Beyond The Bench: Stemulating Career Conversations

We are excited to launch Season Four with Beronda Montgomery, PhD and celebrate the release of her new book Lessons from Plants.  She shares key lessons learned from plants as it relates to mentoring, particularly about environmental fit and resilience.    She also reveals her new leadership roles and her perspectives on why effective leadership is a critical component of change.  Follow Beronda  on her social media platforms for thoughtful and thought provoking gems of knowledge and cool pictures of her travels while writing. Twitter @BerondaM Instagram @Beronda_M #LessonsfromPlants can be found on bookshop.org Beronda L. Montgomery, PhD is MSU Foundation Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at Michigan State University. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology, she was named one of Cell’s 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America.

June 27, 2020 is a doubly historic day for me.  Today is the 3rd year anniversary of STEMulating Conversations.   It is also the day that the Mississippi State legislature--in the House and Senate--voted to remove the current State flag that has flown since 1894.    The significance of this day and vote was definitely an occasion to connect with fellow PhD chemist and Mississipian, Dr. John Harkless, to have a awesome #STEMulatingconvo.

When you understand the context, the content is easier to digest.  This is the guiding principle that will be used when we engage in STEMulating Conversations on the topics of diversity and inclusion,  particularly as it relates to Black Americans in society and the sciences.

If you were to spend your time the same way you spend your money, what would your time bank account look like?  Given that there will never be more than 24 hours in a day, managing the activities within that time may seem more like an art than a skill.  Time management is a misnomer because you are managing activities rather than time.   

Happy New Year!  It's the beginning of 2020, and many of us have  set ambitious new goals--new year, new chapters, new journeys, new experiences.   What will you do differently in order to attain the results that you desire? 

Hurricane Katrina was devastating on several levels, but it was the  event that freed Dr. Calvin Mackie and enabled him to walk in his purpose.  A lifelong resident of New Orleans, Dr. Mackie has a passion educating others on the boundless opportunities in STEM.    He created STEM-NOLA to expose, inspire and engage members in New Orleans and surrounding communities about the opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).  Now celebrating its sixth year, STEM-NOLA is sustainable STEM education model that is being replicated across the country.  Dr. Mackie received a BS in Mathematics from Morehouse College and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech.  He went on to earn a Masters and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech.  

The process of reflecting on successes and lessons learned that have occurred throughout the year enable us to set more realistic goals for the upcoming year.   What worked well?  What didn't go as planned?  What can you do differently to achieve a better outcome?  As 2019 comes to a close, what have you learned will shape your 2020 goals?

Jahari Soward had always considered herself a chemist, so when a colleague suggested that she consider recruiting, she was initially offended.  Fast forward a few years, and she now owns her own career development and search firm .  She realized that the skills that enabled her to be a good chemists were transferable to the role of technical recruiting.  She realized it was about problem solving, and the same approach she used to solve a chemistry problem could be used to fill a talent gap. In this week's episode, she shares her journey from a bench chemist to an entrepreneur to her STEM education efforts with eSTEAM kits. Jahari also shares her excited in being elected as the first Black woman to chair the Georgia Local Section of the American Chemical Society.

When Clarice (Claire) Phelps received her undergraduate degree in chemistry, she had no idea that it would lead to her being the first African American woman to be on a team that discovered a new element on the periodic table.  She is currently a researcher and program manager in the the Nuclear Materials Processing Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this episode, Claire shares her unique career journey and training in nuclear chemistry via the  United States Navy.   She is a strong advocate for diversifying the sciences and uses her voice whenever possible to encourage women and minorities to pursue careers in the STEM field.  Earlier this year, she was recognized as Es -99 on the Periodic Table of Younger Chemists for her outstanding commitment to research and public engagement.

Be a Voice, not an echo.  When you are in a position of leadership, your voice is a powerful tool.   How you communicate is equally, if not more important, than the words spoken.  Before using your voice, ask yourself:  1. Am I credible enough to speak on this subject; 2. Is it work the risk for me to speak on this subject; 3. What impact will my voice have on this subject?    

Consulting can be rewarding careers for those with a STEM background. The key to a successful consulting practice is identifying a niche, and having a demonstrated record of expertise in that area. When Dr. Rowe-Rendleman launched Omar Consulting, there was a need to fill the gap between the bench and the bedside with product development support services for the pharma and medical industry.   She drew on her scientific training and over 15 years of clinical development in the pharmaceutical industry to establish a global consulting firm to provide educational, scientific and clinical R&D leadership and services for global biotech and pharma clients seeking to understand US regulatory and/or expand clinical trials to North America.  Visit Omar Consultants webpage to learn more about the company's service offerings.

Dr. Patrice Yarbough believes that the 'lab' is any where science is conducted, and often times it is outside the confines of a traditional brick and mortar with test tubes and fume hoods.  Such is the case for her in her role as a senior scientist with NASA Johnson Space Center.  Dr. Yarbough, a biochemist, talks about how her lifelong passion for conducting translational research led to her current role as the principal investigator of NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) project. Connect with Dr. Yarbough on LinkedIn

"Being comfortable with you who are and having confidence in what you bring to the table" are the guiding principles that have directed most of the career decisions of Dr. Adrian Land.  In this episode, he shares his traditionally non-traditional STEM career path from a small Southern town to now leading a regulatory affairs team at a Fortune 500 company.   He is passionate about sharing his story to inspire others who have similar backgrounds to pursue what truly interests them, rather than following what others may want your to do. Connect with Dr. Land on LinkedIn    

Everyone has a brand, but how you manage your brand can be the determining factor in your career advancement.  Personal brand strategist Isha Cogborn, founder of the Epiphany Institute joins in this week's STEMulating conversation to offer tips on effectively identifying and managing your brand.  Isha worked with scientists at all levels at one of the world's largest chemical corporations, so she is very familiar with the nuances and unique qualities typically associated with those in technical fields. Connect with Isha on Linked in and visit her website to learn more about personal branding strategy! 

Being open to opportunity and understanding that 'your skills will take you where your strengths are'.  These are the two main principles that Dr. Jones credits for successfully navigating a career path from faculty member to entrepreneur to current Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of New Hampshire. Follow Dr. Jones on Twitter @wayne_e_jones Visit his website at https://www.unh.edu/provost

It's the final episode, but not exactly what you think! Listen in to see why we are leaving Beyond the Bench behind.

What do you do when you feel as though you are not longer growing in your role?  You've not burned out; but rather, you've become bored.  What do you do when you just don't feel like doing anything, because it is too mundane?   

As an ecologist, Dr. Claire Horner-Deving had an interest in studying relationships, identifying strength of interactions and understanding how communities work together.  While she liked the science, she realized that she didn't love it.  So what did she do?  She parlayed the skills and principles  learned as an ecologist and applied them to building programs focused on supporting underrepresented groups in STEM fields. One of her programs is the NINDS NIH funded BRAINS- Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience  Follow her on Twitter to learn more! @chornerdevine

What do you do after you have rested, relaxed and renewed?  You RESET!  This week's episode challenges you along your career pathway to be a 'cation'.  Be positive in your outlook regardless of the stage of your career, or what you aspire to achieve.  Know what it is that you want, so that when someone asks, "how may I help you", you will be able to respond with a clear and concise answer.  Listen to feedback because that is how your truly make forward progress.

Resting, relaxing and renewing are all critical to your ability to be productive and successful.  That's just what I did over the past month. Now we are back and ready to kick off SEASON THREE of STEMulating conversations!