STEAM Powered Michele Ong

A common thread between the arts and the sciences is storytelling. In both scenarios you’re building worlds, and creating an understanding of the mechanisms that make the system work (or not work), and the relationships within that bubble.
Eleonora Moratto is the Biology Ballerina. She is a freelance professional ballet dancer, and is currently completing her PhD in plant pathogen interactions. Join us as we speak about Eleonora’s work exploring electrical fields and plant immune systems, and her journey as a sciartist.
About Eleonora Moratto 
Eleonora Moratto is The Biology Ballerina. She is completing her PhD in plant pathogen interactions at Imperial College, London. She is a freelance professional ballet dancer currently working with the Ballet Dream Arts company and is involved in SciArt projects, women in STEAM activities, long hair modelling, and historical reenactment.
Show Notes (link)
[00:01:08] Eleonora's path to biology.
[00:03:30] Researching plant pathogen interactions, specifically Phytophthora palmivora.
[00:05:22] Looking for novel solutions that prevent the spread.
[00:07:33] Exploring electric fields around plants and pathogens.
[00:11:47] Looking to her future in academia and biological interactions.
[00:13:52] The wider applications of research in interactions and electrical fields.
[00:15:17] The Biology Ballerina.
[00:17:02] A SciArtist's dream.
[00:19:00] The balance of the arts and sciences for Eleonora.
[00:22:41] Freelancing as a ballerina.
[00:25:15] SciArts in the wild.
[00:28:37] Encourage the polymaths and multihyphenates.
[00:30:25] Passion is interesting.
[00:31:45] What advice would you give someone who'd like to do what you do, and what advice should they ignore?
[00:34:05] Find out more about Eleonora and her work.
Connect with STEAM Powered
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Hosted and produced by Michele Ong.
Music is "Gypsy Jazz in Paris 1935" by Brett Van Donsel.


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Podsights - https://podsights.com/privacy

Sustainability is more than just the environment. If you look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it's also about accessibility, equity, and inclusion in multiple areas of society, and covers things like the economy, infrastructure, community, and yes, climate and the environment. But they're the kinds of goals that bring everybody up so that no one is left behind.
Join us in our conversation with Dr Sandy Chong, founding member of the Sustainable Development Goals Forum in WA, former president of the United Nations Association of WA, and member of the World Economic Forum Expert Network. We speak about the impact of digital inclusion and how the UN Sustainable Development Goals benefit us all, and are for now, not later.
About Dr Sandy Chong 
A Harvard Alumna and Principal of Verity Consulting, Dr Sandy Chong is an award-winning Executive of the Year, Asia's Top Sustainability Women of the Year, and Singapore Management Consultant of the Year. The former President of the United Nations Association and the Founding Chair of the UN SDGs Business Forums in Western Australia, Sandy has chaired international forums that promote digital and energy transition. These include the inaugural Web3 for Sustainability Conference, the Intercity Hydrogen delegation between Singapore and Australia, and the upcoming AI & Data Science of Business Conference in Singapore. She was recently invited to speak on Digital Inclusion and the Impact of AI in International Trade convened by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Geneva. With over 20 years’ experience leading multidisciplinary projects, advising trade agencies and industry councils, Sandy currently serves on public-listed board and is the Chair of the ASEAN Business Alliance. Earning a Ph.D. in Digital Commerce in 2003 and appointed Adjunct Professor of Curtin University, Sandy has published peer-reviewed journals on international business, innovation adoption and sustainability since 2005.
Show Notes (link)
[00:01:09] Sandy's journey from marketing and management information systems.
[00:02:50] The cycles of growth in technology.
[00:04:06] The anthropological view of technology in society.
[00:05:58] Technological transformation and change management.
[00:08:19] Starting clients on the path to digital adoption.
[00:13:34] Bringing about cultural change within an organisation.
[00:15:35] Play to the strengths of your people, and help them thrive.
[00:18:30] The risks behind digital adoption accelerating past digital literacy.
[00:20:38] Closing the gap on digital literacy of new technologies.
[00:24:48] The ethics of technology and how we use it.
[00:26:42] Building (and keeping) trust.
[00:28:53] Transparency and authenticity in your leadership.
[00:32:37] Sandy's work with the UN Association of Australia and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
[00:34:22] Change can only be made when ideas leave the activism space.
[00:38:46] Australia's ranking for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
[00:41:01] The pragmatic reasons for taking action.
[00:43:08] How private enterprise and communities measure their performance with the SDGs.
[00:47:13] What advice would you give someone who'd like to do what you do and what advice should they ignore?
Connect with STEAM Powered
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What is your personal worth? From an internal perspective, it's about having confidence in your sense of self and your values. But let's expand on that. Your worth can also be viewed in the connections you have made in your personal or professional communities, be it the kids' soccer parent who knows a job you'd be great for, or the ex-coworker whose passion project is your passion, too. It's also of course your financial position and what you can do to change it. Because growth in all these areas gives you more space to grow as well.
Join us as we speak with Sirisha Kuchimanchi, entrepreneur, speaker, and former engineering and manufacturing executive, about navigating her career through economic downturns, and how the different aspects of your personal worth give you more options.
About Dr Sirisha Kuchimanchi 
Dr Sirisha Kuchimanchi is the Founder of "Sahita", a Global Community for South Asian Women for Career & Financial Empowerment. She is an active investor supporting Women funded businesses.
Her aim is to promote gender equity by empowering more women to take control of their careers and finances. Sirisha is a Former Engineering & Manufacturing Executive with over 17 years of experience at Texas Instruments (Fortune 200) a Semiconductor Design and Manufacturing Company. She co-chaired the Technology & Manufacturing Women’s ERG which supported over 500 women across 3 continents and 8 countries.
Sirisha hosts the podcast "Women, Career & Life", ranked at the top 30% on Spotify, where she provides practical ideas and resources for women to further their career & life goals. She also hosts a weekly Live Radio Talk Show "Life Beats with Sirisha" on 104.1 FM which has a reach of over half a million listeners from the South Asian Community. She strives to create a platform for diverse voices and perspectives to be heard, so listeners can succeed both personally and professionally while building a stronger community.
Sirisha is on the elected Board of Governors of The Podcast Academy which supports podcast makers and globally advances the cultural merit of the medium. Sirisha successfully traversed her return to work after getting laid off less than a year after entering the corporate world. A few years later, Sirisha made a conscious decision to be a stay-at-home mum during which time Sirisha earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.
Show Notes (link)
[00:01:05] Sirisha's beginnings in physics.
[00:02:43] The transition to material science and engineering.
[00:04:24] The value of being able to explore the industry while pursuing higher studies.
[00:05:34] We all leave social breadcrumbs and create networks through our interactions.
[00:07:13] The experience of layoffs.
[00:09:40] The contrast of working as a contractor vs a permanent employee.
[00:10:33] Sirisha's second career break and the decision to return to school.
[00:14:25] Sometimes the market makes the decision for you.
[00:15:25] Financial literacy and preparation gives you choices and flexibility.
[00:16:37] Looking after our financial futures because work shouldn't dictate our lives.
[00:21:04] The stigma attached to speaking about money or death matters.
[00:23:31] Risk management and your priorities.
[00:25:44] Everyone is a potential candidate for an information interview.
[00:28:23] The grass is always greener. But you don't know unless you try.
[00:30:36] Your background and culture in a work context as an asset or liability.
[00:34:06] Ask for what you want, but you have to know what you want first.
[00:35:29] Considerations as a woman or POC in leadership.
[00:37:29]

Architecture has always struck me as a multidisciplinary field. It draws knowledge from all areas of STEMM into creating the spaces in which we live and work. But that's not always how this profession is perceived and this reflects in the way the industry has and needs to evolve.
Evelyn Lee is Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation at Slack Technologies, and Founder of Practice of Architecture. Join us as we speak about the Evelyn's journey through architecture and tech, the future of architecture, and systems thinking in physical and organisational environments.
About Evelyn Lee 
Evelyn Lee, FAIA, is the first-ever Global Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation at Slack Technologies, Founder of the Practice of Architecture, and Co-Host of the Podcast, Practice Disrupted. Lee integrates her business and architecture background with a qualitative and quantitative focus to build better experiences for the organisation's employees, clients, and guests.
She is widely published, wrote a monthly column for Contract magazine for over three years, and is now a frequent contributor to Architect Magazine. Evelyn has received numerous industry awards, including 2016 40 Under 40 award for Building Design + Construction and the 2014 AIA National Young Architects Award. She recently served as the first-ever female Treasurer to the AIA National Board in 2020-2021.
Show Notes (link)
[00:01:07] What drew Evelyn to architecture?
[00:03:46] How Evelyn envisaged a career in architecture.
[00:06:24] What does the average career in architecture look like?
[00:09:40] Attrition in the architecture industry.
[00:12:07] The need for business education as part of architecture programs.
[00:15:37] The culture of the industry. Having to earn your way before you are welcome.
[00:17:23] The sense of prestige of the profession vs the tangible value that architects offer.
[00:19:07] What can we change that will provide more value to the industry?
[00:21:48] The innovations in the architecture space.
[00:23:57] Evolving the role of firms and the client experience.
[00:26:08] Evelyn's architecture journey and the desire to stay involved with the architecture industry.
[00:28:25] The Practice of Architecture.
[00:32:01] Evelyn's journey to tech.
[00:33:47] Applied workplace strategy and operation processes.
[00:36:52] A change in space requires cultural change management as well.
[00:38:10] Architects are systems thinkers.
[00:40:08] Evelyn's future in architecture and systems thinking.
[00:43:52] What advice would you give someone who'd like to do what you do, and what advice should they ignore?
Connect with STEAM Powered
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It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. But for today's guest, it's about both. Laura Langdon is a developer advocate who has the pleasure of combining her explorations and experience in theatre, computer science, mathematics, education, and data science into a role that rolls all of that into one perfect package. Join us as we speak of about Laura's experience in education, and the beauty of the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate things.
About Laura Langdon 
Laura Langdon is a Developer Advocate at Suborbital Software Systems, where she manages documentation and participates in outreach activities, especially around the intersections data science, Python, and extensibility. Previously a math lecturer at CSU East Bay, Laura is devoted to issues in pedagogy, neurodivergence, and social responsibility in tech. In her free time, she enjoys recreational research, optimising all the things, and not trying to think of a third thing with which to end this sentence.
Show Notes (link)
[00:00:53] Laura opting out of high school and going through community college instead.
[00:04:33] Why college was a better fit for Laura.
[00:07:04] The path of human experience.
[00:11:48] Coming to settle her explorations with mathematics.
[00:14:00] Laura's epiphany with mathematics.
[00:17:35] Practical considerations when it comes to choosing your path.
[00:22:59] The beauty of pure mathematics that we miss out on at school.
[00:23:31] Sometimes material is hard. But sometimes it's hard because people have different modes of learning.
[00:25:25] Resources can be crutches. What do you want to get out of this?
[00:26:31] Speak to course advisors and coordinators. There may be options you weren't aware of.
[00:29:25] Why homeschooling.
[00:32:20] The Montessori method
[00:36:12] AI, Reinforcement Learning, and DeepMind.
[00:38:20] Finding her way to technical writing.
[00:43:48] Ethics, algorithms, and society.
[00:47:39] A day in the life of developer relations.
[00:49:01] Bringing all those accumulated skills together.
[00:51:15] What advice would you give someone who wants to do what you do? And what advice should they ignore?
Connect with STEAM Powered
Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Patreon
Hosted and produced by Michele Ong.
Music is "Gypsy Jazz in Paris 1935" by Brett Van Donsel.


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Podsights - https://podsights.com/privacy

We could all do with a little bit more compassion in our lives, and April Wensel is making sure that we can bring it to our work as well. April Wensel is the founder of Compassionate Coding, helping companies and tech professionals communicate more and effectively so that we can be better at what we do better to each other and better to ourselves.
Join us as we speak about April's journey through technology, finding purpose with compassionate coding, and putting the humanity back into technology.
About April Wensel 
April Wensel is an international keynote speaker and the founder of Compassionate Coding, a conscious business that provides communication skills training to technology professionals. Prior to starting Compassionate Coding, she spent a decade as a software engineer and technical leader at various startups in Silicon Valley, building products in such fields as healthcare, gaming, education, and user research. Away from the keyboard, she enjoys gleaning fruit, running ultramarathons, and experimenting with vegan recipes.
Show Notes (link)
[00:01:09] Studying Computer Science at a liberal arts college.
[00:02:54] Where April saw her future in computing.
[00:03:46] The path to Compassionate Coding.
[00:08:54] Teaching emotional intelligence to tech.
[00:10:35] Relating to the need to develop emotional intelligence from her own experiences.
[00:13:28] When you faced with a culture that has to change.
[00:15:41] Reflecting on how April's liberal arts background informs her work now.
[00:17:12] April's observations in the course of her work.
[00:18:42] The two sides of compassion.
[00:19:44] Feedback as a compassionate skill.
[00:21:28] April's reflections on her own journey with emotion intelligence.
[00:23:03] April's personal journey approaching burnout and the impetus for change towards compassion.
[00:25:02] The rate of burnout in these fields and how compassion can help.
[00:27:36] The shift towards compassion in other technical fields.
[00:30:20] Which childhood book holds the strongest memories for you?
[00:31:56] What advice would you like to give someone who'd like to do what you do, and what advice should they ignore?
Connect with STEAM Powered
Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Patreon
Hosted and produced by Michele Ong.
Music is "Gypsy Jazz in Paris 1935" by Brett Van Donsel.


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Podsights - https://podsights.com/privacy