang Lab. She shares what a day in her life is like, how she manages to juggle the many demands of her professional career and run marathons and Ironman Triathlons - she's an absolute rockstar. She also talks about having imposter syndrome and how finding a place that was welcoming led her down her career path.
Dr. Narang will join UCLA's faculty in the College of Physical Sciences as the Howard Reiss Chair on July 1st. This information came out after our podcast recording. Information on her transition can be found here. https://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/news/faculty-news-4
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Quantum theory describes the behavior of things — particles or energy — on the smallest scale. In addition to wavicles, it predicts that a particle may be found in many places at the same time. (https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/quantum-world-mind-bogglingly-weird)
Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, quantum field theory, quantum technology, and quantum information science. Classical physics, the collection of theories that existed before the advent of quantum mechanics, describes many aspects of nature at an ordinary (macroscopic) scale, but is not sufficient for describing them at small (atomic and subatomic) scales. (Wikipedia)
Quantum entanglement is the physical phenomenon that occurs when a group of particles are generated, interact, or share spatial proximity in a way such that the quantum state of each particle of the group cannot be described independently of the state of the others, including when the particles are separated by a large distance. The topic of quantum entanglement is at the heart of the disparity between classical and quantum physics: entanglement is a primary feature of quantum mechanics lacking in classical mechanics. (Wikipedia)
A dilution refrigerator is a cryogenic device first proposed by Heinz London. Its refrigeration process uses amixture of two isotopes of helium: helium-3 and helium-4. When cooled below approximately 870 millikelvin, themixture undergoes spontaneous phase separation to form a 3He-rich phase and a 3He-poor phase. As with evaporative cooling, energy is required to transport 3He atoms from the 3He-rich phase into the 3He-poorphase. If the atoms can be made to continuously cross this boundary, they effectively cool the mixture. Becausethe 3He-poor phase cannot have less than 6% helium-3 at equilibrium, even at absolute zero, dilution refrigerationcan be effective at very low temperatures. The volume in which this takes place is known as the mixing chamber. (https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/249751)
Dr. Moira Gilchrist is the Vice President of Strategic and Scientific Communications at Philip Morris International (PMI). She has a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and in 2006, came to PMI to help launch the company’s smoke-free products, which were developed as better alternatives to cigarettes for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke. Her journey to PMI was as personal as it was professional: as a smoker, she understood the potential for these better alternatives to become a breakthrough for smokers like herself who would otherwise not quit.
Episode Notes
Moira shares her personal and professional journey of getting a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, starting her career in cancer research and then working in the pharmaceutical industry before joining PMI – which as she will share in this episode – was not a place she ever thought she’d work. Today, she leads a team whose job it is to translate the robust science behind the company’s smoke-free alternatives into information policymakers and the public can easily understand.
Ok…so getting beyond the tobacco conversation…Moira shares how she got interested in becoming a pharmacist – almost left her major – and then had a class in industrial pharmacy that redirected her and led to her getting a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences. We talk about the importance of developing communication skills and how having the backs of other women in the rooms we are in can have a big impact.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Women’s share of jobs in the largest STEM category—Computers and Math— decreased from 44% in 1990 to 27% in 2018 and women hold the fewest share of STEM jobs in the Engineering and Surveying sector at 16%(https://extension.ucsd.edu/getattachment/community-and-research/center-for-research-and-evaluation/Accordion/Research-Reports-and-Publications/Women-in-STEM-Workforce-Index-FINAL-for-CRE-7_22_20.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US)
In 2020, there were almost 6.6 million female scientists and engineers in the EU, 254 500 more than in 2019, accounting for 41% of total employment in science and engineering. By sector, women were underrepresented in manufacturing (where only 22% of scientists and engineers were female), while there was more of a gender balance in the services sector (46%). Among the EU Member States, the proportion of female scientists and engineers varied widely in 2020, ranging from 52% in Lithuania, Portugal and Denmark to 30% in Finland and 31% in Hungary. (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/edn-20220211-2)
"Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg. https://leanin.org/book
Neuro Linguistic Programming - a pseudoscientific approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, United States, in the 1970s. (Wikipedia)
Claire Christensen is a Senior Education Researcher at SRI International. She is a principal investigator with expertise in educational media research. While she studies many areas of media and its impact on youth, the focus of our conversation was mostly around STEM media. Claire is extremely knowledgeable and passionate of educational media research. She has a PhD and MA in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has a BS in Mass Communications (Television Production).
Episode Notes
Claire shares the importance of research on the impacts of media on youth. She shares specific examples of research she has done and is doing and how that research helps inform children's programming. STEM programming and showing diverse representation of people who work in STEM fields is critical in getting more women and POC to enter STEM careers. We talk about the importance of this and how this is changing and growing.
We also talk about kids and screen time and how the pandemic has impacted how we view our kids' screen time. It's not always a bad thing!
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
SRI International - a 75-year pioneering research institute with a rich history supporting government and industry. SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) is organized around broad disciplines and capabilities, from research and development divisions and labs to groups who excel at identifying new opportunities, developing products and creating custom solutions.
Analytical Engineer - a modern data team member that is responsible for modeling data to provide clean, accurate datasets so that different users within the company can work with them. Their role entails transforming, testing, and documenting data. (https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/analytics-engineer/)
The Magic School Bus - an animated children's television series, based on the book series of the same name by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. Running originally from 1994 to 1997, the series received critical acclaim for its use of celebrity voice talent and combining entertainment with an educational series. (wikipedia)
Claire's LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairegchristensen/
Claire's Twitter Handle: @research_claire
"Molly of Denali" - The daily adventures of 10-year-old Alaska native Molly Mabray, her family, her dog Suki and her friends Tooey and Trini.
Molly of Denali research study press release.
Informational Text - a subset of the larger category of nonfiction (Duke & Bennett-Armistead, 2003). Its primary purpose is to inform the reader about the natural or social world. (https://umaine.edu/edhd/research-outreach/lifespan-literacy-community/programs/correll-book-award/what-is-informational-text/)
Adaptive Learning - an educational method which uses computer algorithms as well as artificial intelligence to orchestrate the interaction with the learner and deliver customized resources and learning activities to address the unique needs of each learner. (wikipedia)
"The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That" - designed to spark a love of learning and an interest in science and engineering in preschool-aged children. (https://www.pbs.org/parents/shows/cat-in-the-hat/about)
Katherine Hamilton co-hosted "The Energy Gang" podcast for over eight years. She is the co-founder and Chair of 38 North Solutions, a public policy firm focused on clean energy and innovation. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Clean Electrification. She was the President of the GridWise Alliance, served as a policy advisor for Good Energies, Inc. She served as a federal and state policy advisor for a number of years for Energy Storage Association. Katherine was named Ambassador to the Secretary of Energy’s Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) under the Clean Energy Ministerial and was Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Advanced Energy Technologies.
Episode Notes
Katherine Hamilton has an extensive career in public policy in the clean energy space. She co-hosted the podcast "The Energy Gang" for over eight years and brought her deep knowledge, expertise, and viewpoints to the show. She shares how she got involved with the podcast and what it was like co-hosting the podcast.
Katherine also shares how she went from a bachelor's degree in English from Cornell University and a master's degree in Culture and Civilization from Université Paris-Sorbonne into energy public policy and how her initially non-technical background provides a great foundation for the technical work she does now. We get into a fun discussion about the importance of verbal communication and how to develop that skill.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
"The Energy Gang": https://www.greentechmedia.com/podcast/the-energy-gang
Stephen Lacey - produces and hosts The Energy Gang and Interchange podcasts, two of the most popular podcasts on energy and cleantech. (https://www.greentechmedia.com)
Jigar Shah - co-host of The Energy Gang. The director of the Loan Programs Office of the US Department of Energy. (Wikipedia)
Podcasting began to catch hold in late 2004. (Wikipedia)
38 North Solutions: https://38northsolutions.com
World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Clean Electrification's Mission and Objectives: Achieving net-zero carbon targets will require clean electrification of energy uses, especially for buildings, transport and industry. In addition, to meeting these targets, electrification needs access to renewable energy sources at scale combined with the availability of grid infrastructure to connect them. The Global Future Council on Clean Electrification will bring together subject matter experts from industry, academia and civil society to amplify the value and role of clean electrification in the energy transition. (https://www.weforum.org/communities/gfc-on-clean-electrification)
An integrated resource plan is a roadmap that large utilities use to plan out generational acquisitions over five, 10, or 20 years (or more). Many utilities use integrated resource plans for coal, natural gas, and smart grid energy. (https://www.energyacuity.com/blog/what-is-an-integrated-resource-plan-why-is-it-important/)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) focuses on creative answers to today's energy challenges. (https://www.nrel.gov)
Estefannie is a Computer Scientist and Instagram and YouTube content creator. She shares her designs, experiments and prototypes on her Instagram and YouTube channels. Esteffanie was born in Mexico and moved to Houston for college. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and a Mathematics Minor.
Episode Notes
Estefannie brings engineering and science to life through her fun and engaging videos. She brings her viewers along as she designs and prototypes a number of different experiments and creations in a wide variety of areas from computers and software to electrical and mechanical designs. She builds, constructs, tests, modifies and shares her experiences along the way.
In addition to sharing how she became a content creator and why she left the corporate world, we talk about the challenges girls face in the technology industry, why representation is important, how she is the hardest boss she's ever worked for, and what she hopes to bring to the world through her content.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Estefannie- This is the place to find a lot of Esteffnie's content (https://www.estefannie.com)
Estefannie's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Estefanniegg
Estefannie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estefanniegg/?hl=en
Estefannie's Blog: https://www.estefannie.com/blog
Estefannie's Guacamole Machine Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5XuHML646k
Raspberry Pi - a series of small single-board computers (SBCs) developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in association with Broadcom. The Raspberry Pi project originally leaned towards the promotion of teaching basic computer science in schools and in developing countries. (Wikipedia)
Arduinos - an open-source hardware and software company, project, and user community that designs and manufactures single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kits for building digital devices. (Wikipedia)
Computer Science Girls Club at University of Houston: https://csgirls.org
Dr. Shelly Hagerman is a consultant in the energy & utility industry. She specializes in Distributed Energy Resources and Electric Vehicle Strategy & Data Analytics. She has a PhD in Engineering & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, a BS in Engineering and a BA in Music. Shelly is extremely passionate about both her career and piano.
Episode Notes
Shelly Hagerman provides insights into the career her PhD in Engineering & Public Policy has brought. It's a unique combination that brings together two incredibly important facets in the utility industry. She shares what led her down that path, how she went from an undergrad degree directly into a PhD program and how music has played an instrumental (pun intended) part in her life.
Shelly also shares some health challenges she faced a few years ago, how she overcame them and what that situation taught her about life and the importance of taking time for yourself.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
In the United States, a Master’s degree is not required for admission to most PhD programs. It is possible and not unusual to be admitted to a PhD program straight out of undergrad. (www.academicpositions.com)
Women's colleges in the United States are private single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that only admit who identify as female (i.e. cis, trans, and nonbinary) students. They are often liberal arts colleges. There were approximately 31 active women's colleges in the United States in 2018, down from a peak of 281 such colleges in the 1960s.
Distributed Energy Resources (DER) are small, modular, energy generation and storage technologies that provide electric capacity or energy where you need it. Typically producing less than 10 megawatts (MW) of power, DER systems can usually be sized to meet your particular needs and installed on site. (www.nrel.gov)
Electric Vehicles (EVs) have a battery instead of a gasoline tank, and an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are a combination of gasoline and electric vehicles, so they have a battery, an electric motor, a gasoline tank, and an internal combustion engine. (wikipedia)
Finger Lakes - a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes in an area called the Finger Lakes region in New York
Vestibular Neuritis - a disorder that affects the nerve of the inner ear called the vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve sends balance and head position information from the inner ear to the brain. When this nerve becomes swollen (inflamed), it disrupts the way the information would normally be interpreted by the brain.
Lauren Sato is the CEO of Ada Developers Academy, an organization which prepares women and gender expansive adults for careers in software development in addition to helping place them in internships setting them up for long-term career success. Lauren has deep experience in leadership and leading programs that empower women in sustainable ways. She has a BA in Adolescent and Young Adult Social Studies Education.
Episode Notes
Lauren's passion for the work she does at Ada Developers Academy is so evident in our conversation. Providing sustainable life change for women and gender expansive adults particularly Black, Latine, Indigenous Americans, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, and low-income people is the core of Ada's mission. Lauren is working to accelerate Ada's growth which has been challenging and also unexpectedly strong because of COVID.
In addition to sharing information about Ada's program, her own story and journey of coming to Ada, Lauren shares stories of some of the women that have gone through the Ada program and how life changing it has been for them. We have some extensive discussions about diversity, the importance of language, and providing communities that people feel at home in.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Ada Developer's Academy - https://adadevelopersacademy.org
Ada Lovelace - Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace was an English mathematician and writer, chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. (wikipedia)
Gender Expansive - People who did not identify with traditional gender roles but are otherwise not confined to one gender narrative or experience. (www.hrc.org)
Seventeen percent of LGBTQ people polled lost their jobs because of COVID-19, compared to 13 percent of the general population, a survey found. (nbc news)
From February 2020 to January 2022, male workers regained all jobs they had lost due to the public health crisis, according to an analysis by the National Women's Law Center of the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. However, 1.1 million women left the labor force during that span, accounting for 63 percent of all jobs lost. While women gained 188,000 jobs in January 2022, they are still short by more than 1.8 million jobs lost since February 2020. It would take women nearly 10 months of growth at January's level to regain the jobs they lost, the NWLC report indicated. "While men have recouped lost jobs, women are still in a big hole, and that shows how the pandemic impacts genders in different ways," said Emily Martin, vice president for education and workplace justice at NWLC. "Part of the reason for this is because women still hold the lion's share of caregiver responsibilities." (https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/over-1-million-fewer-women-in-labor-force.aspx)
Erin Mallon is an author of a newly released trio of romantic comedy novels which feature protagonists who are women in STEM: Flirtasaurus (July 2020), Lovebug (February 2021), and Sharkbait (coming Summer 2022). She is also a playwright and narrator of over 550 audiobooks, many of them in the romance genre. She has won several awards for her audiobook narration and recently won the 2021 Independent Audiobook Award for Humor for her audio play These Walls Can Talk. Erin's most recent release is Pale Blue Dot(s) an immersive audio play about an all-female astronaut team (with special appearances by David Bowie and Elon Musk).
Episode Notes
Erin Mallon brings women in STEM to mainstream media through her trio of books Flirtasaurus (about a Paleontologist), Lovebug (about an Entomologist), and Sharkbait (about a Marine Biologist). She shares what got her into writing (books and plays) and book narration, how audiobooks are narrated and how plays are written. We talk about some specifics about sex scenes in her books (I think this may be the first time I've talked about sex within the podcast). And we get into a discussion about how work should be fun and I share my challenges with trying to find fun and play in life as I enter my 50s.
This is truly one of my favorite conversations as it's in such a different area from my life as an engineer. Erin's works have great reviews and I've loved finding new books and audio plays (not something I knew existed until this conversation) to check out.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Erin's website: www.erinmallon.com
If you want to meet Erin in person, you can find her at these events: https://www.erinmallon.com/events
Books: Flirtasaurus, Lovebug, and Sharkbait.
Plays: PALE BLUE DOT(S), THE NET WILL APPEAR, THESE WALLS CAN TALK 2: The Narwhal Strikes Back!, BRANCHED: a comedy with consequences, THE BROMANTIC COMEDIES, SKIN HUNGRY, THESE WALLS CAN TALK, COME FIND ME, BIBLE ADVENTURE PARK!, SOFT ANIMALS, THE OTHER WHITE MEAT, STUNNING DISPLAYS OF PROWESS, HAND ME DOWN,
Earphones Awards - The award is given by AudioFile to truly exceptional titlesthat excel in narrative voice and style, characterizations, suitability to audio, and enhancement of the text. (www.audiofilemagazine.com)
Audie Awards - Awards for achievement in spoken word, particularly audiobook narration and audiodrama performance (Wikipedia)
Free Guy
Dr. Mary Kinsella, founder and CEO of Her Engineering Career, is a career strategist who works with women engineers to help them navigate their careers to confidently command greater influence and impact. Prior to founding Her Engineering Career, Mary spent 31 years at the Air Force Research Laboratory in engineering and scientific research roles. She has a PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Materials Engineering.
Episode Notes
Mary is passionate about helping women strategically navigate their engineering careers. She does this through developing technical competence, credibility and expertise; Finding and maintaining a career trajectory; Expanding leadership skills; Targeting promotion; Increasing confidence and risk tolerance; Mastering self-promotion and networking; and developing a big picture mindset.
She also hosts the podcast "Her Engineering Career" which provides insights and skillset tips for women engineers. She wants to help women stay in and be successful their engineering careers.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Mary's website: www.herengineeringcareer.com
"Her Engineering Career Podcast": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-engineering-career-podcast/id1573628370
"The Confidence Code";, by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman.
Additive Manufacturing also known as additive layer manufacturing is the industrial production name for 3D printing, a computer controlled process that creates three dimensional objects by depositing materials, usually in layers. (wikipedia)
In May 2016 a new 'office building' was opened in Dubai. The 250-square-metre space (2,700 square foot) is what Dubai's Museum of the Future project is calling the world's first 3D-printed office building. In 2017 an ambitious project to build a 3D printed skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates was announced. (wikipedia)
In 2018, biomedical engineers from the University of Utah developed a method for 3D printing ligaments and tendons. The method involves first taking stem cells from the patient and printing them on a layer of hydrogel to form a tendon or ligament. This is allowed to grow in vitro in a culture before being implanted. (https://interestingengineering.com/doctors-can-finally-3d-print-human-tissue-ligaments-and-tendons)
Dr. Hanine Salem is a policy analyst and strategist specializing in public sector development and education. While her interest is concerned with improving leadership's decision making process through policy analysis and results oriented public management methods, our conversation focuses on a specific Cybersecurity program she is involved in and encouraging girls to get into fields such as cybersecurity. Hanine has a Master's Degree in Organizational Communications and a PhD in Organizational Performance Measurement in the Public Sector.
Episode Notes
Hanine is passionate about bringing change through public policy, curriculum development and education. She shares information about a specific cybersecurity program she works with to encourage girls (and boys) to go into cybersecurity (Girls make up only 24% of people working in cybersecurity). She also talks about other work she's involved with such as programming to develop the human-side of our youth (a.k.a. how to develop good humans), entrepreneurship, and personal finance.
She shares her passion for public policy. (Thank goodness there are people who are passionate for this as it's such hard and important work) and how her journey to encourage girls to go into cybersecurity circles back in a round about way to career aspirations she had earlier in life to be an architect.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Cyber Citizenship program discussed in the podcast: https://www.novusgroup.co/cybercitizenship
There are several scholarly articles regarding COVID mental health effects on youth. Here is one article. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13034-020-00329-3)
Results show that there has been a statistically significant decrease in stigma among survey respondents. Statistical significance means that the results are not likely to occur by chance. The surveys show that from 2017 to 2019: More people feel comfortable talking with someone about their mental illness (66% to 71%) (https://www.healthpartners.com/hp/about/press-releases/stigma-of-mental-illnesses-decreasing.html)
Do girls outperform boys academically? Yes. Here is an article and there are many...(http://ursa.browntth.com/the-blog/why-do-girls-outperform-boys-in-school)
"Men outnumber women in cybersecurity by three to one". (https://www.isc2.org/-/media/ISC2/Research/ISC2-Women-in-Cybersecurity-Report.ashx)
Cybersecurity is a subset of computer science, and in today's computer-reliant world, it has its own field of study and degree programs. Those interested in cybersecurity usually earn a bachelor's in computer science. (https://sopa.tulane.edu/blog/cybersecurity-vs-computer-science)
Cyber hygiene is a set of habitual practices for ensuring the safe handling of critical data and for securing networks. ... Cyber hygiene practices include the inventory of all endpoints connected to a network, vulnerabilities management, and the patching of software and applications. (https://endpoint.tanium.com/what-is-cyber-hygiene-and-why-does-it-matter/)
There are lots of interesting articles with interesting statistics about women entrepreneurs. This is an interesting article that breaks out where female entrepreneurs are most and least common. 51% in Angola and 0.9% in Italy (of the 43 countries that responded). (https://www.statista.com/chart/19254/female-adult-population-engaged-in-entrepreneurial-activity-per-country/)
D Sangeeta is the Founder and CEO of GOTARA whose mission is to offer career support and advice to women in STEM professions. Their goal is to help close the gender gap at all levels, and to make this service available to women around the world who are working in STEM fields as individuals, or as leaders in a variety of organizations. D. Sangeeta has held leadership and science/research positions in a variety of organizations throughout her career. She has a Master's Degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Materials Chemistry. D. Sangeeta holds 26 patents.
Episode Notes
D. Sangeeta founded GOTARA in an effort to keep women in STEM fields. A disproportionate percentage of women leave STEM fields - and that's in addition to fewer women than men entering many STEM fields to start with. D Sangeeta saw a need to work with companies to ensure women in STEM fields at those companies are supported. They do this by providing confidential and personalized nano-learning opportunities that include upskilling and career advice available 24 x 7.
D. Sangeeta shares why she started GOTARA, how her leadership experience throughout her career led her to find her passion in supporting women in STEM and a very real and applicable way. We also talk about her career, chemistry vs. materials chemistry, and the patenting process.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
GOTARA – http://www.gotara.com
Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies the structure, properties and reactions of organic compounds, which contain carbon in covalent bonding. Study of structure determines their structural formula. (wikipedia)
Inorganic chemistry is concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds, which include metals, minerals, and organometallic compounds. ... For example, organometallic compounds usually contain a metal or metalloid bonded directly to carbon. (https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/chemical-sciences/areas/inorganic-chemistry.html)
Monolithic material is an item which is cast as a single piece, formed or composed of material without joints or seams a monolithic floor covering, or consisting of or constituting a single unit. (www.merriam-webster.com)
Air foil - the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine. A solid body moving through a fluid produces an aerodynamic force. (wikipedia)
"Find your voice then listen to it. Even when it shakes. Especially then." Curly Girl Designs.
Dr. Linda Schadler is the Dean of The College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Vermont (UVM). She has a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania where she studied the micromechanical behavior of fiber and polymer composites and a B.S. in Material Science from Cornell University. Dr. Schadler has many publications and academic awards. She is an outdoor enthusiast and has two grown children.
Episode Notes
Dr. Linda Schadler shares her experiences becoming a dean and running the College of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences at UVM. She is incredibly accomplished and driven, and also talks about how her and her husband have always had a policy of family first.
She talks about material science and what got her interested in materials science and academia. She shares some really fantastic and fun sounding projects during her career and how being in the groove with her students is the funnest part of her job.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Provost is a senior administrative officer in certain colleges and universities.
The Molecularium Project is an informal science education project of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Molecularium Project introduces young audiences to the world of atoms and molecules using character driven stories, immersive animation, interactive games and activities, and state of the art molecular visualizations. Rensselaer's three principal scientist and educators behind the project are Linda Schadler, Richard W. Siegel, and Shekhar Garde. The Molecularium Project began as an outreach project of Rensselaer's Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center. To realize the productions, the scientists employed the creative team Nanotoon Entertainment, led by writer and director V. Owen Bush, and writer/producer Kurt Przybilla. The Molecularium Project is funded by Rensselaer, the National Science Foundation, and New York State.
In 2002, Dr. Schadler and Dr. Garde produced a seven-minute pilot show for the local planetarium called “Molecularium” for the Digistar II Planetarium system. It introduces children to the concepts of atoms and molecules from small molecules like H2O to larger molecules like polymers. (wikipedia)
The Peter principle is a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter, which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to "a level of respective incompetence": employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another. (wikipedia)
University of Vermont (UVM) - Since 1791, the University of Vermont has worked to move humankind forward. Today, UVM is a top research university of a perfect size, large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet small enough to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study, from bachelor’s to M.D. programs. (https://www.uvm.edu)
Angela Baltes is a Data Scientist/Analyst specialization in generating insight from data. She has a Bachelor's Degrees in Criminology, a Master's Degrees in Public Administration, a Master's Degree in Information Technology, and a PhD in Biomedical Informatics with an emphasis in Public Health Informatics. She is a new mom who just began pursuing another degree in mathematics - all while working full time!
Episode Notes
Angela recently had her first baby...two weeks later she began pursuing a degree in mathematics. Two months after her baby was born she returned to work. We talk about how becoming a mom and how it affects your career, postpartum depression, and the challenges of adjusting to motherhood.
She shares how she was told she wasn't good at math when she was younger and was "math shamed" so she didn't pursue careers that required math. She talks about how much she enjoys math and how she has a much different experience with math courses as an adult.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Tableau Software is an American interactive data visualization software company focused on business intelligence. (wikipedia)
SPSS Statistics is a statistical software suite developed by IBM for data management, advanced analytics, multivariate analysis, business intelligence, criminal investigation. (wikipedia)
Data visualization is an interdisciplinary field that deals with the graphic representation of data. It is a particularly efficient way of communicating when the data is numerous as for example a time series. (wikipedia)
Toastmasters International is a US-headquartered nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of promoting communication, public speaking and leadership. (www.toastmasters.org)
Professor at Boise State says "Men Not Women Should Be Prioritized in Fields Such as Engineering, Medicine, and Law". See article here: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/08/us/boise-state-professor-men-women-studies/index.html
The École Polytechnique massacre (French: tuerie de l'École polytechnique), also known as the Montreal massacre, was a 1989 antifeminist mass shooting in Montreal at an engineering school affiliated with the Université de Montréal. Fourteen women were murdered; ten other women and four men were injured. (wikipedia)
On December 6, 1989, Marc Lépine entered a mechanical engineering class at the École Polytechnique and ordered the women and men to opposite sides of the classroom. He separated nine women, instructing the men to leave. He stated that he was "fighting feminism" and opened fire. He shot at all nine women in the room, killing six. The shooter then moved through corridors, the cafeteria, and another classroom, targeting women for just under 20 minutes. He killed a further eight before shooting himself fatally. (wikipedia)
"Baby Braine: Does it Exist?" https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/baby-brain/faq-20057896
Toastmasters International is a US-headquartered nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of promoting communication, public speaking and leadership. (www.toastmasters.org)
Are Women Worse Than Men At Negotiating? This study says "no" https://news.usc.edu/192848/women-men-salary-negotiation-virtual-agents-usc-research/
Biomedical Informatics - the field of science and engineering that aims at developing methods and technologies for the acquisition, processing, and study of patient data, which can come from different sources and modalities, such as electronic health records, diagnostic test results, medical scans. (wikipedia)
Alana McNulty is the Chief Business Officer at eFFector Therapeutics where she leads corporate development and business development. She has held various leadership roles including Chief Financial Officer, VP of Finance, Executive Director throughout her career. Alana has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Genetics and an MBA in Finance & Marketing.
Episode Notes
Alana shares how her background in biology and genetics provided a foundation for her career as she moved into finance and business roles within biotech companies. She developed an interest in the business aspects of biology and genetics toward the end of her Bachelor's degree which inspired her to pursue an MBA.
Alana shares her experiences moving through various leadership roles, juggling being an executive and a mom of three (two of them twins). She prides herself on being an involved mother and shares some of the joys and challenges of corporate life, motherhood and trying to find a balance.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Data rooms are spaces used for housing data, usually of a secure or privileged nature. They can be physical data rooms, virtualdatarooms, or datacenters. They are used for a variety of purposes, including data storage, document exchange, file sharing, financial transactions, legal transactions, and more. (wikipedia)
Therapeutics are treatments used to alleviate or prevent a particular disease. (www.nature.com)
Biotechnology is the use of biology to solve problems and make useful products. (www.britannica.com)
Anna Sannö is a Research Strategy Manager at Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) in Sweden. In addition to her technical role, Anna works within Volvo and the Vera program, a series of innovation workshops dedicated to encourage girls to explore careers in technology and engineering. The Vera program is named after Sweden's first female engineer, Vera Sandberg.
Anna holds a PhD in Innovation and Design and a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering. She is also a senior lecturer at Örebro University.
Episode Notes
Anna shares Volvo CE's Vera program and its goal of encouraging girls to continue their interest in engineering and technology which has a tendency to decrease around middle school. She discusses what she does at her job as a Research Strategy Manager and what got her interested in engineering.
We dive into a discussion about why girls' interest in technology and engineering seems to decrease in middle school and the importance to bringing women in STEM fields into our daily lives.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Volve CE Vera Program - https://www.volvoce.com/global/en/news-and-events/press-releases/2021/innovation-has-no-gender-volvo-ce-inspiring-tomorrows-female-engineers/
I was unable to find a study about the long term effects of same sex education. However, I did find an interesting article about the debate. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/03/the-never-ending-controversy-over-all-girls-education/284508/
Women leave STEM fields at a disproportionately higher rates than men. This article has one of the most comprehensive data sets I've seen on women in STEM in different fields in different countries. https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem/
Women make up 34% of engineering majors in Sweden. (https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/countries-with-less-gender-equity-have-more-women-in-stem-huh/)
Siena (12) and Ilyana (11) are two girls that are in Project Scientist. Project Scientist is a program designed to inspire young girls to consider STEM careers. Project scientist aims to nurture these future scientists to be tomorrow’s leaders and be change makers. Project Scientist's founder, Sandy Marshall, was previously a guest on Episode 60. This episode brings the girls (a.k.a. scientists) perspective on this wonderful program.
Episode Notes
Ilyana and Siena have had some amazing experiences thanks to Project Scientist. They have met a female astronaut, seen space ships, visited SpaceX and JPL, and more. Project Scientist focuses on expeditions to different companies where they can meet and interact women in various STEM careers at the companies they work at.
We discuss confidence and all girls schools vs. co-ed schools and what they want to do when they grow up and how Project Scientist has shaped this. They also share their perspectives on climate change and their hopes for the future - both theirs and our planets.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Project Scientist: https://projectscientist.org
JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) - The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center in the city of Pasadena in California, United States. Founded in the 1930s, JPL is owned by NASA and managed by the nearby California Institute of Technology.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover will search for signs of ancient microbial life, which will advance NASA's quest to explore the past habitability of Mars. The rover has a drill to collect core samples of Martian rock and soil, then store them in sealed tubes for pickup by a future mission that would ferry them back to Earth for detailed analysis. Perseverance will also test technologies to help pave the way for future human exploration of Mars. (https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/). It landed on Mars on February 18, 2021. It left earth on July 30, 2020. (wikipedia)
Virgin Galactic - an American spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson and his British Virgin Group retains an 18% stake through Virgin Investments Limited. It is headquartered in California, USA, and operates from New Mexico. (wikipedia)
In order to climb into such a spacecraft people are required to wear so-called "bunny suits" which prevent items such as hair, skin flakes, etc. from contaminating the inside of the spacecraft. (http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=968)
Hyperloop - a proposed high-speed transportation system for both passenger and freight transport. The term was invented to describe the modern open-source project. Hyperloop is described as a sealed tube or system of tubes with low air pressure through which a pod may travel substantially free of air resistance or friction. (Wikipedia)
The Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry downslope winds that originate inland and affect coastal southern California and northern Baja California. They originate from cool, dry high-pressure air masses in the Great Basin. Santa Ana winds are known for the hot, dry weather that they bring in autumn (often the hot
Kay Paulus is software engineering manager at a Software as a Service company in rural Minnesota. She has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and transitioned into software engineering early in her career.
Episode Notes
Kay shares her career journey and how life sometimes has its own path, regardless of her well designed plans that she had laid out. She shares challenges she encountered early on in her part-time military service after completing the ROTC program during college.
We discuss the challenges of working with young kids and its accompanying "mom guilt", small town lake life in Minnesota, working remotely before it became "a thing", and many pieces of great advice - including the importance of self care.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
ROTC - The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is a college program offered at more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed post-college career, participants, or cadets, commit to serve in the Military after graduation. Each Service branch has its own take on ROTC. (https://www.todaysmilitary.com/education-training/rotc-programs?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiNSLBhCPARIsAKNS4_coghgTTPqwLONnsGJlt6OsOTqMwUjE4487D69a7nE8iskV22RAxrcaAmuOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Software as a service (SaaS) is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. SaaS is also known as "on-demand software" and Web-based/Web-hosted software. (wikipedia)
Carlson School of Management - The Curtis L. Carlson School of Management is a business school at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Carlson School offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, as well as an executive education program. (wikipedia)
It takes an average of about 25 minutes (23 minutes and 15 seconds, to be exact) to return to the original task after an interruption, according to Gloria Mark, who studies digital distraction at the University of California, Irvine.How long does it take to get back on track when getting interrupted. (http://blog.idonethis.com/distractions-at-work/)
Society of Women Engineers: https://swe.org/
Camp Invent: https://www.invent.org/
Carmelo Piazza and his wife, Karen, own and run the Brooklyn Preschool of Science, or more accurately, the Brooklyn Preschools of Science since they have three locations. Carmelo, a former Science Teacher, founded the schools as a way to use his love and hands on teaching methods to holistically educate preschoolers. Using science as a base, they teach math, art, language skills and much more in an exciting and fun way that truly engages kids in science at a very young age.
Episode Notes
Carmelo is naturally fun and engaging and his love for science, teaching and kids comes clearly through in our conversation. At this young preschool age, kids have no notion of gender stereotypes which allows Carmelo, his wife, and staff of educators to just teach and to engage kids in a love for science regardless of their gender. They just teach and use science as its base.
Carmelo shares how he went from teaching science in the public school system, to starting his own preschools, his goals and dreams for the future of taking his program national and being a thought leader in this type of education. His curriculum and teaching methods are so engaging and inspirational, they make me want to go back to pre-school! Carmelo has a YouTube Channel, a children's book of science experiments using household items, and has appeared on many TV shows, podcasts, and other media. He even has a moniker of "Carmelo the Science Fellow".
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Brooklyn Preschool of Science: https://brooklynpreschoolofscience.com
Carmelo the Science Fellow YouTube Channel: http://carmelothesciencefellow.com/videos/
Crazy for Science with Carmelo the Science Fellow, by Carmelo Piazza : https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Science-Carmelo-Fellow/dp/1576876829/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Carmelo+the+science+fellow+book&qid=1634601117&sr=8-1
Inquiry-based learning is more than asking a student what he or she wants to know. It’s about triggering curiosity. And activating a student’s curiosity is, I would argue, a far more important and complex goal than mere information delivery. (https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron)
Pedagogy, most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners. (Wikipedia)
Murdering Hornets (not murdering wasps): https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-murder-hornets
Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darklingbeetle. Like all holometabolicinsects, they go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Larvae typically measure about 2.5 cm or more, whereas adults are generally between 1.25 and 1.8 cm in length. (Wikipedia)
The Madagascar hissing cockroach, also known as the hissing cockroach or simply hisser, is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 5 to 7.5 centimetres at maturity. They are native to the island of Madagascar, which is off the African mainland, where they are commonly found in rotting logs. (Wikipedia)
The water bug is a bug that looks like a cockroach, but isn’t technically part of the roach family. A true water bug is an aquatic insect that lives in the water. Waterbugs hold their breath for a long time without resurfacing. The one cockroach that is commonly referred to as a water bug is the Oriental cockroach. Because they frequent pipes and plumbing, they are commonly called a waterbug. (https://www.myheronhome.com)
Donna Loughlin is the Founder and CEO of LMGPR, a PR and corporate communications company that focuses with technology and innovation companies to help them develop PR strategies. She is also the host of the podcast "Before It Happened", a podcast podcast featuring visionaries and the moments and events that inspired them. She has bachelor's and master's degrees in Journalism.
Episode Notes
Donna Loughlin shares her story and experience working in public relations and communications with tech companies. She focuses on tech businesses in disruptive markets. She uses storytelling to build successful business solutions. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Business week, Time, Wired, Fortune, Fast Company, Popular Science, and USA Today. Her TV segments include 20/20, Good Morning America, Today Show, BBC, Ellen, Squawk Box, CNN, Ellen, Jay Leno Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and more.
In addition to sharing her story and experiences working with STEM professionals at tech companies, she provides tips, advice and insight into how to effectively communicate technical information with non-technical people.
Donna is also the host of Before It Happened, a podcast featuring stories of visionairires and the moments and events that happened which inspired them and in turn changed our lives.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
www.lmgpr.com
Before It Happenedpodcast: https://www.beforeithappened.com
Authority https://medium.com/authority-magazine/inspirational-women-leaders-of-tech-donna-loughlin-of-lmgpr-on-the-five-things-you-need-to-know-8c6b63dd6252
Tech Bullion https://www.google.com/amp/s/techbullion.com/a-strategic-communications-firm-interview-with-donna-loughlin-founder-and-president-of-lmgpr/amp/
Silicon Valley Review
https://thesiliconreview.com/magazine/profile/lmgpr-curious-about-technology/
Linked In: Donna Loughlin
Instagram: The Donna Loughlin BeforeITHappenedshow
Mercedes Soria Podcast Episode on Before it Happened- https://www.beforeithappened.com/post/disrupting-the-silicon-valley-boys-club-with-mercedes-soria-episode-8
Before It Happened - Episode "Getting Kids Excited About STEM and Space with "The NASA Lady” Pamela Greyer"
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/getting-kids-excited-about-stem-and-space-with-the/id1571396481?i=1000529686679
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Laura Numeroff
Women comprise 29% of the STEM workforce and 52% of the college-educated workforce (NSF). The number of women in board positions in STEM-related industries in 2020 was 19.2%, an 18.3% increase over the previous year. (MSCI) Women only make up 3% of STEM industry CEOs. (www.bigrentz.com)
Women in engineering make up 15%; Women in research make up 30%; Women in mathematics make up 40% (less than 30% at doctorate level); Women in technology make up 28.8%. Women physicians make up 36.3%; Women in medical school make up 50.5%.
Andrea Harris is the Chief Empowerment Executive at Tools & Tiaras, an organization founded to expose girls (and boys) to the trades. She is also the co-host of the podcast Tradeswomen Talk, and in her spare time (a.k.a. her day job) she is a cement mason at the New York Fire Department. Andrea has been a cement mason for 25 years and wants to share the importance of the trades and the great opportunities is provides as a career.
Episode Notes
Andrea Harris is a staunch advocate for women in the trades and for exposing girls (and boys) to the trades. She has been a cement mason for 25 years currently working as a cement mason at the New York City Fire Department. As the only woman in her role, she is constantly on the job with men. This has never deterred Andrea and as a competent mason has earned the respect of her colleagues.
Tools & Tiaras mission is to advance the interest of girls into nontraditional careers in male dominated industries. Their motto is "Jobs don't have genders". They provide camps and mentoring opportunities for young people - or as Andrea says, anyone that is interested regardless of age.
Tradeswomen Talk is a podcast Andrea co-hosts that is inspired by the narrative of women and men of the building trades. They share stories, insights, and knowledge about how to survive and thrive in male dominated industries.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
www.toolsandtiaras.org
Tradeswomen Talk podcast - https://www.buzzsprout.com/950392
Approximately 3% of skilled people working in the trades are women. (https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2021/06/10/women-breaking-into-male-dominated-trades). 8.8% of cement masons are women (www.zippia.com)
Andrea's Dove Bar Commercial: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/I8Tk/dove-beauty-bar-cement-mason
Cement masons pour, smooth, and finish concrete floors, sidewalks, roads, and curbs. They are needed wherever a finished surface of concrete is poured. (https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/cement-mason/)
Gina Covarrubias works with people in STEM who are looking for some guidance and direction in their career path. She uses her own life experiences as a young aerospace engineer who never found the right fit in engineering to help others who find themselves in similar situations. She pivoted from engineering into a life coaching program and launched her business Deliberate Doing in Fall of 2019.
Episode Notes
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Gina was expecting to find her dream job and career. Over the course of many types of jobs, she found herself feeling lost, disappointed, and frustrated. After taking a daring leap, she quit her profession and spent some time soul searching through introspection and self education. She stumbled upon life coaching not knowing anything about the field. It instantly resonated and Gina decided to pursue a life coaching program.
In Fall 2019, she launched her coaching and speaking business for the STEM individual who is experiencing career disappointment, confusion or despair just like she used to. Gina uses a holistic life coaching program to help people understand how mentality affects their career. While a career coach typically helps a client find their next job, Gina helps a client find themselves.
She shares the importance of creating internal fulfillment prior to seeking external fulfillment from a career.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
deliberatedoing.com
What is the difference between a therapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist? A therapist is a licensed counselor or psychologist who can use talk therapy to help you treat mental health symptoms and improve how you manage stress and relationships. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose and prescribe medication to treat mental health disorders.
The health coach I have been working with is Marie Anderson. Her website is: https://www.stronglifeco.com
Shailvi Wakhlu is a leader in data analytics. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering and has been coding since she was eight years old. Shailvi shares her journey from computer engineering into data analytics and the importance of developing leadership skills.
Episode Notes
Shailvi shares her experience in leadership in technology. She has held a variety of roles from large tech companies to small startups and is very deliberate in developing her skillset in the roles she seeks out. She shares the importance of mentoring and developing leadership skills for managers and how this is a focus of how she helps develop her team.
Shailvi grew up in India where her mom brought home a computer and taught her and her sister to code at a very young age. She also spent part of her education at an all girls catholic school and the benefits of this type of education before attending a co-ed public school. At just seventeen years old she moved to the US to attend college.
Shailvi is also a keynote speaker and we discuss the importance of communication in technical careers and how to go about developing those skillsets.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
www.shailvi.com
Full Stack Engineer - highly skilled experts in the world of web, application, and software development. These technical experts are skilled in coding for both the front end and back end, requiring a big-picture visualization of the entire platform. (LinkedIn)
Kho Kho - a traditional Indian sport, that is one of the oldest outdoor sports, dating back to ancient India. It is played by two teams of 12 nominated players out of fifteen, of which nine enter the field who sit on their knees (Chasing Team), and 3 extra (Defending Team) who try to avoid being touched by members of the other opposing team. It is one of the two most popular traditional tag games in the Indian subcontinent, the other being Kabaddi.The sport is widely played across South Asia and has a strong presence in South Africa and England. (wikipedia)
Data Analytics - a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modelling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. (wikipedia)
Wrap Me Cozy - The best pashmina, silk, fine wool shawls & scarves to keep you cozy. (https://www.etsy.com/shop/WrapMeCozy)
Happy Shailvi - Hand-painted ethnic shot glasses & placeholders with traditional mandala designs (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HappyShailvi)
Bhuton - a landlocked country in the Eastern Himalayas. (Wikipedia)
The fires near my sister's resort are under control and they are no longer under pre-evacuation orders.
Sandy Marshall is the Founder and CEO of Project Scientist, a program designed to inspire young girls to consider STEM careers. Project scientist aims to nurture these future scientists to be tomorrow's leaders and be change makers. Sandy founded Project Scientist to fill a void she saw when looking for a STEM program for her daughter. The program has flourished to multiple states and is embarking on an international stint.
Episode Notes
Sandy shares how she came to start Project Scientist and the important work project scientist does. Project Scientist started in Sandy's guesthouse as a way to bridge a gap in STEM programming. She used her background in non-profits to create a very successful, research based STEM program that brings women STEM professionals to mentor and educate girls at very young ages.
She talks about the challenges of getting girls into STEM and how they work to overcome these challenges. She shares how important it is to get girls interested in STEM at early ages. We talk about the need to normalize girls and women in STEM careers so that girls think about STEM careers as a part of their normal life and as potential careers for them.
She also shares her journey through the non-profit world, both in previous roles and starting Project Scientist. She provides great insights and tips that she has gained throughout her career.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
www.projectscientist.com
"Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age" by Dr. Sanjay Gupta (https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Sharp-Build-Better-Brain/dp/1501166735)
"Scigirls" PBS (https://pbskids.org/scigirls/)
Gina Davis Institute on Gender in Media (www.seejane.com)
If you are interested in being a mentor or getting involved with Project Scientist, please send an email to info@projectscientst.org.
Draw a Scientist Experiment -
When boys and girls were asked to draw a scientist in a study several decades ago, the results revealed a stunning bias: 99.4 percent of the drawings depicted a male scientist. Out of 5,000 drawings collected between 1966 and 1977, only 28 were of female scientists, all of which were drawn by girls. Since then, nearly 80 studies have repeated this experiment with over 20,000 students across all grade levels, and the results of all these studies were reviewed in a meta-analysis published last year. (https://www.edutopia.org/article/50-years-children-drawing-scientists)
Dr. Angelique Adams is an entrepreneur, scientist, engineer, mother, and philanthropist. She recently started her own company - Angelique Adams Media Solutions, LLC and is passionate about leadership and developing her team and now clients. She holds a PhD in Fuel Science, MS in Fuel Science, BS in Chemical Engineering, and an MBA from MIT.
Episode Notes
Dr. Angelique Adams brings multiple decades of leadership experience and knowledge to our conversation. She shares her journey from being a scientist and engineer to starting her own company helping women develop leadership skills.
We discuss imposter syndrome, poker face, fuel science, living in France, the challenges of commuting overseas with children and so much more. We talk about skill sets that are needed moving from being an individual contributor to being in leadership and the importance of understanding other work cultures.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
https://drangeliqueadams.com
"You're More Than a Diversity Hire: The Five Keys To Unlocking Your Full Potential", by Angelique Adams.
Highest paid engineering fields in 2020: Big Data Engineering: Median Salary $155,000; Petroleum Engineering: Median Salary $132,280; Computer Hardware Engineer: $115,120; Aerospace Engineer: $113,030; Nuclear Engineer: $105,180; Systems Engineer: $103,800; Chemical Engineer: $102,160; Electrical Engineer: $97.970; Biomedical Engineer: $88,040; Environmental Engineer: $86,800. (https://online-engineering.case.edu/blog/highest-paying-engineering-jobs)
Becky Mueller is a crash test engineer - her dream job from the time she was 10 years old. She has BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering and is passionate about saving lives through the work she does to improve vehicle safety.
Episode Notes
Becky dreamed of being a crash test engineer since she was 10 years old and saw a crash test commercial on TV. Her love of math and science as a child provided a foundation for her to pursue degrees in mechanical engineering always with the goal of becoming a crash test engineer - which she not only succeeded in, but truly loves and is passionate about.
Becky shares what she does for a job, some great opportunities she has had in her role both in travel and cool experiences, and the importance of being an advocate for women in STEM and mechanical engineering in particular.
Prior to meeting Becky, I didn't realize this was a job and it really sounds like so much fun and an important way to make a difference in the world - keeping our vehicles safe!
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Approximately 13.8% of bachelors degrees in mechanical engineering go to women, a number which has stayed relatively flat over the past decade. (https://www.bu.edu/eng/about/dean-lutchen/engineerings-gender-diversity-problem/)
In the automotive industry, 20% are female, this drops to less than 10% at the executive level. (https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/people-news/2020/12/01/women-feel-under-represented-in-automotive-leadership-roles)
Trains first came to Europe in 1826. Trains first came to Japan in 1872. (wikipedia)
Nils Bolin and the three point seat belt - Before 1959, only two-point lap belts were available in automobiles; for the most part, the only people who regularly buckled up were race car drivers. The two-point belts strapped across the body, with a buckle placed over the abdomen, and in high-speed crashes had been known to cause serious internal injuries. In 1958, Volvo Car Corporation hired Bohlin, who had designed ejector seats for Saab fighter airplanes in the 1950s, to be the company’s first chief safety engineer. (A relative of Volvo CEO Gunnar Engelau had died in a car crash, which helped motivate the company to increase its safety measures.) Bohlin had worked with the more elaborate four-point harnesses in airplanes, and knew that system would be untenable in an automobile. In designing the new seat belt, he concentrated on providing a more effective method of protecting driver and passenger against the impact of the swift deceleration that occurred when a car crashed.
Within a year, Bohlin had developed the three-point seat belt, introduced in Volvo cars in 1959. The new belts secured both the upper and lower body; its straps joined at hip level and buckled into what Bohlin called “an immovable anchorage point” below the hip, so that they could hold the body safely in the event of a crash. According to Bohlin (as quoted by The New York Times in his 2002 obituary): “It was just a matter of finding a solution that was simple, effective and could be put on conveniently with one hand.” (www.history.com)
Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist and Chief Science Advocate at 3M. She has Bachelor's and Master's Degrees and a PhD, all in Chemical Engineering. She holds 72 patents! She was recently featured in the documentary "Not the Science Type", a documentary that premiered during the Tribeca Film Festival this summer. She is the author of "The Heart of Science: Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, and Imprints".
Episode Notes
Jayshree Seth didn't think she wanted to be an engineer or scientist. She had a strong interest in humanities subjects and grew up knowing that she wanted to help people and make a difference in the world. Her parents strongly encouraged her to go into engineering and she eventually saw that engineers and scientists DO help people and are change makers in the world - and she is passionate about sharing that message and encouraging women and underrepresented minorities to pursue STEM careers knowing a humanities mindset is huge component of success in STEM.
We talk about the documentary "Not the Science Type", her public facing role as a Chief Science Advocate (sounds like the coolest job ever), her book "The Heart of Science: Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, and Imprints" which is a great collection of advice and articles about STEM and whose proceeds go to fund scholarships for a woman of color. We talk about the need to change narratives and archetypes around STEM careers, motherhood, communication skills, and so much more.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Not the Science Type: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHIoyZjMCI.
"Not the Science Type" is an incredible four - part documentary series that will quickly disabuse you of that notion. In the series you will meet four amazing female scientists who are ushering in a new future, as they address critical global and local challenges. These brilliant women have faced sexism, racism and ageism in their professional journeys and in response, they have shattered stereotypes with each new innovation, patent and award.
The Heart of Science: Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints - https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Science-Engineering-Footprints-Fingerprints/dp/0578785129/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1608578292&sr=8-1
The Heart of Science explores big ideas through a collection of insights, reflections and tips from Jayshree Seth's successful corporate career in research and development that spans over 25 years and includes 72 patents, as well as national and international accolades. All proceeds from the sale of the book will support the Jayshree Seth Scholarship for Women of Color in STEM. (https://alltogether.swe.org/2020/12/the-heart-of-science-jayshree-seth/)
3M State of Science Index Survey - For the fourth year, 3M is sharing unique insights from our original research project, the State of Science Index. The State of Science Index is a third-party, independent research study commissioned by 3M that tracks and explores global attitudes toward science, taking the pulse on how people think and feel about the field and its impact on the world around us. Last year, we released two waves of data at once: one which was fielded a few months before the pandemic hit in August-October 2019 (called 2020 Pre-Pandemic Survey), and a second full data set from a pulse survey conducted during the pandemic in July-August 2020 (called 2020 Pandemic Pulse). About six months later (February-March 2021) and one year into the epidemic, we fielded the 2021 survey to help us understand the longer-term impact that the pandemic and other major economic and social justice milestones have had on global views on science and top scientific issues. (https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/state-of-science-index-survey/about-the-survey/)
Sinenhlanhla Sikhosana recently received her PhD in Applied Mathematics with a research focus in Astrophysics. She also holds Bachelor's and Masters degrees in Applied Mathematics and Pure Physics. As a young girl in a small village in South Africa, Sinenhlanhla had big dreams, but few role models. She did, however, have a grandmother and a mother that encouraged her to think outside their traditions and encouraged her to pursue her dreams.
Episode Notes
Have you ever wondered what an astrophysicist is or what you do for a job as an astronomer? What kind of education do you need for this job? Where do you work? What do you study? Sinenhlanhla shares her experiences as an astrophysicist and astronomer is South Africa. She grew up in a small village where women traditionally stay at home to take care of the family, but she had a grandmother and mother who encouraged her to follow her passion and dreams and make her own way.
As a recent PhD recipient, not only does Sinenhlanhla work as an astrophysicist and astronomer, but she also focuses on outreach so that other girls, especially girls in small villages, can see themselves represented through her.
In addition to talking about astrophysics and astronomy, we also discuss the challenges of being female and wanting to have a family and still pursue a career in academia. We discussion challenges of schooling in South Africa and so many other topics on this podcast.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Cosmology - a branch of astronomy concerned with the study of the origin and chronology of the universe. Physical cosmology is the study of the universe's origin, its large-scale structures and dynamics, and the ultimate fate of the universe, including the laws of science that govern these areas. (Wikipedia)
Astrophysics - the branch of astronomy concerned with the physical nature of stars and other celestial bodies, and the application of the laws and theories of physics to the interpretation of astronomical observations. (Oxford Languages)
Astronomy - a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets. (Wikipedia)
Supernova - the biggest explosion that humans have ever seen. Each blast is the extremely bright, super-powerful explosion of a star. (https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/supernova/en/)
Meerkat Telescope - a radio telescope consisting of 64 antennas in the Northern Cape of South Africa. (Wikipedia)
SKA telescope - an intergovernmental radio telescope project being planned to be built in Australia and South Africa. (Wikipedia)
Radio telescope - a specialized antenna and radio receiver used to detect radio waves from astronomical radio sources in the sky. (Wikipedia)
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) - cated near Pune, Junnar, near Narayangaon at khodad in India, is an array of thirty fully steerable parabolic radio telescopes of 45 metre diameter, observing at metre wavelengths. (Wikipedia)
Interferometer - an instrument in which the interference of two beams of light is employed to make precise measurements. (Oxford Languages)
The different types of telescope orbiting around the earth are optical telescope (Hubble), X ray telescope ( Chandra) etc.
Alana Esty has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering. She uses data analytics in the healthcare industry to improve patient care. She is also the host of the podcast “Health Analytic Insights Podcast”.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Alana shares her story of entering the Bioengineering field and some of the challenges she’s faced and how she has navigated them to find a career in data analytics in the healthcare industry that she is passionate about. Alana shares her advice and insights into the healthcare data analytics and how that shapes healthcare for us all. Her particular interest is in women’s healthcare, an area that has traditionally had less funding and research.
Health Informatics – or biomedical informatics is the field of science and engineering that apply informatics fields to medicine. The health domain provides an extremely wide variety of problems that can be tackled using computational techniques. (Wikipedia)
The Health Analytics Insights Podcast – his podcast is ALL about creating a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about the field of health informatics. I hope to share information and advice in topics such as health analytics, digital health, biomedical engineering and data visualization in healthcare. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-analytic-insights-podcast/id1532794445
Biomedical Engineering – is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes. (wikipedia)
“Human: The World Within” – Docuseries on Netflix – Looking at cutting-edge science, this documentary series narrated by Jad Abumrad looks into various aspects of the human body with a diverse range of stories from around the world. Jad Abumrad is a well-known radio host and producer who works alongside Latif Nasser on RadioLab. (whats-on-netflix.com)
Sickle Cell Disease – A group of disorders that cause red blood cells to become misshapen and break down. With sickle cell disease, an inherited group of disorders, red blood cells contort into a sickle shape. The cells die early, leaving a shortage of healthy red blood cells (sickle cell anemia), and can block blood flow causing pain (sickle cell crisis). Infections, pain, and fatigue are symptoms of sickle cell disease. (https://www.scdsilentdamage.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%7Bcampaign%7D;11261661355;&utm_content=492548503331;109703297999&utm_term=sickle%20cell%20disease&gclid=Cj0KCQjwraqHBhDsARIsAKuGZeESfomf4q2zdaoXXfbgcMHBl30tIR7p0IMozeX03bqYe5g4WkOOECcaAgIlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Signal processing – An electrical engineering subfield that focuses on analysing, modifying, and synthesizing signals such as sound, images, and scientific measurements. (wikipedia)
A cardiac pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the natural pacemaker of the heart), is a medical device that generates electrical impulses delivered by electrodes to cause the heart muscle chambers (the upper, or atriaand/or the lower, or
Gayathri Shukla works in digital transformation in the mining industry in Canada. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA. She is founder of Campfire Kinship, an organization that uses story telling to help teams and individuals build empathy, find their strengths, and find belonging. Story telling is Gayathri's super power.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Gayathri shares how digitalization is transforming the mining industry and her path from getting her Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering degree and MBA led her into her current role. She began her career working at a mine in northern Canada. She shares how her early career field experience influences her leadership style.
We also discuss the importance of communication skills and the sometimes forgotten important skill of empathetic listening and listening to understand vs. listening to respond.
Gayathri founded Campfire Kinship, a platform that uses storytelling to develop skills and empathy for a wide variety of people in many different walks of life.
Campfire Kinship - https://campfirekinship.com
Haul truck capacities range from 40 short tons (36 long tons; 36 t) to 496 short tons (443 long tons; 450 t). Large quarry-sized trucks range from 40 to 100 short tons (36 to 89 long tons; 36 to 91 t). A good example of this is the Caterpillar 775 (rated at 70 short tons [62 long tons; 64 t]). (Wikipedia)
Digital Transformation or Digitalization is the adoption of digital technology to transform services or businesses, through replacing non-digital or manual processes with digital processes or replacing older digital technology with newer digital technology. (Wikipedia)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), only 2.2 percent of electricians, 2.8 percent of carpenters, and 5.3 percent of welders are women. All in all, women make up a tiny portion of the skilled trade workforce throughout the United States. (www.tallo.com)
Evie Antholis is a Mechanical Engineer. She graduated in 2020 and began working during the pandemic. Evie shares her experience during college and her first year on the job. She is also interested in clothing design and sewing and we discuss how spacial relationships that we think of in engineering terms apply in sewing as well.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Dress Form – a three-dimensional model of the torso used for fitting clothing that is being designed or sewed. When making a piece of clothing, it can be put on the dress form so one can see the fit and drape of the garment as it would appear on a body, and make adjustments or alterations. (Wikipedia)
Muslin fabric – a cotton fabric of plain weave. It is made in a wide range of weights from delicate sheers to coarse sheeting. It gets its name from the city of Machilipatnam also known as Masulipatnam, India where it was first encountered by Greek traders. (Wikipedia)
Understitching – a line of stitches that are sewn close to the edge of a facing to keep it from rolling toward the outside. It comes in especially handy when sewing around a neckline. It keeps the facing or lining firmly on the inside of your garment without any stitches showing on the outside. (https://www.seamwork.com/classroom/articles/understitching)
Serge – To finish (a cut edge, as of a garment seam) with overcast stitches to prevent raveling. (www.yourdictionary.com)
Chiffon – a lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric, or gauze, like gossamer, woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe (high-twist) yarns. (wikipedia)
Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist – an American musical comedy-drama television series created by Austin Winsberg that premiered on January 7, 2020 on NBC. The series stars Jane Levy as Zoey Clarke, a software developer who discovers she has the ability to hear the innermost thoughts of people as songs. (Wikipedia)
Suzanna Nix – a RITA(R) Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic comedies who lives in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. (Google Books)
Megan has a Bachelor’s Degree in chemistry. After 11 years in the workforce, Megan made the decision to stay home with her two kids and later to home school them. They have lived on a houseboat in Ketchikan, Alaska and then spent two years traveling the continental US in an RV. Her chemistry degree provides a foundation for teaching, a passion for learning, and experimentation she brings to their homeschooling experiences.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckKetchikan is an Alaskan city facing the Inside Passage, a popular cruise route along the state’s southeastern coast. It’s known for its many Native American totem poles, on display throughout town. Nearby Misty Fiords National Monument is a glacier-carved wilderness featuring snowcapped mountains, waterfalls and salmon spawning streams.
HOW MUCH DOES A 3D PRINTER COST?
We wish there was an easy answer to this question. Depending on your specific needs, 3D printers vary in cost.
There is a wide variety in the types of 3D printers based on size, features, quality, durability, performance and place of manufacture which all factor into a 3D printer’s price.
If you average all the different 3D printers on the market, you’ll arrive at a price of $400, which is now, as of April 2021, skewed heavily to cheap entry-level, consumer 3D printers. Most Entry Level and Hobbyist 3D printers are priced from $200 – $500, while some can be as expensive as $1500. The higher end 3D printers, such as Enthusiast 3D printers and Professional 3D printers are priced anywhere from $1,500 – $6,000, depending on the printer’s capabilities. Lastly, Industrial 3D printers are pricey to own and operate, and can cost anywhere from $20,000 – $100,000.
Most of us have had to deal with challenging work situations such as microaggressions, aggressions, harassment and others. In this episode, Dr. Tanya Hewitt provides insight and tools to equip us to better handle those situations. Tanya is the Founder and CEO of Beyond Safety Compliance and specializes in helping organizations become better, more effective work places. She has a PhD in Population Health and Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physics – What a great combination!
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact Check
Microaggressions – a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental slights, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized groups. (wikipedia)
Aggressions – hostile or violent behavior or attitudes toward another; readiness to attack or confront. (Oxford Languages)
Harassment – aggressive pressure or intimidation
Johari Window – a technique that helps people better understand their relationship with themselves and others. It was created by psychologists Joseph Luft (1916–2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916–1995) in 1955, and is used primarily in self-help groups and corporate settings as a heuristic exercise. (Wikipedia)
Beyond Safety and Compliance Website: https://beyondsafetycompliance.ca
Beyond Safety and Compliance Monthly Webinar: https://www.eventbrite.ca/manage/events/154099155723/tickets
https://blog.feedspot.com/women_in_stem_podcasts/
Jodi Bednar is an Energy & Utility consulting practice leader. She has been in the telecommunications and consulting industries for 30 years. She has a bachelor's degree in Telecommunications Management and a degree in Executive Management in the Women's Leadership Program at Yale University. She shares her vast work and life experiences and the importance of being able to bring your whole self to work.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckThe Big 4 firms in management consulting are Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Deloitte), KPMG International (KPMG), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Ernst & Young (EY). As of 2020, they are the four largest consulting firms in terms of revenue.
% Women getting medical degrees. % women in leadership in medical. Women constitute 50.5% of today’s medical students, building on steady increases in recent years that saw women account for the majority of first-year students in 2017 and most of medical school applicants in 2018. Women reached the cusp of the majority in total enrollment last year, when they constituted 49.5% of all medical students, up from 46.9% in 2015. (https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/more-women-men-are-enrolled-medical-school)
Women account for only 18% of hospital CEOs and 16% of all deans and department chairs in the U.S.—positions that typically direct the mission and control the resources at medical centers. Women are also in the minority when it comes to senior authorship (10%) and Editors-In-Chief (7%) at prestigious medical journals. (https://hbr.org/2018/06/whats-holding-women-in-medicine-back-from-leadership)
CEOs: A whopping 93% are male. Barely 7% are female. CFOs: 87% are male. 13% are female. (https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/diversity-inclusion/iwd-2021-why-are-women-underrepresented-in-the-c-suite/248466); CIOs: Women CIOs make up 25 percent of the Fortune 500’s top IT leaders; Seventy-eight% of new CHROs were women in 2019, and of all Fortune 200 CHROs, 67.3% were women (https://www.workforce.com/news/chief-people-officer-trends-more-women-more-degrees-more-turnover)
According to the McKinsey study “Why Diversity Matters,” companies in the top quartile for gender-diverse executive suites were 15% more likely to generate above-average profitability compared to the bottom quartile of companies whose executive teams were predominantly white and male. (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-numbers-dont-lie-diverse-workforces-make-companies-more-money-2020-07-30)
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, by Carolie Criado Perez.
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., by Brene Brown.
Shout out to Feedspot for featuring this podcast as the #1 Women in STEM podcast!! https://blog.feedspot.com/women_in_stem_podcasts/
Nicole is passionate about helping overlooked women in STEM become influential, so they can confidently unlock new opportunities for themselves, get their employers saying “we need you on this job!” and make a bigger impact. As a Scientist and Positive Psychology Coach, Nicole helps her clients strategically turn their career frustrations into a renewed love for their work.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckNicole's Coaching Website: https://intoactioncoaching.de/
Nicole's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnicoletschierske/
Nicole's Masterclass: https://womeninstem-reimagined.com/
Food Chemistry - The study of chemical processes and interactions of all biological and non-biological components of foods. The biological substances include such items as meat, poultry, lettuce, beer, milk as examples. (Wikipedia)
Sheila Wells is a Telecommunications Engineer in the utility industry. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Informations Systems – Communications Technology. She has worked in the utility industry for 30 years and wants to encourage more women to go into the industry. Sheila has a deep passion for her career and life.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckSONET – Synchronous Optical Networking and synchronous digital hierarchy are standardized protocols that transfer multiple digital bit streams synchronously over optical fiber using lasers or highly coherent light from light-emitting diodes. At low transmission rates data can also be transferred via an electrical interface. (wikipedia)
Wireless Co-location – he act of placing multiple (sometimes related) entities within a single location. (wikipedia)
Electric power quality is the degree to which the voltage, frequency, and waveform of a power supply system conform to established specifications. (wikipedia)
“Invisible Women“, Caroline Criado Pérez. Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and often with their lives. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41104077-invisible-women)
Are COVID vaccines designed for men? Preliminary data from the earliest vaccinations in December suggest that women are reporting more severe vaccine side effects than men. In February, the CDC released data on adverse effects during the first month of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, finding that while women received 61 percent of vaccine doses, 72 percent of the side effects reported to the agency were from women. (https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/sex-and-gender-and-covid-19-vaccine-side-effects/)
Women made gains – from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 to 27% in 2019 – but men still dominated the field. Men made up 52% of all U.S. workers but 73% of all STEM workers. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2015 the percentage of women of color attending higher education institutions who earned STEM degrees was:
- Asian women: 5%
- Black women: 2.9%
- Latinas: 3.8%
Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) – a type of cable that is used in overhead power lines. Such cable combines the functions of grounding and communications. An OPGW cable contains a tubular structure with one or more optical fibers in it, surrounded by layers of steel and aluminum wire. (wikipedia)
Multiple Address System (MAS) – A basic MAS radio link consists of a master radio transmitter/receiver unit and multiple remote radio transmitter/receiver units. A master unit can access or poll multiple units via a pair of transmit/receive frequencies. (http://xanthus-consulting.com/IntelliGrid_Architecture/New_Technologies/Tech_Multiple_Address_(MAS)_Radio.htm)
Janet Phan works as a consultant in the intersection of technology and business in a global role in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She is the Founder of Thriving Elements, a mentoring program for underrepresented girls in STEM. She has a book, "Boldly You" coming out this fall where she shares her experience growing up in America as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. She is a keynote speaker and recently did a TEDx talk highlighting the importance of mentorship and how it shaped her life. In her spare time, Janet snowboards and surfs and makes fitness a primary component of her life.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckBoldly You. A young woman’s journey of perseverance and resourcefulness for girls and young women everywhere. (www.janet-phan.com)
Janet's Tedx Talk (https://www.ted.com/talks/janet_phan_3_key_elements_to_thriving_mentorship)
Fast Company contributed piece on mentoring; https://www.fastcompany.com/90595519/a-5-point-plan-for-becoming-the-best-mentor-you-can-be
Janet’s website: www.janet-phan.com
Thriving Elements - The organization Janet founded to mentor underrepresented girls in STEM (www.thrivingelements.org)
Janet's Fast Company contributed piece on mentorship: https://www.fastcompany.com/90595519/a-5-point-plan-for-becoming-the-best-mentor-you-can-be
Greenleaf Publishing - UK-based publishing imprint specializing in corporate responsibility, business ethics, environmental policy and management, future business strategy and practice, and sustainable development. (wikipedia)
Fast Company - a monthly American business magazine published in print and online that focuses on technology, business, and design. It publishes eight print issues per year. (wikipedia)
Stephanie Slocum is the Founder and CEO of Engineers Rising, where she coaches engineers to help them advance in their careers. She is the author or “She Engineers” and a keynote speaker. She is a professional engineer with master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Architectural Engineering.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckTo get a free signed copy of the book, go to: https://www.sheengineersbook.com/freebook
Engineers Rising – Teaches high-achieving female engineers tools to succeed on their own terms. Not someone else’s version of success, but the one that is uniquely YOU. (www.engineersrising.com)
It takes seven seconds to make a decision about someone when you first meet them.
Alisha Arora is a research assistant at MIT, leveraging machine learning to diagnose mental health disorders. She is a co-founder of Hope Sisters, a non-profit dedicated to spreading hope to vulnerable people, she has been a page in her legislative assembly, and more. At 14 years old, Alisha's mission is to help solve the world's biggest problems using emerging technologies.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions & Fact Check
AI/Machine Learning** - Machine learning is the study of computer algorithms that improve automatically through experience and by the use of data. It is seen as a part of artificial intelligence. (wikipedia)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization of the United States, MIT adopted a European polytechnic university model and stressed laboratory instruction in applied science and engineering. It has since played a key role in the development of many aspects of modern science, engineering, mathematics, and technology, and is widely known for its innovation and academic strength. It is frequently regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. (wikipedia)
Quantum Computing - Quantum computing is the use of quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to perform computation. (wikipedia)
Hope Sisters - The HopeSisters are two ambitious youth with one mission, to spread hope. They both are passionate about creating a generation that gives back and dismantles systemic inequities. (https://www.thehopesisters.com )
A Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) is an elected member of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of Ontario. (wikipedia)
Clubhouse - Clubhouse is an invite-only audio platform where users can start conversations, listen in to conversations, and network. When you open the app you’ll find one spot to search for users or clubs (which are like affinity groups) you’d like to follow, and a calendar of upcoming events based on the interests you selected when you first signed up. You can see what rooms other people are a part of, jump around to listen in, and raise your hand if you want to be invited up to the stage. (www.edsurge.com)
Legislative Assembly - In Canada, a legislative assembly is the body of people elected in each province and territory to create and pass laws. The legislature of a province or territory is made up of a legislative assembly along with the lieutenant governor. (www.thoughtco.com)
A House of Commons page is a non-partisan employee of the House of Commons of Canada. Pages perform both ceremonial and administrative duties, including:
- Participation in the Speaker's parade,
- Delivering documents and water to Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Chamber and in House committees,
- Answering telephones in the lobbies and delivering messages to MPs, and
- Assisting the Speaker, Clerks, Sergeant-at-Arms and other House officers in the Chamber.
Dr. Corey Hall is a STEM Curriculum Developer. She spent the majority of her career as a middle school librarian where she brought technology to life for her students and as a science and math teacher. Dr. Hall has a BA in Middle Education, a MS in Educational Technology, a Master of Library & Information Sciences in emerging technology, and a PhD in Education/Technology Management.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions & Fact CheckCatalog: https://stemeducationworks.com/catalog/#p=1
Makerspaces in Libraries: http://www.ala.org/pla/resources/tools/technology/makerspaces
Makerspaces/Learning Commons: https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/category/blogs/maker/
Developing Inclusive Learners and Citizens: Activity Guide and Framework https://standards.aasl.org/project/inclusive/
Microbit - The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that introduces you to how software and hardware work together. It has an LED light display, buttons, sensors and many input/output features that, when programmed, let it interact with you and your world. (https://microbit.org/get-started/first-steps/introduction)
Spheros - Sphero, Inc. is an American consumer robotics and toy company based in Boulder, Colorado. (wikipedia)
Little Bits - a New York City-based startup that makes an open source library of modular electronics, which snap together with small magnets for prototyping and learning. The company's goal is to democratize hardware the way software and printing have been democratized. (wikipedia)
A makerspace is a collaborative work space inside a school, library or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools. (wikipedia)
Snap Circuits - a line of electronic kits manufactured by Elenco Electronics and aimed at children eight years and older. The kits come in a variety of sizes, offering a range of building experience for the user, and may include capacitors, diodes, electric motors, lamps, LEDs, radios, electromagnets (wikipedia)
Tinker CAD - a free, online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser, known for its simplicity and ease of use. Since it became available in 2011 it has become a popular platform for creating models for 3D printing as well as an entry-level introduction to constructive solid geometry in schools. (wikipedia)
Fab Labs - a small-scale workshop offering digital fabrication. A fab lab is typically equipped with an array of flexible computer-controlled tools that cover several different length scales and various materials, with the aim to make "almost anything". (wikipedia)
Gretel Zwick is an assistant project manager who works in underground utility locating. She has a bachelor's degree in Construction Management with an emphasis in surveying. She is passionate about surveying and about letting people know about surveying and what they do.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions & Fact Check
Total Station** - A total station is an optical surveying instrument that uses electronics to calculate angles and distances. It combines the functions of a theodolite with that of a transit level and electronic distance meter (EDM). It also has an integrated microprocessor, electronic data collector, and storage system that allows measurements to be stored on the device which can be uploaded to a computer for further processing. (wikipedia)
Djibouti, Africa - Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, is a mostly French- and Arabic-speaking country of dry shrublands, volcanic formations and Gulf of Aden beaches. It's home to one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, the low-lying Lake Assal, in the Danakil Desert. The nomadic Afar people have settlements along Lake Abbe, a body of saltwater featuring chimney-like mineral formations.
A muslim woman's headscarf is called a hijab.
Sperm whales - Sperm whales are the largest toothed cetacean. The size of most large baleen whales, they actually have teeth on their bottom jaw, used to grasp large squid or fish, unlike other large whales that filter smaller denser prey through their baleen. Almost mythical creatures, sperm whales were historically feared and revered in cultures around the world. The famous 19th century novel, Moby Dick, featured a sperm whale, and was based on the experiences of ‘Yankee whalers’ that roamed the world’s oceans hunting whales from small open boats in the 1800’s. Though not the largest species of whale, it does have the largest head and the largest brain of any animal on the planet; can dive deeper than almost any other marine mammal; and lives in a stable and complex matrilineal society similar to that of elephants. Sperm whales are usually found in deep oceanic waters, but can be observed closer to shore around islands or areas where underwater canyons or a narrow continental shelf provide deep water nearshore habitat.
Dr. Verima Peirera has a PhD in Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology from Hinduja Hospital and Research Centre and is doing post doctoral research studying Plasmodium Falciparum, a parasite that causes malaria.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions & Fact Check
Plasmodium Falciparum** - a unicellular protozoan parasite of humans, and the deadliest species of Plasmodium that causes malaria in humans. The parasite is transmitted through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito and causes the disease's most dangerous form, falciparum malaria. (wikipedia)
Next Generation Sequencing - Next generation sequencing (NGS), massively parallel or deep sequencing are related terms that describe a DNA sequencing technology which has revolutionised genomic research. Using NGS an entire human genome can be sequenced within a single day.
Genome - the haploid set of chromosomes in a gamete or microorganism, or in each cell of a multicellular organism. (Wikipedia)
African regions carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. According to the WMR 2019, India represents 3% of the global malaria burden. Despite being the highest malaria burden country of the SEA region, India showed a reduction in reported malaria cases of 49% and deaths of 50.5% compared with 2017. (www.who.int)
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, those being unicellular, multicellular, or acellular. Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, protistology, mycology, immunology and parasitology. (wikipedia)
Steven Johnson Syndrome - a rare, serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes. It's usually a reaction to medication that starts with flu-like symptoms, followed by a painful rash that spreads and blisters. Then the top layer of affected skin dies, sheds and begins to heal after several days. (Wikipedia)
Maria has both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. For some time she was responsible of doing computer process simulations , but she also helped on the implementation of data analytics code to optimize production in chemical plants, while learning about the subject and doing some programming herself. Currently, she is focusing on that area sharpening her skills in data science and wants to also understand the relationship with process automation and control and the technical details to a successful deployment.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
AI (Artificial Intelligence)**– This term is often used to describe machines (or
computers) that mimic “cognitive” functions that humans associate with the human
mind, such as “learning” and “problem solving”. Alan Turing is said to be the father of
AI and he invented a test to benchmark whether a machine is intelligent or not called
“The imitation game”. (Wikipedia)
Machine Learning - Is the science of getting computers to act without being explicitly
programmed, by accessing data and use it to learn for themselves. In contrast to
software development, no explicit rules are assigned, but rather the algorithm is able
to learn from multiple examples by finding correlations, just like a baby would learn to
walk by observing the world. When a person writes equations or software they are
able to communicate the information that was processed using symbols, while
machine learning is trying to program the process of learning, without communicating
it with symbols. (Stanford with additionsfrom Max Tegmark)
Data Analytics - Process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modelling data
with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting
decision-making. The most important step is data preparation before even trying to fit
it to a model and this is the most difficult and time-consuming task in data science. In
manufacturing, it is important to understand the dynamic behaviour of data (How the
time series data of different variables relate to each other), and the context for any
missing data. (Wikipedia)
Neural Network - Neural nets are a means of doing machine learning, in which a
computer learns to perform some task by analysing training examples. Inspired
loosely on the human brain, a neural net consists of thousands or even millions of
simple processing nodes that are densely interconnected and “correlate” inputs into
outputs”. Neural nets are good at fitting data with high signal to noise ratio and can
be used with manufacturing time series data for optimization or prediction.
(https://news.mit.edu/2017/explained-neural-networks-deep-learning-0414 with
remarks from Maria).
Process Control - Process control is the ability to monitor and adjust a process to
give a desired output. It is used in industry to maintain quality and improve
performance. Understanding traditional control systems is key to implementing
analytics models in the plant on-line, alongside the different communication protocols. (https://www.haroldbeck.com/process-
control)
Process Simulations - Process simulation is a model-based representation
of chemical, physical, biological, and other technical processes and unit
operations in software. Basic prerequisites for the model are chemical and physical
properties of pure components and mixtures, of reactions, and of mathematical
models which, in combination, allow the calculation of process properties by the
software. It corresponds to scientific software development, since rules are explicitly
programmed. (Wikipedia with remarks from Maria)
Stephanie Espy is the Founder and CEO of MathSP, a STEM academic and test prep coaching company. MathSP is a STEM-focused academic and test prep coaching company based in Georgia and serving students and families nationwide. She is the author of STEM Gems, a book featuring 44 women in 44 different STEM fields with the goal of providing girls with role models to allow them to see themselves in STEM fields to close the gap with women in STEM. She has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT, a master's degree in Chemical Engineering for University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA is Emory University. She is passionate about closing the gap in STEM.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions & Fact Check
STEM Gems** - A book that gives girls and young women role models in STEM, and opening their eyes to a world of opportunity! (https://stemgemsbook.com)
STEM Gems Summit - Occurring virtually during Women’s History Month in March, the Summit brings together tween and teen girls and their supporters (parents, care givers, educators, relatives, mentors) and exposes them to a wide range of STEM careers underrepresented by women. Attendees have the opportunity to meet leading STEM women, learn about their unique career journeys, and understand what it takes to pursue similar careers. Women Empowering Girls 2021 will be on Saturday, March 20 from 11:00AM-2:45 PM EST / 8:00AM-11:45AM PST. (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stem-gems-summit-women-empowering-girls-tickets-138294435379?aff=erelexpmlt)
MathSP is the only STEM-focused academic coaching company in the state of Georgia. By cultivating our students’ core problem-solving skills and analytical abilities, we empower them to achieve superior results in academic subjects and on high school entrance, college entrance, and graduate school entrance exams, while also equipping them with a true understanding of the concepts at work. (www.mathsp.com)
MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Founded to accelerate the nation’s industrial revolution, MIT is profoundly American. With ingenuity and drive, our graduates have invented fundamental technologies, launched new industries, and created millions of American jobs. At the same time, and without the slightest sense of contradiction, MIT is profoundly global(opens in new window). Our community gains tremendous strength as a magnet for talent from around the world. Through teaching, research, and innovation, MIT’s exceptional community pursues its mission of service to the nation and the world. (www.mit.edu)
Thomas Waltower is the founder of Sisters -N- Technology, an organization that started in Minneapolis, Minnesota an after school program that focuses on coding and STEM for girls. Sisters-N-Technology's mission is to engage young women in computer science and related IT fields. They are the only after school program in Minneapolis Public Schools that focuses on coding and STEM and are proud to be the 1st computer technology high school program in Minneapolis Public Schools. Sisters-n-Technology gives young women the technology skills they need to be successful in the classroom and beyond. Thomas Waltower is also an educator in the Minneapolis School District.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
http://www.sisters-n-technology.com
Donation information:
Cash app - $Sistersntechnology
PayPal- www.sisters-n-technology.com
email-sistersntechnology1@gmail.com
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/breaking-the-news/north-minneapolis-tech-students-headed-to-silicon-valley/89-dde705c0-856a-49e4-8707-6ceee03199b7
https://mouse.org/news/mouse-spotlight-sisters-n-technology
https://www.shsoutherner.net/features/2019/02/27/sisters-n-tech-a-womens-club-for-computer-science-and-gender-equity/
https://www.archerpoint.com/blog/Posts/archerpoint-supports-sisters-n-technology-making-brighter-future-possible-through
https://www.blacksintechnology.net/bitcon2018-day-one-in-review/sisters-n-technology-pitch-competition-winner-bitcon2018/
https://www.southwestjournal.com/tag/thomas-waltower/
https://youtu.be/xilIcOoEt1o
https://locallinkz.com/#/resource/301/sisters-n-technology
https://youtu.be/NPFwpOmkfSs
https://youtu.be/tRI5U9Ry_go
Kelly Ireland is the founder and CEO of CBT, formerly CB Technologies. Her company focuses on providing premier customer service while simultaneously providing true work life balance and creating an environment that brings out the best in her team, both personally and professionally. She shares her experience and passions as a CEO in the technology industry.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
CBT**, founded by Kelly Ireland - At CBT, we are entrepreneurs and technologists. We are successful, passionate women and men who create integrated solutions to power our clients’ success. As a woman-owned Domain Expert Integrator, we consistently deliver innovation thanks to our first-class engineers, unrivaled client services, and strategic partnerships with the world’s finest providers of hardware and software solutions. (www.cbtechinc.com)
RPG III is a dialect of the RPG programming language that was first announced with the IBM System/38 in 1978. (wikipedia)
I could not verify many, multiple German words for poop.
While pole vaulting became a sport in 1850, it did not become an official women's sport until 2000. (wikipedia)
Meg Whitman - an American business executive, former political candidate, and philanthropist. She is a board member of Procter & Gamble and Dropbox. Whitman was previously president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise. She was also the CEO of Quibi before its closure in October 2020. (wikipedia)
Antonio Neri - an Argentinian-American businessman who currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Hewlett Packard Enterprise. (wikipedia)
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) - a generally perceived as a company that produces parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. (wikipedia)
VAR (Value Added Reseller) - a company that adds features or services to an existing product, then resells it (usually to end-users) as an integrated product or complete "turn-key" solution. ... By doing this, the company has added value above the cost of the individual computer components. (wikipedia)
SI (System Integrator) - a person or company that specializes in bringing together component subsystems into a whole and ensuring that those subsystems function together, a practice known as system integration. They also solve problems of automation. (wikipedia)
SheSpeaksBureau.org is an effort by passionate female tech leaders and startup founders to provide a platform to elevate the voices of Female speakers with special focus on Female speakers of Color.
Chris is an award-winning digital strategist who has planned strategies and led campaigns for a diverse range of clients from some of the world’s biggest brands to emerging start-ups in a broad range of sectors.
James heads up Moledro’s client relations and operations as well as acting as the sector-head for professional services and not-for-profits. James is a qualified solicitor (non-practicing) who spent over 9 years working in professional services at various market-leading organizations.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Moledro Digital - www.moledrodigital.com
12 Archetypes: The Hero, The Explorer, The Disruptor, The Mentor, The Friend, The Ruler, The Motivator, The Sage, The Genius, The Start-up Kid,The Closer, and The Creator.
Nancy Regan has a degree in Aerospace Engineering and founded The Force, a company focusing on Reliability Centered Maintenance. In addition to being an engineer and entrepreneur, she also holds six patents, is an author and a key note speaker.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) -** A lot of organizations don’t get the Reliability they need from their equipment. That causes chronic downtime, increased costs, and lost production. Using Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), organizations figure out what proactive maintenance to do so they get what they need from their machines (https://RCMTrainingOnline.com).
RCM Consists of seven steps:
- Functions
- Functional Failures
- Failure Modes
- Failure Effects
- Failure Consequences
- Proactive Maintenance and Intervals
- Default Strategies
Steps one through four make up the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Steps one through five make up the Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA). Step six embodies preventive maintenance and Condition Based Maintenance (CBM).
"The One Thing" by Gary Keller. The book discusses the benefits of prioritizing a single task, and it also provides examples of how to engage in those tasks with a singular focus.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - a private university focused on aviation and aerospace programs with its main campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida. Women make up 27% of enrollment currently. (Wikipedia)
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst is the world leader in Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) and Naval Aviation Support Equipment (SE). It is part of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and is located on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL) in central New Jersey. As the Navy’s lead engineering support activity for ALRE and SE, NAWCAD Lakehurst conducts programs of acquisition management, technology development, systems integration, engineering, rapid prototyping / manufacturing, developmental evaluation and verification, fleet engineering support and integrated logistics support management. NAWCAD Lakehurst is responsible for maintaining fleet support and infusing modern technology across the entire spectrum of equipment needed to launch, land and maintain aircraft from ships at sea and austere expeditionary airfields. (navair.navy.mil)
The USS Midway Museum is a historical naval aircraft carrier museum located in downtown San Diego, California at Navy Pier. The museum consists of the aircraft carrier Midway. The ship houses an extensive collection of aircraft, many of which were built in Southern California. (wikipedia)
Katy Kolbeck is a retired electrical engineer. She spent 15 years of her career working as an electrical engineer at an engineering firm, and the last 15 years as the President and CEO of that same engineering firm. In retirement, she spends most of her time working with non-profit organizations addressing leadership and strategic issues, along with working on systems to provide clean drinking water for communities in rural Haiti.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
The Works Museum -** The museum was conceived by Rebecca Schatz, a software engineer who was inspired by a visit to the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and by the hands-on technical education for children that she observed during a year as a Luce Scholar in Japan in 1984. The works museum is located in Bloomington, Minnesota. (wikipedia)
Rate studies - generates a pricing structure and financial plan that satisfies the long-term obligations of the utility and targets equitable cost recovery from customers while conforming to legal constraints, agency policies, and community values. (www.fcsgroup.org)
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act (Public Law 92–261) of 1972 was designed to prohibit job discrimination for reasons of race, religion, color, national origin, and sex. The term equal, however, must be interpreted correctly as it applies to this legislation. It does not mean that every applicant or employee must be considered equal in ability or competency. Rather, it means that the law looks at all applicants or employees as equals, who deserve fair treatment. (www.encyclopedia.com)
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) - For more than six 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. (www.swe.org)
How many women engineers are there? Females were awarded 19.9 percent of all Bachelor's degrees awarded by an engineering program in 2015 and made up 21.4 percent of undergraduates enrolled in engineering. They received 25.2 percent of Master's degrees and 23.1 percent of doctoral degrees in 2015. (www.asee.org)
For the first time, women make up the majority of students in U.S. medical schools. In 2019, 46,878 medical school students (50.5 percent) are women and 45,855(49.4 percent) are men, according to a new report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). (Washington Post)
Judy LeStrange has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's of business administration. She currently works as a senior sales manager in the renewable energy industry. She began her career on an assembly line and went to night school to her degree in mechanical engineering. She has worked in a variety of areas including several that had very few women, even less than engineering!
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Utilities Technology Council (UTC) -** The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) is a global association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure. UTC gives voice to the men and women in the utility workforce who create and maintain critical communications systems that help keep the lights and the water flowing. They represent the hands-on folks in the field and control rooms responding to storms, deploying new technologies, and securing energy and water infrastructure from all kinds of threats. UTC sits at the nexus between the energy and telecommunications industries, which are rapidly converging and becoming more interdependent. (www.utc.org)
UTC Region 3 - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia (www.utc.org)
DistribuTech - DISTRIBUTECH International is the leading annual transmission and distribution event that addresses technologies used to move electricity from the power plant through the transmission and distribution systems to the meter and inside the home. The conference and exhibition offer information, products and services related to electricity delivery automation and control systems, energy efficiency, demand response, renewable energy integration, advanced metering, T&D system operation and reliability, communications technologies, cyber security, water utility technology and more. (www.distributech.com)
Disc film is a discontinued still-photography film format that was aimed at the consumer market. It was introduced by Kodak in 1982. The film is in the form of a flat disc, and is fully housed within a plastic cartridge. Each disc holds fifteen 10 × 8 mm exposures, arranged around the outside of the disc, with the disc being rotated 24° between each image. (wikipedia)
Electricomagntetic Fields (EMF) - An electromagnetic field is a classical field produced by accelerating electric charges. It is the field described by classical electrodynamics and is the classical counterpart to the quantized electromagnetic field tensor in quantum electrodynamics. (wikipedia)
Gauss - the unit of magnetic flux density B in the system of Gaussian units and is equal to Mx/cm2 or g/Bi/s2, while the oersted is the unit of H-field. One tesla (T) corresponds to 104 gauss, and one ampere (A) per metre corresponds to 4π × 10−3oersted. (wikipedia)
Airports with nursing/breast pump pods - Mamava has a simple freestanding lactation solution, and nearly 50 airports around the country, including Atlanta (ATL), New York's JFK, SEA TAC in Seattle, have already installed Mamava's lactation suites beyond the security checkpoint to ensure a stress-free travel experience for moms and families. (www.mamava.com)
Dr. Amanda Schnell is a Rheumatologist who recently began practicing medicine. She has a bachelor's degree in nutrition and exercise science. She went on to study internal medicine and then specialized in rheumatology. She currently practices medicine in Alabama.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Autoimmune disease** - a condition in which your immune system mistakenly attacks your body. The immune system normally guards against germs like bacteria and viruses. When it senses these foreign invaders, it sends out an army of fighter cells to attack them. (www.healthline.com)
Schleroderma - a long-lasting disease that affects your skin, connective tissue, and internal organs. It happens when your immune system causes your body to make too much of the protein collagen, an important part of your skin. As a result, your skin gets thick and tight, and scars can form on your lungs and kidneys. (www.webmd.com)
Rheumatoid Arthritis - a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just your joints. In some people, the condition can damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. (www.mayoclinic.org)
Lupus - a systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems — including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. (www.mayoclinic.org)
Gout - a common and complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. It's characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints, often the joint at the base of the big toe. (www.mayoclinic.org)
Gangrene - a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the gangrene is caused by an infectious agent it may present with a fever or sepsis. (wikipedia)
Uric Acid - a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C₅H₄N₄O₃. Uric acid is a product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides, and it is a normal component of urine. (wikipedia)
Osteoporosis - a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or, in serious cases, from sneezing or minor bumps. (www.nof.org)
Osteoarthritis - the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine. (www.mayoclinic.org)
Autoimmune diseases present with a clear gender bias with a greater prevalence amongst women, occurring at a rate of 2 to 1. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Hyaluronic acid injection is used to treat knee pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA) in patients who have already been treated with pain relievers (e.g., acetaminophen) and other treatments that did not work well. (www.mayoclinic.org)
Rooster Injections - For those patients looking for a “natural” treatment for knee pain that does not involve surgery, there is something called a Rooster Comb Injection. These are done in the office, and are derived from an actual rooster comb. The medication that is made from the rooster is called hyaluronic acid.
Genome - the haploid set of chromosomes in a gamete or microorganism, or in each cell of a multicellular organism.
Sam Taylor is the author of "The Coding Workbook: Build a Website with HTML and CSS", a book created to teach anyone how to build a website - without a computer. She has a Master's degree in Curriculum Design and works as a technical curriculum developer. She is passionate about providing educational opportunities for everyone.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
"The Coding Workbook: Build a Website with HTML and CSS". https://nostarch.com/CodingWorkbook
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language is the standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser. It can be assisted by technologies such as Cascading Style Sheets and scripting languages such as JavaScript. (wikipedia)
CSS - Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used for describing the presentation of a document written in a markup language such as HTML. CSS is a cornerstone technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and JavaScript. (wikipedia)
"Hello World: A Complete Python-Based Computer Programming Tutorial with Fun Illustrations, Examples, and Hands-On Exercises" by Warren Sande and Carter Sande.
Python - an interpreted, high-level and general-purpose programming language. Python's design philosophy emphasizes code readability with its notable use of significant whitespace.
Teach for America - a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to "enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation's most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence." (wikipedia)
#100 Days of Coding - A challenge to code for a minimum of 100 consecutive days and tweet your progress. There is a website about this challenge. https://www.100daysofcode.com
Shalini Aggarwal is a PhD research scholar studying infectious diseases at the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay. She has a bachelor's degree in microbiology and a master's degree in biotechnology. She is passionate about studying the vivax parasite that causes malaria and its treatment and about how challenges we experience throughout our lives contribute to our future successes.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact CheckApproximately 25% of US citizens can hold a conversation in a language other than English. (news.gallup.com)
5 parasites that cause Malaria: Plasmodium falciparum (or P. falciparum), Plasmodium malariae (or P. malariae), Plasmodium vivax (or P. vivax), Plasmodium ovale (or P. ovale), Plasmodium knowlesi (or P. knowlesi). (www.standfordhealthcare.org)
Malaria occurs in more than 100 countries and territories. About half of the world's population is at risk. Large areas of Africa and South Asia and parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania are considered areas where malaria transmission occurs. (www.cdc.gov)
Artemisinin and its semisynthetic derivatives are a group of drugs used against malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum. It was discovered in 1972 by Tu Youyou, who was co-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine for her discovery. (wikipedia)
B Tech - Bachelor's of Technology (wikipedia)
Maternity leave in the United States is regulated by US labor law. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) requires 12 weeks of unpaid leaveannually for mothers of newborn or newly adopted children if they work for a company with 50 or more employees. (wikipedia)
Microbes - a microscopic organism, which may exist in its single-celled form or a colony of cells. (wikipedia)
www.spharro.com
Sanya Mathura is an author and Managing Director of Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd. She has a BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering and a MS in Engineering Asset Management. She is passionate about lubrication and its key role in reliability. Sanya lives in Trinidad and Tobago and shares her educational experiences and what drives her to be the best in her field and the need to bring her expertise to people in Trinidad and the Caribbean.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Oil & Gas in Trinidad & Tobago - the country's economy is primarily industrial, with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals. The country's wealth is attributed to its large reserves and exploitation of oil and natural gas. (wikipedia)
Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) - an examination board in the Caribbean. It was established in 1972 under agreement by the participating governments in the Caribbean Community to conduct such examinations as it may think appropriate and award certificates and diplomas on the results of any such examinations so conducted. (Wikipedia)
Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE) - introduced in Trinidad and Tobago by the CXC about five years ago but has been in existence in some other CARICOM member countries for a longer period of time. The CAPE curriculum offers a modular approach with 1-unit and 2-unit courses.
University of West Indies (UWI) - The St. Augustine campus is situated 15km from the bustling capital of one of the Caribbean’s most rapidly developing island states, Trinidad and Tobago. (www.sta.uwi.edu)
"Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms : A Complete Guide" by Sanya Mathura. (https://www.amazon.com/Lubrication-Degradation-Mechanisms-Complete-Shortform/dp/036760776X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sanya+mathura&qid=1606093438&sr=8-1)
Strategic Reliability Solutions - Strategic Reliability Solutions Limited is focused on enhancing the knowledge base of our clients through the provision of consulting and training programs targeted to niche areas such as lubrication (inclusive of lubrication certification preparation for ICML & STLE exams) and reliability (including RCA, RCM-R and PMP training). (www.strategicreliabilitysolutions.com)
International Conference for Machine Learning (ICML) - The International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML) is a vendor-neutral, not-for-profit organization founded to serve global industry as the world-class authority on machinery lubrication that advances the optimization of asset reliability, utilization and costs.
Lubrication Engineering relates to the reduction of friction and wear between relatively moving parts. The term tribology describes the study of interacting moving surfaces. Tribology encompasses aspects of physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, metallurgy, material science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and applied mechanics. (www.stle.org)
www.eastpartnership.org - Entrepreneurs in Asset Sustainment Training. We proudly serve the people who sustain the world's greatest assets! Please join us to experience training from select subject matter experts from the fields of asset management, reliability and maintenance, project management, and logistics engineering and management.
Failure Mode Analysis - Failure mode and effects analysis is the process of reviewing as many components, assemblies, and subsystems as possible to identify potential failure modes in a system and their causes and effects. (wikipedia)
Karen Flewharty is a Joint Use Manager in the electric utility industry. She has an electrical engineering degree which she obtained while working as a drafter many years ago. She calls her utility career her second career. Karen shares her passion for the utility industry and the joy she brings to her job every day.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Joint Use** - Shared use of utility poles by multiple users. Instead of having several sets of poles lining roads, utilities will use other utilities' poles, typically electric utility poles. (https://info.aldensys.com/joint-use/an-introduction-to-utility-pole-joint-use)
UTC - Utilities Technology Council - The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) is a global association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure. UTC gives voice to the men and women in the utility workforce who create and maintain critical communications systems that help keep the lights and the water flowing. (www.utc.org)
UNC Charlotte EPIC Center - The Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) at UNC Charlotte was formed in response to the need from industry to supply highly trained engineers qualified to meet the demands of the energy industry – through traditional and continuing education, and provide sustainable support the Carolina energy industry by increasing capacity and support for applied research. (www.epic.uncc.edu)
About 3.5% of linemen are women. (https://www.tdworld.com/electric-utility-operations/article/20966981/company-spotlight-bpa-hires-first-woman-lineman)
Emily McGavisk is an environmental and civil engineer working as a consultant in the utility industry. Emily has a passion for helping clients with their renewable energy strategies and grid modernization. Emily shares her journey through times she wasn't always sure she wanted to be an engineer into having a career as an engineer that she truly finds joy in.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Environmental Engineering** - a professional engineering discipline that takes from broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and also improve the health of living organisms and improve the quality of the environment. (wikipedia)
The idea that a certain number of unrelated women living in the same residence officially designate said residence as a brothel has been circulating college campuses for years. The myth is often used as an excuse by students to explain why their college lacks specific housing for Greek-lettered organizations. But the myth is just that – a myth. (http://www.mcdanielfreepress.com/2018/03/06/sorority-housing-brothel-myth-is-just-that/) I could not find any reason for Johns Hopkins University not having sorority houses.
60 Cycle - At 60 Hz, the rotor of the generator turns 60 cycles per second, the current changes 60 times per second back and forth, direction changes 100 times. That means the voltage changes from positive to negative, and from negative to positive voltage, this process converts 60 times/second. This is the standard frequency for AC power in the United States.
Anna Jackson is a recent graduate with dual degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Physics. She shares her excitement and passion for science and engineering and her joy at recently landing her dream job. Please enjoy her story.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Space Camp** - an educational camp in Huntsville, Alabama, on the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center museum at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. (wikipedia)
Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division (Division B is middle school; Division C is high school). Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. (www.soinc.org)
Composites material typically consists of relatively strong, stiff fibres in a tough resin matrix. (www.aviationpros.com)
Computational Fluid Dynamics - a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve fluid flows.
Wind Tunnels - tubes with air blowing through them. The tunnels are used to replicate the actions of an object flying through the air or moving along the ground. Researchers use wind tunnels to learn more about how an aircraft will fly. (wikipedia)
Vomit Comet - In 1957, astronauts began training on planes that simulate weightlessness by making roller-coaster-like maneuvers in the air. The simulation makes some passengers nauseous, which inspired the nickname "Vomit Comet." And although the program was designed for astronaut training, it's not reserved for future space flyers; scientists, engineers, students and celebrities have all taken a spin on the Vomit Comet to experience the feeling of weightlessness. (www.space.com)
Mach - Mach 1, the local flow velocity u is equal to the speed of sound. At Mach 0.65, u is 65% of the speed of sound (subsonic), and, at Mach 1.35, u is 35% faster than the speed of sound (supersonic).(Mach 8 is 8 times the speed of sound)
Largest hypersonic wind tunnel-The largest wind tunnel in the world is at NASA's Ames Research Center. This subsonic tunnel, which can test planes with wing spans of up to 100 feet, is over 1,400 feet long and 180 feet high. Located in Mountain View, CA.
The Gallup World Emotions Report shows a rise in stress and worry. In fact, worldwide stress levels have reached a new record, with the U.S. leading with some of the highest rates in the world. Globally, the negative experience index remains at a record high again this year, but worry and sadness are also increasing. Worldwide, 35% of people said they were stressed, and 35% said that they experienced worry the day before they were questioned. Greece and the U.S. lead the world in adult stress levels at 59% percent and 55% respectively, a difference the report considers statistically the same. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shouldstorm/201904/us-leads-in-the-worldwide-anxiety-epidemic)
Peel Ply-an extra layer of fabric material which is laid upon the outer surface of the composite during fabrication. This layer is intended to be peeled off at some future time prior to bonding. The peel ply is a woven fabric, glass, nylon or other synthetic material.(www.sciencedirect.com)
We're starting a new segment on Ordinarily Extraordinary - STEMSkills. Periodically, we'll have episodes with experts to address some areas that can help women in STEM grow. This first episode is on communication skills with an amazing communication coach.
Anthony is a recognized expert in blueprinting his clients’ communication process and, in real-time, gives them a personalized solution that is tailored to instantly address, and gradually eliminate their specific communication blocks and challenges. Based in NYC, he has had his own theater in Times Square for a decade, training both actors and executives.
On this special podcast episode, Anthony works with two former podcast guests, one highly experienced and one new to the work force to discover where their communications pain points are and works with them on the podcast to begin to eliminate them.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Checkwww.edgeworksoftskills.com - EdgeWork Soft-Skills System is solely dedicated to address the business professional communication pain points that stand between them and influencing their audience with their authentic message.
Disobligation - to refuse or neglect to oblige; act contrary to the desire or convenience of; fail to accommodate; to give offense to
Compensational behavior - a strategy whereby one covers up, consciously or unconsciously, weaknesses, frustrations, desires, or feelings of inadequacy or incompetence in one life area through the gratification or (drive towards) excellence in another area. (wikipedia)
Diminished return - the value or enjoyment we get from something starts to decrease after a certain point.
EQ (Emotional Equivalent) - the emotional equivalent of an IQ or the individual's skill level at reading, understanding, and empathizing with the emotions of others. All of us have known in our lives people who are very empathetic and easy to talk to--these people have a high EQ.
You can find me at www.ordinarily-extraordinary.com. If you have an expert you'd like to recommend or a topic you'd like covered. Drop me a note.
If you're interested in being on the podcast as a guest, drop me a note on my website too.
Dr. Vivian Chan is the founder and CEO of Sparrho, a platform that democratizes science using augmented intelligence. Dr. Chan has a PhD in biochemistry, and degrees in biotech. She has addressed the EU Ministers of Research and Innovation and keynoted the "Next Unicorn" series at Mobile World Congress.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Were there fines in UK for leaving lock down in early COVID? Are there now? Under current regulations, organisers and facilitators of large gatherings (more than six) can be fined up to £10,000.Brits who do not wear a face covering in places where it is mandatory, such as in shops, supermarkets and on public transport, could be issued with a fine. Police can also break up any gatherings larger than six and can issue a £200 fine if they do not comply.
Sparrho - www.sparrho.com
B to B to C - It's the very definition of the oft-cited CPG industry “b-to-b-to-c” (b2b2c) model, where the supplier sells its products to retailers, who in turn sell to consumers. ... Many CPGs are today claiming a new focus on consumer centricity; that it's their consumer who matters, who they care about, and who they serve. (www.briansolis.com) B to B - Business-to-business, is a process for selling products or services to other businesses.
Biotechnology - a broad area of biology, involving the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products. (wikipedia)
Biochemistry - the branch of science concerned with the chemical and physicochemical processes and substances that occur within living organisms. (wikipedia)
Maths C covers additional pure-maths topics (including complex numbers, matrices, vectors, further calculus and number theory). Maths C gives the students an understanding of the methods and principles of mathematics and the ability to apply them in everyday situations and in purely mathematical contexts; the capacity to model actual situations and deduce properties from the model. (wikipedia)
Structural Biology - a branch of molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics concerned with the molecular structure of biological macromolecules (especially proteins, made up of amino acids, RNA or DNA, made up of nucleotides, membranes, made up of lipids) how they acquire the structures they have, and how alterations in their structures affect their function. (wikipedia)
RNA - ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its principal role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins, although in some viruses RNA rather than DNA carries the genetic information.
X-ray crystallography - the study of crystals and their structure by means of X-ray diffraction.
Homeostasis - the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
Ligand - is an ion or molecule (functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's electron pairs.
Mimi is the Vice President of Operations at Hadean. Mimi is at the intersection of science and technology at a start up in the United Kingdom. She brings her passion and excitement for truly making a difference in the world to her job on a daily basis.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, by Caroline Criado Perez.
Minecraft - a sandbox video game developed by Mojang Studios. The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson in the Java programming language. (wikipedia)
Spacial Modeling - an analytical process conducted in conjunction with a geographical information system (GIS) in order to describe basic processes and properties for a given set of spatial features. The objective of spatial modeling is to be able to study and simulate spatial objects or phenomena that occur in the real world and facilitate problem solving and planning. (www.techopedia.com)
Imperial College - a public research university in London. Imperial College London is the only UK university to focus entirely on science, engineering, medicine and business. Our international reputation for excellence in teaching and research sees us consistently rated in the top 10 universities worldwide. (https://www.imperial.ac.uk)
Rust Programming - a multi-paradigm programming language focused on performance and safety, especially safe concurrency. Rust is syntactically similar to C++, and provides memory safety without using garbage collection, but instead through the use of a borrow checking system. (wikipedia)
I couldn't easily find a statistic for how many AI programmers come from the UK, but I did read an article about it being high in the UK, next to the US and China. 13.5% of AI programmers are women (www.equalai.org)
The number of single-sex independent schools in Britain has roughly halved since the Nineties. Today, 12 per cent are girls-only; boys' schools comprise just under 10 per cent. (www.telegraph.co.uk) There are a number of all girls schools in the US which are listed by state on Wikipedia.
Female founders raised 2.8% of venture capital this year. Venture capital investment in all-female founding teams hit $3.3 billion in 2019, representing 2.8% of capital invested across the entire U.S. startup ecosystem this year, according to the latest data collected by PitchBook. (www.techcrunch.com)
Ocean View, Cape Town, was established in 1968 as a township for coloured people who had been forcibly removed from so called "white areas" such as Simon's Town, Noordhoek, Red Hill, Glencairn by the apartheid government under the Group Areas Act. (wikipedia)
Kingdom Sports Ministry provides a safe place for Ocean View youth to go after school. Since its creation, KSM has expanded to other Cape Town communities. KSM provides activities, a basic meal, and ministry to youth in impoverished areas to keep them away from the overwhelming presence of drugs and gangs. (www.kingdcomsportsministry.org)
South Africa has a notably high rate of murders, assaults, rapes and other violentcrimes, compared to most countries. ... South Africa's high crime rates, recidivism and overburdened criminal justice system has been described as a crisis which requires a radical rethink of crime and punishment in the youth. (wikipedia)
Mimi can be reached at: mimi@hadean.com
Monika leads a product management team for a global company in the energy industry. She started her career in embedded programming, which is still a passion she has. She is a mentor, a coach, a keynote speaker, and an entrepreneur. Monika is passionate about her work and about encouraging women in their careers and career development.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Embedded Software Engineer** - Embedded software is the first layer of code that runs on a device. Think BIOS on a PC. Embedded engineers write code, but unlike software engineers, they need a deep understanding of the hardware it runs on. An embedded engineer knows the schematics of hardware and how chip datasheets relate to the code written for them. Embedded software is usually self-contained and only runs a single program. Because of that, embedded software engineers determine the smallest possible number of drivers the device needs to run the software.
The Lilac Bloomsday Run, also known as Bloomsday, is an annual timed road race in the northwest United States, held on the first Sunday of May since 1977 in Spokane, Washington. The course length is 12 km (7.456 mi). The run has had over 38,000 participants every year since 1986, and peaked 24 years ago in 1996 with 61,298 registered. The number of finishers in 2015 was 43,206. Lineth Chepkurui set an unofficial 12 km world record in the 2010 women's race. (wikipedia)
Las Vegas Marathon - The Las Vegas International Marathon, for example, used to be a point-to-point route with a net descent comparable to Steamtown’s. But the course has been redesigned and is now a loop with no net elevation change.(https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20820206/downhill-all-the-way/)
Nadya is a cybersecurity executive and recognized global leader in cybersecurity. She uses her deep breath of knowledge to develop and lead consulting teams and in developing global cybersecurity standards. Nadya shares not only her industry experience, but also her experiences immigrating to the US from the Soviet Union in the late 1980s.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
E-ISAC - Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center** provides its members and partners with resources to prepare for and reduce cyber and physical security threats to the North American electricity industry. Created in 1999, the E-ISAC is operated by NERC and is organizationally isolated from NERC's enforcement processes. (www.nerc.com)
NRECA - National Rural Electric Cooperative Association - the organization that represents the interests of over 900 electric cooperatives in the United States, to various legislatures. Independent electric utilities are not-for-profit and are owned by their members. (wikipedia)
APPA - American Public Power Association - An industry trade association that is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. We represent public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve, and the 93,000 people they employ. We advocate and advise on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. (www.publicpower.org)
EEI - Edison Electric Institute - an association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Its members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, operate in 50 states and the District of Columbia, and directly employ more than one million workers. (wikipedia)
UTC - Utilities Technology Council - a global association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure. (www.utc.org)
ISO - International Organization for Standardization - an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 165 national standards bodies. (www.iso.org)
IEC - International Electrotechnical Commission - an international standards organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology". (wikipedia)
ISO/IEC 27100 - The standard will enable the concepts of cybersecurity to be shared and discussed. It will compare and contrast cybersecurity with [the ISO27k version of] information security.
NIST - National Institute of Science and Technology - founded in 1901 and is now part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation's oldest physical science laboratories. (www.nist.gov)
Does computer science and music use the same part of the brain? The closest tie between music and math is patterns. Musical pieces often have repeating choruses or bars, similar to patterns. In mathematics, we look for patterns to explain and predict the unknown. Music uses similar strategies. When looking at a musical piece, musicians look for notes they recognize to find notes that are rare (high or low) and less familiar. In this way, notes relate to each other. (http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/beyond/articles/Music/music1.html)
KGB - translated in English as the Committee for State Security, was the secret police force that was the main security agency for the Soviet Union from 1954 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. (wikipedia)
Katlyn is a young software developer that got her start to software developing and programming in a unique way. She is passionate about the work that she does and where she is going in her career. She shares her challenges overcoming being "painfully introverted" (her words, not mine!) and is an avid golfer.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
UTC - Utilities Technology Council -** a global association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure. (www.utc.org)
The Starbucks College Achievement Plan, first introduced in June 2014, is a first of its kind partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) that creates an opportunity for all eligible U.S. partners (employees) to earn their bachelor’s degree with full tuition coverage all the way to graduation at ASU’s top-ranked online degree program. (https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-college-achievement-plan-frequently-asked-questions/)
OKCupid - A U.S.-based, internationally operating online dating, friendship, and formerly also a social networking website and application. (wikipedia)
Python - an interpreted, high-level and general-purpose programming language. Created by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991, Python's design philosophy emphasizes code readability with its notable use of significant whitespace. (wikipedia)
Code Academy - an American online interactive platform that offers free coding classes in 12 different programming languages including Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, Swift, and Sass, as well as markup languages HTML and CSS. (wikipedia)
Hello World, by Warren Sande and his son, Carter - A gentle but thorough introduction to the world of computer programming. It's written in language a 12-year-old can follow, but anyone who wants to learn how to program a computer can use it. Even adults. (wikipedia)
Java Script - a programming language that conforms to the ECMAScript specification. JavaScript is high-level, often just-in-time compiled, and multi-paradigm. (wikipedia)
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language is the standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser. It can be assisted by technologies such as Cascading Style Sheets and scripting languages such as JavaScript. (wikipedia)
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used for describing the presentation of a document written in a markup language such as HTML. CSS is a cornerstone technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and JavaScript. (wikipedia)
Perl - a family of two high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming languages. (wikipedia)
100 Days of Code: A challenge to code on a regular basis in order to get in the habit of coding. There are two rules: 1) Code minimum an hour every day for the next 100 days. 2) Tweet your progress every day with the #100DaysOfCode hashtag. (www.100daysofcode.com)
Sara is a recent college graduate working as a Neuroscientist doing research in alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. She is currently applying to MD/PhD programs and is planning to study traumatic brain injuries. She recently moved from Minnesota to Boston - right before COVID - making for some challenges in being able to experience a new city.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
MD/PhD Programs** - a dual doctorate degree program for students who are interested in careers as “physician-scientists." By graduation, they'll have fulfilled requirements for both the MD and PhD degrees. ... After graduation, MD/PhD students usually work as researchers or as faculty members at medical schools and universities. (www.princetonreview.com)
Freedom Walk - The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long path through downtown Boston, Massachusetts, that passes by 16 locations significant to the history of the United States. Marked largely with brick, it winds between Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. (wikipedia)
Neurochemistry - the study of chemicals, including neurotransmitters and other molecules such as psychopharmaceuticals and neuropeptides, that control and influence the physiology of the nervous system. (wikipedia)
Traumatic Brain Injury - CDC defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. (www.cdc.gov)
Amyloid beta (Aβ or Abeta) denotes peptides of 36–43 amino acids that are crucially involved in Alzheimer's disease as the main component of the amyloid plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. (wikipedia)
Tau Tangles - Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein that are most commonly known as a primary markerof Alzheimer's disease. Their presence is also found in numerous other diseases known as tauopathies. (wikipedia)
Dementia becomes more common with age. About 3% of people between the ages of 65–74 have dementia, 19% between 75 and 84, and nearly half of those over 85 years of age. In 2013 dementia resulted in about 1.7 million deaths, up from 0.8 million in 1990. As more people are living longer, dementia is becoming more common. (wikipedia)
Physician Scientist - a holder of a degree in medicine and science who invests significant time and professional effort in scientific research and spends correspondingly less time in direct clinical practice compared to other physicians. (wikipedia)
NIH (National Institute of Health) - a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. (www.nih.gov)
Mayo Clinic - an American nonprofit academic medical center focused on integrated patient care, education, and research. (wikipedia)
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) - a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. (wikipedia)
IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease) - a term for two conditions (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) that are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. (wikipedia)
Why We Sleep - Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Matthew Walker, PhD.
Sandy is a high school calculus teacher. She currently teaches Advanced Placement (AP) calculus, and has taught all high school math subjects throughout her career. Sandy inspires her students through her passion for math and by challenging them to be their best.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
AP (Advanced Placement) Classes -** Advanced Placement is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations. (wikipedia)
Schools in USA typically start in mid-August to early September. (www.quora.com)
PSEO - Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows public and nonpublic students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades to earn college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible postsecondary institutions. Students generate both college credit and high school credit by successful completion of the course. (https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/dual/pseo/)
Moorhead State (University) (Now called Minnesota State University Moorhead) - Minnesota State University Moorhead is a public university in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has an enrollment of 7,534 students in 2019 and 266 full-time faculty members. MSUM is a part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.(wikipedia)
Actuarial science - the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in insurance, finance, and other industries and professions. More generally, actuaries apply rigorous mathematics to model matters of uncertainty. Actuaries are professionals trained in this discipline. (wikipedia)
Winona State University - Winona State University is a public university in Winona, Minnesota. Winona State University was founded as Winona Normal School in 1858 and is the oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It was the first normal school west of the Mississippi River. (wikipedia)
Gustavus Adolphus College - a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minnesota. It was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college retains its Swedish and Lutheran heritage. (wikipedia)
Toni is a civil engineer working in the transportation industry. Toni has been working as an engineer for a few years and is preparing to take the Professional Engineering Exam this fall. She shares her knowledge and experiences in the transportation industry and her experiences working on a highway construction crew this summer.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
ADA (American with Disabilities Act) Ramps -** https://www.ada.gov/doj-fhwa-ta.htm
Special Provisions - https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Business/Construction/SpecificationsAmendmentsGSPs.htm
PE Exam - The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam tests for a minimum level of competency in a particular engineering discipline. It is designed for engineers who have gained a minimum of four years’ post-college work experience in their chosen engineering discipline. (https://ncees.org/engineering/pe/)
Cheese Curds - Cheese curds are the moist pieces of curdled milk either eaten alone as a snack, or used in prepared dishes. These are chiefly found in Quebec, Canada, in the dish poutine (made of french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy), and in the northeastern, midwestern, mountain, and Pacific Northwestern United States. (wikipedia)
Signing - Traffic signs
AASHTO Greenbook - AASHTO publishes numerous technical standards and guidelines through the work of the association's technical committees, whose members are comprised of representatives from the state departments of transportationÑthe nation's transportation experts. AASHTO standards and guidelines are utilized by transportation agencies across the nation and worldwide. (http://downloads.transportation.org/publications/aashto_essential_catalog.pdf)
**DAG (Diversity Advisory Group)
FR (Flame Retardant) Clothing** - Electric arcs pose some of the most serious safety hazards for electric power industry workers. Arc blast or flash hazards include high temperatures (hotter than the surface temperature of the sun) over short periods of time (fractions of a second), hot gases, an intense pressure wave from the explosion (like having a hand grenade explode inches away), and shrapnel from vaporized and molten metal particles. Arc-related injuries can range from minor to severe burns, blindness, hearing and memory loss from the pressure wave, broken bones, or death. When a worker is exposed to an arc, the clothing they wear may play a large role in the severity of the potential injury. (https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/ppe_flameresistantclothing.html)
Microstation - The MicroStation family of products provides traditional CAD capabilities and the power and versatility to precisely view, model, document, and visualize information-rich 2D and 3D designs of all types and scales, working for professionals in every discipline on infrastructure projects of every type. (https://www.bentley.com/en/products/brands/microstation)
Redline - Marking up changes to drawings in red pen/pencil that will be changed in the original drawing.
WTS - Advancing Women in Transportation (https://www.wtsinternational.or
Cassie is an electrical engineer, working in substation design at a consulting firm. She moved into engineering management after getting a master's degree in Science and Technology Management. Cassie shares her experiences and perspectives and the importance of women supporting each other and the importance of mentors.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
How many pounds of chemicals do women absorb into their bodies in a lifetime from wearing makeup?** Up to 5 pounds PER YEAR. (https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/if-you-wear-make-your-body-could-be-absorbing-5-lbs-chemicals-year)
What makeup chemicals does Canada bans vs. what US bans? Health Canada has banned or restricted the use of over 500 chemical ingredients for use in cosmetic products. These chemicals can be found on Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. (http://www.preventcancernow.ca/the-story-of-cosmetics-–-what’s-canada’s-story/). In comparison, the U.S. FDA has only banned or restricted 11 chemicals from cosmetics. (http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/regulations/international-laws/)
PSEO (Post Secondary Enrollment Options) - Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows public and nonpublic students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades to earn college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible postsecondary institutions.
60 Cycle - The utility frequency, (power) line frequency (American English) or mains frequency (British English) is the nominal frequency of the oscillations of alternating current (AC) in a wide area synchronous grid transmitted from a power station to the end-user. (wikipedia)
Embedded Systems - An embedded system is a combination of computer hardware and software designed for a specific function or functions within a larger system. The systems can be programmable or with fixed functionality. (https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/embedded-system)
Women make up 20% of engineering graduates, but it's been estimated that nearly 40% of women who earn engineering degrees either quit or never enter the profession. Clearly, some elementary and high school reforms are working, but those at the college level are not.(https://hbr.org/2016/08/why-do-so-many-women-who-study-engineering-leave-the-field)
1 in 5 Americans doubt a woman can win the presidency. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/01/23/one-five-women-doubt-that-woman-can-win-presidency/)
The top seven countries with the best COVID response are led by women (https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/2020/04/13/what-do-countries-with-the-best-coronavirus-reponses-have-in-common-women-leaders/#1be37eff3dec). The four large countries where coronavirus cases have recently been increasing fastest are Brazil, the United States, Russia and Britain. And they have something in common. They are all run by populist male leaders who cast themselves as anti-elite and anti-establishment. (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/briefing/coronavirus-populist-leaders.html)
CCL (Center For Creative Leadership) - www.ccl.org
Dr. Lucy Dunne is the founder and co-director of University of Minnesota's Wearable Technology Lab. Her research and work is the intersection of apparel and science. She has a PhD in Computer Science and a BS and MA in apparel design. She co-authored "Functional Apparel Design: From Sportswear to Space Suits", has published numerous articles, and received the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award and the NASA Silver Achievement Medal for her work with functional clothing and wearable technology.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Functional Clothing Design** - user-requirement specific and designed or engineered to meet the performance requirements of the user under extreme conditions. (http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/13225)
Wearable Technology Lab UMN - an interdisciplinary research laboratory directed by Dr. Lucy Dunne and Dr. Brad Holschuh. Founded in 2009, WTL research focuses on the intersection between apparel and new technology: for instance, in expanding garment functionality through dynamic geometry and new sensing functions; in improving the way we use, manage, and consume clothing; and in streamlining the design and manufacturing processes of smart clothing and e-textile products. New technology opens new frontiers in understanding the human body, mind, and capability through pervasive sensing, actuation, and interaction. Many projects deal with translating technological potential into the real, everyday world: understanding human physical and emotional comfort and balancing these variables with tradeoffs of performance variables in a smart system design. Housed in the University of Minnesota's College of Design, WTL students hail from backgrounds in everything from aerospace engineering to fashion design, and are immersed in an integrated, multi- and inter-disciplinary research program. (https://wtl.design.umn.edu)
Media Lab Europe - created in July 2000 and was initiated by the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The lab received start-up funding of 35 million Euro from Irish Government, as well as sponsorship from industrial research partners. The lab focused on innovation in digital technology and human-machine interaction. MLE was quite successful and managed to recreate the creative play research atmosphere of the MIT Media Lab. By 2004 MLE was in full swing, and in the lab's short lifespan the researchers produced 21 refereed journal articles, 59 refereed full papers for conferences, and 62 refereed shorter papers for conferences, for a total of 142 refereed works. The lab was unfortunate to have been founded just as the internet bubble collapsed and with it the corporate ability to invest in projects of this sort. (wikipedia)
UCD (University College Dublin) - a research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. It has over 1,482 academic staff and 32,000 students, and it is Ireland's largest university. (wikipedia)
Smart Clothing - Clothing that monitors the wearer's physical condition. Smart shirts and body suits provide biometric data, such as pulse rate, temperature, muscle stretch, heart rhythm and physical movement. (https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/smart-clothes)
What year did Marty McFly and Doc Brown visit in the future in Back to the Future Part II? - October 21, 2
Linda has a long history and deep knowledge in Information Technology - she currently works as a manager in a software company for utilities. Throughout her technology career, she implemented the first computer system for one of the utilities she worked for. She has worked on mainframes, networks, servers, virtual servers and taught herself programming before moving into IT management roles. She is an avid hunter and fisherwoman.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
Trap Shooting** - one of the three major disciplines of competitive clay pigeon shooting (shooting shotguns at clay targets). (wikipedia)
Punch Card Computers - A punch card is a piece of stiff paper that can be used to contain digital data represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined positions. Digital data can be used for data processing applications or used to directly control automated machinery. (wikipedia)
Mainframe computer - used primarily by large organizations for critical applications; bulk data processing, such as census, industry and consumer statistics, and enterprise resource planning; and transaction processing. (wikipedia)
Server - a piece of computer hardware or software (computer program) that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called "clients". This architecture is called the client–server model. (wikipedia)
VMware - VMware provides cloud computing and virtualization software and services. It was one of the first commercially successful companies to virtualize the x86 architecture. (wikipedia)
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line - a family of technologies used to transmit digital data over telephone lines. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), the most commonly installed DSL technology, for Internet access. (wikipedia)
Cooperative Principles:
- Open and Voluntary Membership
- Democratic Member Control
- Members' Economic Participation
- Autonomy and Independence
- Education, Training, and Information
- Cooperation Among Cooperatives
- Concern for Community (www.nreca.coop)
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - The FMLA went into effect in January 1993. The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to: Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period fo the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth.
Naadiya is a major global advocate for women in engineering. She is a civil engineer and a serial entrepreneur. She co-founded WomEng, an organization to promote women and girls going into engineering, and WomHub, an organization to support women entrepreneurs in STEM (science, technology, Engineering, and Manufacturing) in Africa. She is on boards of Unicef, B20, World Economic Forum, among others. She is a strong voice and advocate for women engineers globally.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check
SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)**-are the world’s shared plan to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet by 2030. Adopted by 193 countries in 2015, the SDGs emerged from the most inclusive and comprehensive negotiations in UN history and have inspired people from across sectors, geographies, and cultures.
UNESCO-UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
The Wing-Founded in 2016, The Wing is a growing community of women across the country and globe, gathering together to work, connect, and thrive.
B20-Saudi Arabia will be hosting the fifteenth G20 Summit in Riyadh on 21-22 November 2020. It has decided to focus on the Business 20 (B20), making this one of the key engagement groups. The B20 group is assembled annually and consists of leading businesses from the G20 and other invited countries.
Unicef-UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families.
Geotechnical Engineer-an engineering discipline that deals with soil and rock behaviour in an engineering perspective. It also involves assessing slope stability and the risk of landslides, rock fall and avalanches.
World Economic Forum-The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
What did Justin Trudeau teach before becoming a politician?-Trudeau worked as a social studies and French teacher.
WomEng - WomEng is an authentic values-driven organisation for women in engineering by predominantly women engineers who have developed programmes to address the issues facing women in the engineering sector from school level through industry. (www.womeng.org)
WomHub - WomHub is a boutique Imagineering Lab, Consultancy & Co-working Hub supporting female-led innovation and building diverse teams through our technology, consulting & advisory services. (www.womhub.com)
Africa Prize for Engineering and Innovation-The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation. It awards crucial commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges, demonstrating the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development.
Royal Academy of Engineering-Brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the profession to advance and promote excellence in engineering for the benefit of society.
Aspen Institute-drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time.
What degrees do Fortune 500 company CEOs have degrees in? Nearly 45 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs have majored in engineering and business administration.
"A well behaved woman rarely makes history" - Laurel Tha
Abby recently graduated from high school and will be starting college this fall at Iowa State University to study aerospace engineering. Abby has a love of physics, calculus and rockets! She is passionate about making her voice heard and excited to start this new phase of her life where she gets to study the subjects she loves.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms and Definitions
AP Classes - Advance Placement Classes** - a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. (wikipedia)
Calculus BC - Calculus II in high school.
**Fact Check
Where is Space Camp?** Huntsville, Alabama
Aeronautical engineering vs. aerospace engineering - A degree in aerospace engineering and a degree in aeronautical engineering both prepare students to design aircraft. In fact, aeronautical engineering is a branch of aerospace engineering. Though the two degree programs teach similar engineering principles, there is a critical distinction between designing for air and space. Aerospace engineering is concerned with designing and building aircraft and spacecraft. Aerospace engineering can be divided into two specializations: aeronautical engineers, who handle aircraft, and astronautical engineers, who design spacecraft, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering would likely include both specializations, whereas a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering would focus solely on those vehicles that fly within the Earth's atmosphere. Both options usually require students to take some similar courses, like dynamics, propulsion and fluid mechanics (https://learn.org/articles/What_is_the_Difference_Between_a_Degree_in_Aerospace_Engineering_and_a_Degree_in_Aeronautical_Engineering.html)
Cristine works in technical sales and support in the wireless industry. She has spent much of her career doing technical education, training, and documentation. She capitalizes on her insatiable curiosity and need to thoroughly understand things both in her career as an educator and in her role as a mom. Cristine also shares her childhood and educational experience growing up in Brazil.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
Computer Engineering - the branch of engineering that integrates electronic engineering with computer sciences. Computer engineers design and develop computer systems and other technological devices.
Russian School of Mathematics - an after school program that provides mathematics education for children attending K–12 of public and private schools. The school provides children the opportunity to advance in mathematics beyond the traditional school curriculum. The founder of RSM is Inessa Rifkin and co-founder is Irene Khavinson (wikipedia)
GSM - Global System for Mobile Communications - a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks used by mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets. (wikipedia)
GPRS - General Packet Radio Service - a packet oriented mobile data standard on the 2G and 3G cellular communication network's global system for mobile communications(GSM). (wikipedia)
3GPP - The 3rd Generation Partnership Project - unites [Seven] telecommunications standard development organizations (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC), known as “Organizational Partners” and provides their members with a stable environment to produce the Reports and Specifications that define 3GPP technologies. (www.3gpp.org)
Fact Check
When did wireless come to Brazil? The history of mobile telephony in Brazil began on 30 December 1990, when the Cellular Mobile System began operating in the city of Rio de Janeiro, with a capacity for 10,000 terminals. According to Anatel (the national telecommunications agency), there were 667 devices in the country. The number of devices rose to 6,700 in the next year, to 30,000 in 1992. In November 2007 3G services were launched, and increased rapidly to almost 90% of the population in 2012 and the agreements signed as part of the auction specify a 3G coverage obligation of 100% of population by 2019. (wikipedia)
Claude Shannon - (April 30, 1916 – February 24, 2001) was an American mathematician, electrical engineer, and cryptographer known as "the father of information theory". Shannon is noted for having founded information theory with a landmark paper, "A Mathematical Theory of Communication", that he published in 194
Vicki is the Programs Director for High Tech Kids in Minnesota, the non-profit organization that organizes and runs robotics tournaments for kids such as FIRST LEGO League. While Vicki doesn't have a degree in a STEM field herself - she calls her degree in political science the "other" science, Vicki is getting girls into the pipeline for STEM careers. She has been involved with FIRST LEGO League robotics tournaments for over 20 years starting as a parent, then coach, then volunteer, then staff. She is passionate about the programs they create and the opportunities it provides for kids to learn about technology and STEM.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
First Lego League Challenge (FLL) - FIRST® LEGO® League introduces science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to children ages 9-14 (US), 4-16 (globally) through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem solving experience through a guided, global robotics program. (www.firstinspires.org)
Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) - a fuel produced from various types of waste such as municipal solid waste (MSW), industrial waste or commercial waste. (wikipedia)
Nano Technology - manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale. A more generalized description of nanotechnology was subsequently established by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, which defines nanotechnology as the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. (wikipedia)
**Fact Check
First authors 3 robotics programs: FIRST LEGO League Discover for preK - Grade 1; FIRST LEGO League Explore for Grade 2-4; FIRST LEGO League Challenge for Grade 4-8; FIRST Tech Challenge for grades 7-12; FIRST Robotics Challenge for grades 9-12.
First Lego League is in 41 countries.
First Lego League started in 1999. There is a lot of information about themes in different years, etc. on wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIRST_Lego_League_Challenge)
High Tech Kids is a Minnesota nonprofit founded in 1999 that supports
youth STEM programs in Minnesota. High Tech Kids offers high
energy, fun, team-based programs and competitions that celebrate
science and technology. Through these robotics and coding programs
and events, student teams discover the fun in science, engineering
and technology. High Tech Kids is committed to introducing the next generation of
engineers, scientists, computer programmers, technicians, policy
makers and project managers to the challenge and promise of STEM.
High Tech Kids inspires kids to BUILD confidence, CREATE
opportunities and THRIVE in the 21 st century. (hightechkids.org)
Beth is an entomologist that works in the federal government. She has a master's degree in entomology and focuses her work on keeping America's food supply safe from pests. She discusses the importance of relationships in her job and shares her experiences traveling overseas for work.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms and Definitions
Exercise Physiology** - Exercise physiologists analyze their patients’ fitness in order to help them improve their health or maintain good health. They help patients with heart disease and other chronic conditions, like diabetes or pulmonary (lung) disease, to regain their health. They also work with both amateur and professional athletes who are hoping to boost their performance. (https://explorehealthcareers.org/career/sports-medicine/exercise-physiologist/)
Pest Control Advisor - responsible for scouting crops and identifying pests that can affect a farmer’s harvest. Based on their observations they then make recommendations on treatment and suggest products or other methods to control or prevent problems. (https://www.agcareers.com/career-profiles/pest-control-adviser.cfm)
Land Grant Institution - an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. Signed by Abraham Lincoln, the first Morrill Act began to fund educational institutions by granting federally controlled land to the states for them to sell, to raise funds, to establish and endow "land-grant" colleges. The mission of these institutions as set forth in the 1862 Act is to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture, science, military science, and engineering (though "without excluding... classical studies") as a response to the industrial revolution and changing social class. (wikipedia)
USDA - United States Department of Agriculture - Provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management. (https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda)
Alice is a professional with a passion for finding the nexus between the wireless telecommunications and energy industries, and active volunteer of fostering STEM events in her community. Her foundation as an electrical engineer played a role in her career today in strategy and business development, and shares her perspectives on the importance of stepping out of her comfort zone and willingness to take on risks to professional development. Growing up in Trinidad, and immigrating to the US has shaped who Alice is today. She has a deep appreciation for her family members who are her biggest supporters, but also has strong viewpoints on being a role model for her daughter.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms and Definitions
RF Engineering - a subset of electronic engineering involving the application of transmission line, waveguide, antenna and electromagnetic field principles to the design and application of devices that produce or utilize signals within the radio band, the frequency range of about 20 kHz up to 300 GHz. (Wikipedia)
Fact Check
"Find you voice then listen to it. Even when it shakes. Especially then" -** Curly Girl Designs (www.curlygirldesign.com)
Taylor has worked as an electrical engineer for the past 6 years. She recently transitioned to a new position outside of engineering, but still in technology. She shares her viewpoints on being a new mom, starting a family, juggling work and family and adjusting her priorities.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
PTO – Paid Time Off
Fact Check
Maternity Leave – Nearly all developed countries throughout the world have a national policy that provides new parents with paid time off to care for and bond with their children. The United States is not one of them. In fact, the U.S. is the only country classified by the World Bank as high-income that does not have paid maternity leave. However, the issue of paid parental leave has been gaining momentum on both the state and national levels; several states have created their own paid parental leave programs, and new federal law provides government workers with 12 weeks of paid time off after having, adopting, or fostering children. (https://employment.findlaw.com/family-medical-leave/paid-parental-leave-in-the-u-s–vs–other-developed-countries.html)
Male vs. Female job applicants – Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. The finding comes from a Hewlett Packard internal report, and has been quoted in Lean In, The Confidence Code and dozens of articles. It’s usually invoked as evidence that women need more confidence. As one Forbes article put it, “Men are confident about their ability at 60%, but women don’t feel confident until they’ve checked off each item on the list.” The advice: women need to have more faith in themselves. (https://hbr.org/2014/08/why-women-dont-apply-for-jobs-unless-theyre-100-qualified)
Airbags – I couldn’t find anything specific to airbags and women not being involved in the design, but I did find an article in consumer reports about crash test dummies being a male body type and that there is no female sized crash test dummy. (https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/crash-test-bias-how-male-focused-testing-puts-female-drivers-at-risk/)
Tammy currently works as a middleware administrator. She has held several positions in software administration while working at the same company for her entire career. She has a degree in computer science and shares her perspectives and experiences.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
Weblogic – a leading e-commerce online transaction processing (OLTP) platform, developed to connect users in a distributed computing environment and to facilitate the integration of mainframe applications with distributed corporate data and applications. (www.oracle.com)
WebSphere – a set of Java-based tools from IBM that allows customers to create and manage sophisticated business Web sites. The central WebSphere tool is the WebSphere Application Server (WAS), an application server that a customer can use to connect Web site users with Java applications or servlets.
Java – a general-purpose computer programming language that is concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, and specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. (www.raponline.org)
ERP System – The integrated management of main business processes, often in real time and mediated by software and technology. (Wikipedia)
Mainframe – he central data repository, or hub , in a corporation’s data processing center, linked to users through less powerful devices such as workstations or terminals. (https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/zosbasics/com.ibm.zos.zmainframe/zconc_whatismainframe.htm)
Fact Check
Montana State University has two classes – The Joy and Beauty of Computing and The Joy and Beauty of Data. (www.msu.edu)
Liana is an innovation technologist in the energy industry. She has a wide variety of experience working on the forefront of technology with technology vendors, telecommunication providers, utilities, and school districts. Her computer science degree provided her with the foundation she needed to work in these technology areas. Liana shares her experience with obtaining her degree in a non-traditional way, the challenges of pursuing her degree with young children, and her viewpoint of frequently being the only woman in her department.
Episode NotesMusic used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
Network Engineering – a technology professional who has the necessary skills to plan, implement and oversee the computer networks that support in-house voice, data, video and wireless network services. Although the job titles network engineer and network administrator are sometimes used as synonyms, a network engineer usually has more executive responsibilities than a network administrator. The engineering side of things tends to deal more with planning, design and technical specifications, whereas the administration side of things deals mostly with day-to-day maintenance, management and troubleshooting efforts. (https://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/network-engineer)
Central Office – in a telephone communications, a central office is an office in a locality to which subscriber home and business lines are connected on what is called a local loop. The central office has switching equipment that can switch calls locally or to long-distance carrier phone offices. https://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/central-office
“Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs” Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
CITC – The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) is the information and communications technology sector (ICT) regulator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Telecommunications Act (enacted in June 2001) and its Bylaws (issued in July 2002) provide the basis for regulatory framework of the sector. (www.citc.gov.sa)
Sarah recently graduated from Michigan Tech with a degree in Chemical Engineering. She is nearing her first year working as a project engineer in the manufacturing industry. She shares her experiences and perspectives on college, entrance into the job market and how the number of women going into engineering is changing.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
Diff EQ – Differential Equations – The study of differential equations consists of the study of their solutions (the set of functions that satisfy each equation), and of the properties of their solutions. Only the simplest differential equations are solvable by explicit formulas; however, many properties of solutions of a given differential equation may be determined without computing them exactly. (Wikipedia)
AP – Advanced Placement – a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations. The AP curriculum for each of the various subjects is created for the College Board by a panel of experts and college-level educators in that field of study. (Wikipedia)
Welcome to the first episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary - conversations with women in STEM. Kerry has worked as an electrical engineer in the utility industry for 27 years. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience. In our conversation she shares her experiences working as a physical substation engineer, working in contracts for a renewable energy company, and her college life. She provides insights into technical aspects of the work she does in addition to her perspectives on women in engineering.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
NDSU–North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota
ROTC–Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
FORTRAN–a general-purpose, compiled imperative programming language that is especially suited to numeric computation and scientific computing. Revisions of FORTRAN are still used today.
PFC–Private First Class. E1 – Entry level in the military. E3 – Private First Class.
Renewable Power–energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished on a human timescale.
Transmission– The movement of bulk electrical energy from a generating site, such as a power plant, to an electrical substation.
Generation– The process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy.
NERC–North American Electric Reliability Corporation–a not-for-profit international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.
SCADA–Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition–A collection of hardware and software that is used to remotely monitor and control the electric grid.
Baseload Generation–The minimum level of demand on an electrical grid over a span of time.
Central Power– Refers to the large-scale generation of electricity at centralized facilities.
Distributed Generation–Refers to a variety of technologies that generate electricity at or near where it will be used.
Microgrids–a small network of electricity users with a local source of supply that is usually attached to a centralized national grid but is able to function independently.
Optimal battery operating temperature–77°F or 25°C
Substation –Transforms voltage from high to low, or the reverse. Between the generating station and consumer, electric power may flow through several substations at different voltage levels.
Wave Trap–A device that allow only a particular frequency to pass through it that it filters the signals coming on to it.
HVDC–High Voltage Direct Current–used to transmit electricity over long distances by overhead transmission lines or submarine cables.
Bushing–an insulated device that allows an electrical conductor to pass safely through a grounded conducting barrier such as the case of a transformer or circuit breaker, typically made from porcelain.
Bio-medical Engineering–The application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes.
Please note–Don’t lick the terminals of a
Jackie teaches seventh grade physical science. She is completing her sixth year of teaching and has had a wide range of experiences in teaching several different science classes in both high school and middle school, rural and urban environments, and public and private school systems. Jackie shares her story of how she became a science teacher, grad school, having a young family, and the challenge of distance teaching during COVID.
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
In addition to being an electrical engineer, Katherine volunteers and leads a myriad of organizations supporting and promoting women in engineering. Katherine shares her educational experience in a project engineering collegiate program and the benefits and experiences she gained in the process and how she got involved in many of her volunteer programs.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
Acronyms and Definitions
SCADA and Control Engineer–Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) – develop, deploy and maintain SCADA systems and control processes.
Integrated Distribution Plan-A plan for the future of a distribution grid using inputs supplied by the electric utility, the commission and interested stakeholders.
Energy Control Center–The decision-center for the electric transmission and generation interconnected system. The ECC provides the functions necessary for monitoring physical and economic operation of the power system.
Energy Management System–a system of computer-aided tools used to monitor, control, and optimize the performance of the generation or transmission system.
Relay Engineer–Plans layout and oversees maintenance of protection equipment of an electric power distribution system to minimize interruption to service and danger to lives and equipment from abnormalities.
FERC–Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
NERC–North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Iron Range–refers to a number of elongated iron-ore mining districts around Lake Superior in the United States and Canada.
Iron Range Engineering – Iron Range Engineering is a project based 4 year degree program accredited through Minnesota State University, Mankato and located in Virginia, Minnesota.
Iron Range Engineering Bell Program – The Bell Program is an upper division engineering program for students seeking a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree. The program is 2.5 years in duration. The first half-year is on-site at Iron Range Engineering in northeastern Minnesota where students will complete the Bell Academy. The following two years are spent working as co-ops at companies anywhere in the world.
UMD – University of Minnesota Duluth
Fluid Mechanics – the branch of physics concerned with the mechanics of fluids and the forces on them.
ABET Accredited Program – Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology – Assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students.
Hydrology –The branch of science concerned with the properties of the earth’s water, and especially its movement in relation to land.
Protective Relaying–a relay device designed to trip a circuit breaker when a fault is detected.
Fact CheckProject-based learning is an instructional method in which students learn a range of skills and subject matter in the process of creating their own projects.
Joan C. Williams is an American feminist legal scholar whose work focuses on issues faced by women in the workplace.
This is a video series Ms. Willams did on gender bias. https://leanin.org/education/introduction-to-what-works-for-women-at-work
Tami has worked as an electrical engineer in the utility industry for 29 years. She is incredibly knowledgeable about transmission planning and has held a variety of roles in several different companies throughout her career. She shares her insights into work and family life balance and the challenges of navigating job changes with young children.
Episode Notes
Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio
**Acronyms and Definitions
OASIS– The Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS), is an Internet-based system** for obtaining services related to electric power transmission in North America. It is the primary means by which high-voltage transmission lines are reserved for moving wholesale quantities of electricity. (wikipedia)
FERC–Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Regulation of wholesale sales of electricity and transmission of electricity in interstate commerce.
- Oversight of mandatory reliability standards for the bulk power system.
- Promotion of strong national energy infrastructure, including adequate transmission facilities.
- Regulation of jurisdictional issuances of stock and debt securities, assumptions of obligations and liabilities, and mergers.
Bio-medical Engineering– The application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes (e.g. diagnostic or therapeutic). This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine, combining the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical biological sciences to advance health care treatment, including diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy. Also included under the scope of a biomedical engineer is the management of current medical equipment within hospitals while adhering to relevant industry standards. (Wikipedia)