Surprise Prototypes! As I look at the date, I realize, wow, 2023 is right around the corner. Once we get through all the gift giving and good food eating, the calendar will flip as we start to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Then of course, social media will prompt us to answer the question: What’s your New Year’s resolution? As you ponder this question, I’d offer you add a goal to serve in a mentor or advisor in some capacity. In listening to Season 1 guests, an underlying thread is how wise guidance provided key support throughout their STEM education and career. As you know that is what STEM Sync is all about… leveraging the resource of a personal narrative to serve as encouragement along the STEM pipeline. Today’s bonus episode helps to drive this point. I am joined by Ms. Janet T. Phan whose focus is on paying forward her experience by helping raise awareness of the important role that mentoring can play, the elements and qualities of a good mentorship, and in connecting more girls with STEM mentors to increase women entering the field. My hope is that her story will convince you to add my suggested new year’s resolution. Just think, your one year of mentoring could have a lifetime of influence. Now let’s sync!

Janet T. Phan is the Founder and Executive Director of Thriving Elements, a nonprofit dedicated to creating access and opportunities for underserved, underrepresented girls with long-term, 1:1 mentorship in STEM fields. Janet’s vision is to develop and empower young women in STEM to make a sustainable impact and inspire the next generation of women leaders. She is a Senior Technical Product Manager for Amazon's Project Kuiper and the author of Boldly You: A Story about Discovering What You’re Capable of When You Show Up for Yourself.

Prototypes, it’s been six months since the STEM SYNC Podcast debuted on April 19, 2022, with my “why” story. Guess what? 20 guests later the STEM Sync Podcast is celebrating a successful Season 1 ending with a few of your favorite guests.  Episode 2 introduced you the impetus behind the Podcast launch, Ms. Erika Jefferson of Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE), and her then Chief of Staff, Ms. Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna. Today’s episode brings the new BWISE Chief of Staff to the mic, Ms. Lauren Adegoke, as we catch up with the ladies hearing about their last six months. Tune in to the Season 1 Finale Episode 20 to understand the importance of finding a space to exhale. Now let’s sync!

Erika received her MBA from Georgia Tech and her BS in Chemical Engineering from LSU. She has worked for top companies such as Amoco, Chevron, and Praxair in a myriad of leadership and executive roles ranging from sales/business development to supply chain and operations excellence. Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna is a Black woman, 2020 graduate in Bioengineering from Harvard College who aims to become a physician-scientist to develop equitable diagnostic tools to help combat health disparities. She is currently pursuing a MD/PhD degree in the Medical Scientist Program at the University of California San Francisco. Lauren is the second BWISE Fellow as the Chief of Staff of Black Women in Science and Engineering. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Texas. She will graduate in December 2022 and is still deciding what career path she will follow.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-woman-in-science-and-engineering-bwise-/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikajeffersonmba/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/augusta-uwamanzu-nna/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-adegoke/ 

#stemsync #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemstory#stemsync #podcast #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemsyncup #stemstory #stemprototypes #dei #ucsf #blackgradstudents

Episode 19 brings special guest to the STEM Sync Podcast as someone who I have watched blossom over the years in her pursuit of STEM education. Ms. Jailyn Dorsett is another mentee with a brilliant mind and genuine heart for people.  A proud graduate of the Historically Black College University system, Jailyn’s gets honest about her transition into a Masters/PhD program at a predominantly white institution.  Though met with moments of feeling unsupported, Prototypes will hear of Jailyn’s ability to discover her true passion, make wise decisions for her own peace of mind, and recognize that she still has a rightful place along the STEM pathway.  Let’s get real and let’s sync! 

Jailyn Dorsett hails from Long Branch, New Jersey. Currently, she is an Environmental Engineering Master's student at the University of Southern California (USC). Before going to USC, Jailyn attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for one year, and then finished out the next three years for my degree in Engineering Physics at Delaware State University (DSU). Throughout her time at DSU, she served as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) local chapter president, worked in a renewable energy research lab, and graduated with honors. Jailyn’s accolades include completing her honors senior thesis on singlet oxygen. In her free time Jailyn enjoy painting, reading, and spending time at the beach. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jailyndorsett/

#stemsync #podcast #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemsyncup #stemstory #stemprototypes #delstate #usc #hbcu #environmentaljustice