STEM SYNC

Krystle McClain
  • 5.0 (7)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The STEM Sync Podcast uses the power of personal narratives to introduce listeners to opportunities and resources along the science, technology, engineering, and math pipeline to help increase the number of people of color in these fields. Every week we’ll have candid conversations as guests share their journeys to help you reach beyond your untapped potential connecting you to purpose. Become a part of the conversation by submitting questions and topics with an email to podcast@stemsync.net or messaging STEM Sync via your favorite social media platform. Now let's SYNC!

  1. S1E21: Thriving Elements: Mission Mentorship

    12/13/2022

    S1E21: Thriving Elements: Mission Mentorship

    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.

    52 min

  2. 10/11/2022

    S1E20: A Space to Exhale

    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

    1h 6m

  3. 10/04/2022

    S1E19: Finding Your Voice

    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

    57 min

  4. 09/27/2022

    S1E18: The Pursuit of Possibilities

    When assessing education and career opportunities, how do you lean into the decision-making process? Are you… Learning. Growing. Contributing. Those are the three ways Episode 18’s guest, Ms. Cassie Agyeman-Duah checks in with herself when making career moves. Prototypes, we should take account of her strategy as it has proven her to be very successful and most importantly fulfilled. Tune as Cassie details how she’s chartered paths in pursuit of dual degree programs, navigated the pros and cons of being a government contractor, and commanded respect for her skills through self-advocacy. Now let’s sync! DISCLAIMER: The opinions of Ms. Cassie Agyeman-Duah are based on her personal accounts and do not reflect those of her current and previous employers. Cassie Agyeman-Duah has always been inquisitive and into everything. Her interests were always broad - liking history almost as much as she liked math and participating in everything from science club to step team to ballet to JROTC. Her curiosity is also what piqued her interest in engineering. Her uncle was an engineer, and she was intrigued by how things worked. She would take things apart (and sometimes put them back together) as a child. Cassie is now an alumna of the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. She attained a BS degree in Electrical Engineering with a secondary field in Fire Protection Engineering. After her undergraduate studies, she went on to pursue a dual degree, earning her MS in Information Technology with a concentration in Databases and Information Assurance and MBA from the University of Maryland, University College (now University of Maryland Global Campus). She later rounded out her education with a Certificate in Accounting from the University of California Berkeley. She has worked as an Electrical Engineer, Systems Engineer, Database Administrator, Technical Team Lead, and Chief Engineer among other roles for several large and small companies. She currently works as a Senior Solutions Architect with Amazon Web Services. In her spare time, Cassie serves as the President of the University of Maryland Black Alumni (UMBA) Network and is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Her interest in community and willingness to serve are a big part of her identity. She is dedicated to creating inclusive and equitable experiences and environments for Black people in whatever space she is in. Cassie is constantly looking for ways to reach out and help wherever and however she can. #stemsync #podcast #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemsyncup #stemstory #stemprototypes #systemsengineering #blackintech #terps #umcp #blackterps

    1h 22m

  5. 09/20/2022

    S1E17: Intentional Life Designs

    Transformation of lives can be both direct and indirect dependent on the effect one hopes to achieve. Directly through hands on interaction and indirectly behind the scenes through planning, research, and policy. Today’s STEM SYNC Podcast guest, Dr. Stefanie Brodie, is doing both via the art of Urban Planning. Within recent years, the subject of incorporating equity into long range development rose to a hot topic specific to transportation systems.  Dr. Brodie had the foresight and calling to specialize in factoring social fairness in sustainable infrastructure. While her journey has been unique, Dr. Brodie has been intentional about being true to her curious nature and certain of designing a life of lasting influence. Now let’s sync! Stefanie Brodie has a love for cities that started in her old industrial hometown of Waterbury, CT. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a BS in Civil Engineering, she worked as a consultant for several years until that love led her to enter a dual master’s degree program at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Civil Engineering and City and Regional Planning. At this time she also discovered her love for research and continued to a PhD in Civil Engineering focusing her dissertation on transportation equity. Since completing her doctorate, Stefanie has held a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Nottingham U.K., served as a research program specialist at the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, and is currently the Research Practice Lead at Toole Design Group. Her professional interests center on transportation planning and policy and she has aligned her current work to continue her research on equity. She believes that research should help public agencies make informed decisions and lead to safer, healthier, and happier lives, especially for those with the most challenges to overcome. #stemsync #podcast #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemsyncup #stemstory #stemprototypes #research #transportation #terps #umcp #blackterps #georgiatech

    51 min
  6. S1E16: The Myth of Balance- Career, Family, & Self

    09/13/2022

    S1E16: The Myth of Balance- Career, Family, & Self

    Often living one’s life to the fullest presents a wealth of extraordinary opportunities prompting one to make major life changing choices. Today’s guest Cherrie Fisher is no stranger to pivotal decisions while continuing to set big goals and dream big dreams. Cherrie’s candid story gives insight to the myth of attempting to balance family priorities while aiming to reach career aspirations. Her key points and resources underline the importance of creating the career you’ve always wanted while being purposeful in defining the roadmap to your most fulfilling life. Bottom line, never give up on your heart’s desires! Tune and hear how Cherrie is reimagining and intentionally redesigning the second half of her career to experience a fulfilled existence. Now let’s sync! Cherrie Fisher recently accepted a Construction Supply Chain Manager position at NTT Global Data Centers, in this role she will be supporting construction efforts associated with the company's Hyperscale Data Centers. She has over 25 years of facilities and construction expertise, supporting AT&T, Inc., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EJ Smith Construction and most recently Parkland Health in Dallas, TX. Cherrie is a proud first-generation graduate of the Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is also a wife, mother and catalyst for encouraging, advancing and mentoring women and minorities in STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math). In addition, Ms. Fisher serves as a construction neutral with the American Arbitration Association. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherriefisher/

    58 min
  7. S1E15: Seize the Moment

    09/06/2022

    S1E15: Seize the Moment

    Say what you want about Gen Z, but we can all take note of how this generation owns who they are, knows what they want out of life, and makes certain they reach for their dreams leaving no stones unturned. Today’s guest, Ms. Dana Wiggins, embodies these characteristics while blazing new paths as a Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Seize the App; the Personal Travel Photographer.   Boomers, Gen X, and yes even you Millennials listen in as Dana drops gems of wisdom of how a simple idea can lead to a life unimagined. Now let’s sync! Dana Wiggins is the co-founder and CTO of Seize, which conveniently connects you to affordable quality photographers, enabling everyone to capture life well. Dana has years of experience as a Software Engineer, and she is passionate about using technology to solve everyday life problems. Dana is currently working on bringing Seize to market in the DC metro area. She first had the idea for Seize in 2019 while exploring San Francisco during a summer internship. When she eventually worked up the courage to do solo exploration in the city, she realized the need for an easily accessible on-demand photography service. After working in big tech for merely 9-months post-graduation, Dana left to pursue her passion and work on Seize full time in 2021. Since then, Seize has generated thousands of dollars in revenue and has captured incredible life moments for hundreds of customers, including a Real Housewife of Potomac. Dana is an alumna of the University of Maryland: College Park with a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. When she's not coding for Seize, she can be found decorating cakes or investing in real estate. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-wiggins/ https://www.seizetheapp.io/ #stemsync #podcast #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemsyncup #stemstory #stemprototypes #seizetheapp #startup #terps #umcp #entrepreunership

    49 min

  8. 08/30/2022

    S1E14: Third World Nurturing Yields Global Impact

    Ever wonder the meaning behind buzz words such as “public health” and “dietician”? Episode 14 gives insight to those terms through Dr. Pascale Jean’s storytelling of her unique journey in the distinctive career field of community nutrition. Her passionate to expand basic nutrition needs globally propelled her to push past uncomfortable growth points to reach her goals. Tune in to hear about how Dr. Jean’s Haitian upbringing influenced her decision to become a change maker focused on developing policy to ensure food equity for all.  We can all learn a little some about determination from Dr. Jean. Now let’s sync! Pascale Jean grew up in the beautiful island of Haiti and in sunny hot culture-enriched Miami, Florida, in a multilingual home with immigrant parents who installed the importance of faith, education and family. She obtained all her degrees from Florida International University. While completing her bachelor in dietetics and nutrition, she gravitated toward community nutrition which led her to pursue a master’s degree in public health with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention. After completing her masters, Pascale pursued her goal to become a registered dietitian. While working as a registered dietitian at the local county health department, she was fueled with the desire to have an impact in my community, especially in the underserved and under-represented population. This led her to become a certified health educator specialist and also obtain a doctorate degree in Public Health. Currently Pascale is a National Program Leader with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition in the Division of Nutrition. Prior to joining NIFA, she worked as a Branch Chief for the Program and Grant Administration Branch at USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Community Food Systems Division, where she led the team that facilitates the Farm to School Grant Program. Pascale resides in Columbia, Maryland with her dog, Denny. She enjoys running and has completed several marathons, half-marathons and charitable 5Ks. She also enjoys reading and traveling. https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalejeanphd/ #stemsync #podcast #blackwomeninstem #womeninstem #wocinstem #blackgirlsinSTEM #blackinstem #womeninscience #stem #shestem #blackwomenintech #STEM #stemeducation #stemcareers #blackengineers #blackinstem #blackdoctors #RepresentationMatters #melanininstem #nowletssync #stemsyncup #stemstory #stemprototypes #publichealth #dietary #nutrition #usda #haiti

    59 min
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About

The STEM Sync Podcast uses the power of personal narratives to introduce listeners to opportunities and resources along the science, technology, engineering, and math pipeline to help increase the number of people of color in these fields. Every week we’ll have candid conversations as guests share their journeys to help you reach beyond your untapped potential connecting you to purpose. Become a part of the conversation by submitting questions and topics with an email to podcast@stemsync.net or messaging STEM Sync via your favorite social media platform. Now let's SYNC!

Information

  • Creator
    Krystle McClain
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Krystle McClain
  • Show Website
    STEM SYNC