Ordinarily Extraordinary

31/07/2024

Join Sheila Buswell as she shares a heartfelt story about her mother and the challenges faced in daily living activities. Discover how Sheila's innovative device, the Upward Mobility, uses artificial intelligence to empower individuals in rehab settings to live more independently.

"You learn to call before you need help in that situation," Sheila explains. Her groundbreaking device allows people to use their own power while ensuring healthcare workers are always aware of their position and status.

Don't miss this inspiring and informative episode on Ordinarily Extraordinary Conversations With Women In STEM.

🎧 Listen now: https://buff.ly/3WKuv0s

23/07/2024

Standing out in a crowded job market is tough.

Learn why investing in your reputation and relationships can give you the advantage you need, even in a competitive job market.

Listen to the whole episode here: https://buff.ly/4cNEGHm

10/07/2024

Combining talents for a greater impact! 🌟 Kalpana shares how acting and science communication opened new doors for her. Join the conversation with Kathy about the importance of representation in STEM.

Listen to the full episode here! https://buff.ly/45ZigjD

22/05/2024

This episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary Conversations with Women in STEM features Dr. Audra Morse, Dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan Tech, who is a distinguished professional with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and degrees in Environmental Engineering.

What do we talk about in this episode?
1. The Role and Responsibilities of a Dean in Engineering
2. Challenging the Status Quo in Engineering Practices
3. Women in Engineering: Progress and Challenges
4. Addressing the Engineering Shortage: Education and Retention Strategies
5. Preparing for Engineering: Advice for Students and Parents

Listen to the full episode here! https://buff.ly/4bsKdCe
Learn more about this episode here! https://buff.ly/4bsKdlI

15/05/2024

25/04/2024

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 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?

1. Charli's Journey from Marketing to Empowering the Pump Industry
2. The Challenges and Triumphs of Starting Your Own Business
3. Navigating the Complexities of Gender Perception in the Workplace
4. The Power of Being Yourself in Professional Spaces
5. Global Outreach: Making a Difference in Uganda

25/04/2024

Ready for a boost of inspiration? Tune in to the newest episode of the Ordinarily Extraordinary podcast featuring Charli Matthews! She's sharing some awesome insights about knowing yourself better.

Charli talks about figuring out what you're really good at (your strengths) and what matters most to you (your core values). It's like knowing your superpowers and what makes your heart sing!

Imagine having a built-in compass guiding you through life's choices!

So, if you're curious about unlocking your potential and making better choices, this episode is a must-listen!

Click the link below to explore how Charli's wisdom can empower your journey.

https://buff.ly/3xY0QXA

03/04/2024

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?

1. Unique challenges women face in STEM fields, highlighting issues such as isolation, stereotype threat, and the high attrition rate among women.
2. The importance of career readiness, leadership skills, and the need for proactive efforts from institutions and companies to support and advance women in STEM.
3. Systemic challenges in academia and the workforce, the importance of self-care, personal development, and creating supportive communities.
4. Citing the active voices of the next generation and ongoing initiatives aimed at systemic change within STEM fields
5. Finding Joy and Strength in Supporting Others

Watch our new episode here!

Blog:https://buff.ly/4akSpUF
Episode: https://buff.ly/3xm3bLM

14/03/2024

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?

1. College expectations vs. reality.
2. Why Abby almost quit engineering and what made her stick with it.
3. How Abby found and got involved with Society of Women Engineers.
4. Abby's internship experience.
5. What Abby will be doing after college.

You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/14680495 or wherever you get your podcasts.

23/01/2024

We had an amazing inaugural Women in STEM retreat in Tobago.

Rest and relaxation. Mindfulness. Great conversation. New friends. Old friends. Virtual friends becoming in person friends.

Not to mention amazing food, tropical drinks, fabulous weather and fun excursions.

Can’t wait to do this again next year!

10/01/2024

New episode out today!

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?

1. Asha’s career journey and how she got into strategy and leadership.

2. Deep dive into Asha’s leadership style and roles within her career.

3. The importance of prioritization and the importance of family and friends as she began her family.

4. We discuss motherhood and women’s decisions to continue working or stay at home. Asha’s provides her advice on making decisions.

5. The importance of having a support system and having key people in your life that provide honest feedback.

6. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments as you go through life.

You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/14259221 or wherever you get your podcasts.

09/01/2024

04/01/2024

What’s your action plan to realize your dreams and desires? It’s the start of a new year - time to turn that potential into reality!

03/01/2024

Here’s to a year of sailing your ship away from your port!

02/01/2024

Here’s to your new adventures this year. May you be brave as you take them on and remember that even the greatest explorers are scared when embarking on something new and unknown.

28/12/2023

New episode out this week!

I sit down with Sylleste Davis SC House 100, 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?

1. What does a Sylleste do as a State Representative?

2. How did she get started in politics and why did she go into it?

3. How does her experience in the utility industry and technology background fit into her work in politics.

4. The importance of having people (including women) with STEM backgrounds in politics.

5. Why she majored in math and our joint love of mathematics (and architecture).

You can find Sylleste's episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/14148991 or wherever you get your podcasts.

23/12/2023

I’m on vaca in Hawaii this week. Yesterday, we went to Volcano National Park. Decided to try to find a Volcanologist (yes, that’s a job!!) for my podcast!

There are so many jobs I never thought about when I was growing up and even thinking about careers. I hope this podcast can provide inspiration and education to girls and women (and boys and men) in different jobs.

I’m case you’re wondering, it will probably take 2-3 months (sometimes more) to go from having an idea for a guest to having a released podcast. I will work on contacting the recommended volcanologist (asked at the park for a recommendation) next week after the Holidays.

20/12/2023

“Since her death in 1979, the woman who discovered what the universe is made of has not so much as received a memorial plaque. Her newspaper obituaries do not mention her greatest discovery. […] Every high school student knows that Isaac Newton discovered gravity, that Charles Darwin discovered evolution, and that Albert Einstein discovered the relativity of time. But when it comes to the composition of our universe, the textbooks simply say that the most abundant atom in the universe is hydrogen. And no one ever wonders how we know.”
—
Jeremy Knowles, discusses the complete lack of recognition Cecilia Payne gets, even today, for her revolutionary discovery. (via alliterate)
OH WAIT LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT CECILIA PAYNE.
Cecilia Payne’s mother refused to spend money on her college education, so she won a scholarship to Cambridge.
Cecilia Payne completed her studies, but Cambridge wouldn’t give her a degree because at that time there was not much exposure for women, so she said to heck with that and moved to the United States to work at Harvard.
Cecilia Payne was the first person ever to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy from Radcliffe College, with what Otto Strauve called “the most brilliant Ph.D. thesis ever written in astronomy.”
Not only did Cecilia Payne discover what the universe is made of, she also discovered what the sun is made of (Henry Norris Russell, a fellow astronomer, is usually given credit for discovering that the sun’s composition is different from the Earth’s, but he came to his conclusions four years later than Payne—after telling her not to publish).
Cecilia Payne is the reason we know basically anything about variable stars (stars whose brightness as seen from earth fluctuates). Literally every other study on variable stars is based on her work.
Cecilia Payne was the first woman to be promoted to full professor from within Harvard, and is often credited with breaking the glass ceiling for women in the Harvard science department and in astronomy, as well as inspiring entire generations of women to take up science.
Cecilia Payne is awesome and everyone should know her.

Photograph: Schlesinger Library.

Unusual gift ideas -> https://buyuncommon.com

14/12/2023

New episode!

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?

1. Kathy’s journey from nursing, being a stay at home mom, and back into the job market and into executive management in biopharmaceuticals.

2. The changes she has seen for women in medicine and STEM fields over the past several decades.

3. The importance of family in her life. Grandmotherhood is her greatest joy!

4. Her passion for working for a company working to treat and cure cancer.

5. The importance of women, especially in higher positions, using their voice to support other women.

6. What does a COO do?

You can find Kathy's episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/14109511 or wherever you get your podcasts.

29/11/2023

On this week's episode, I have the great honor of sitting down with Sheryl Recinos, 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?

1. Sheryl's traumatic childhood and how she survived and became a physician.

2. How the trauma she grew up with helps her in her job as a physician.

3. How she strives to be the parent she always wanted to have.

4. 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.

5. How the system not only failed her as a child, but actually worked against her.

6. Her life now a physician, author, speaker, and mother.

If you have never listened to an episode of my podcast in the past, I highly recommend this episode. You can find it here: https://lnkd.in/gCj3TRAV or wherever you get your podcasts.

15/11/2023

On this week's episode we're talking about confidence and how to grow your confidence. I sit down with confidence cultivator, Laos, who works with corporations and individuals to help build their confidence.

Her mission is eradicate self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them simple strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond.

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. How Karen got into confidence coaching.

2. Karen's signature "Confidence Cocktail"TM.

3. Karen provides practical advice and tips on how to improve your confidence.

4. Her influences in childhood that helped her build her confidence.

5. How to introduce yourself using the PPU method.

6. Creating a Celebration Portfolio.

This is a great episode for anyone looking for practical tips on how to build your confidence.

You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/13969207 or wherever you get your podcasts.

02/11/2023

This week's podcast episode features author and media personality, Liz Lee Heinecke. Liz has written over 20 books and appeared on many news and morning shows in the Twin Cities making science accessible to kids.

Her books feature science experiments for kids. They are incredibly beautiful, easy to follow, use common household items, and some have information about scientists related to the experiments (including many female scientists!).

Liz has a bachelor's degree in art and a Master's degree in Bacteriology. She brings these worlds together in her beautiful books.

If you have kids you're looking to get into science or just keep entertained over the holidays, I highly recommend checking her out. You can find links to her books in the episode notes of the podcast and you can find her podcast episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/13881445

19/10/2023

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.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/13780787

What do we talk about in this episode?

1. Pamela's work as a career coach and strategist.

2. The importance of mentors, networks, and community.

3. 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.

4. How can we make a better and more productive user experience for women in STEM at work.

5. Do we need "job therapy"?

6. We discuss the systems we work in and how they affect women's views of themselves.

You can support my podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/user?u=72701887

04/10/2023

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?

1. What is a glaciologist or glacier scientist and how she got interested in this field.

2. How climate change is affecting glaciers throughout the world and how studying glaciers can help understand climate change.

3. What her field work experiences in Antarctica and the Arctic.

4. What it's like to be a glaciologist when you hate the cold!

5. How does one get to Antarctica for work (it's a really long commute)?

6. Penguins in Antarctica...they're so cool!

You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/13710357 or wherever you get your podcasts.

13/09/2023

I'm back!! You may have noticed some changes - a new podcast logo is the main change. What has not changed is the incredible guests whose stories I have the privilege of sharing!

This week's episode features Nancy Joie Wilkie. She 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.

1️⃣ How Nancy weaves art, music, and writing into her life now that she is retired.

2️⃣ How her grandfather influenced her which led to her becoming a biochemist.

3️⃣ Her experience working at NIH and developing the second known small pox vaccination.

4️⃣ Faith and science. One does not preclude the other.

You can find her episode here: https://lnkd.in/gViUKEue or wherever you get your podcasts.

27/07/2023

I've been taking a break from podcast recording over the summer, so this episode is a little different.

This podcast is a recording of a key note speech I gave to a women in energy group in 2017.

I still have a hard time feeling comfortable promoting myself and even with 112 podcast episodes struggle with hearing my own recorded voice. I know I am not the only one that feels this way and I think it's important to get our messages out there.

Please check out my episode and a message that I still think is very valid!

You can find my episode here https://lnkd.in/gjDXvwVV or wherever you get your podcasts.

14/07/2023

On this week's episode (available here: https://lnkd.in/gRpq4Bfk), I sit down with Sherry Shannon-Vanstone, 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.

1. How she brings her "why" into her work and other ventures.

2. Being a code breaker for the government is indeed as cool as it sounds!

3. How a university president changed her course of study and got her into mathematics - our supporters and champions are so important.

4. How she met her husband - at a mathematics conference!! (There has to be an equation for that!)

5. 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.

29/06/2023

I am so excited to sit down with WDAY Meteorologist Lydia Blume on this week's episode. Lydia shares her story as an on-air meteorologist, how she got there, what got her interested in meteorology and so much more. She is an absolute joy to talk with! You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/13110542 or wherever you get your podcasts.

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!!!

31/05/2023

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.

1. The different thought processes between science and engineering.

2. You're not expected to know everything when you are coming out of college.

3. Getting her PhD while she was a stay at home mom.

4. The different stages of raising children. We have less control over out kids personalities than we think we do when we go into parenting.

5. Owning your career and owning your financial future.

6. Meet up with people in your network face to face when you travel to different cities.

You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/12928535 or wherever you get your podcasts.

25/05/2023

New episode out today and we're talking about the health and medical side of menopause. This is an add on to Episode 104 where we talked menopause and your career. There were a lot of medical and health questions that came out of that episode. Thanks to these questions I was able to find a menopause specialist - in my town even! And Dr. Cady will share where to find one - they do exist!

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 - yikes!

You can find her episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1122377/12916573 or wherever you get your podcasts

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 we...