Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-45 minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about agricultural and biological engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a postharvest scientist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: October 13, 2020 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Agricultural Science and Engineering, Food Science, Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Ratna Suthar, Postharvest Scientist and PhD Student at University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.

Ratna was born and raised in New Jersey. Growing up she had a love for learning the science behind everyday things including food and medicine. She was studying chemistry as an undergrad at University of South Florida where she got involved in research on food quality and shelf life of fresh produce. They looked at things like how Vitamin C levels change in strawberries as they go through supply chain conditions from harvest to market. It was fascinating that one could quantify quality – a subjective measure of consumer acceptability. Inspired to continue research, she applied to graduate program at UF Agricultural and Biological Engineering where she did a masters and now finishing her PhD.

According to FAO, by the year 2050 our population is going to reach 9 billion, and we will have to increase food availability to meet the demand. One way is to increase food production but another way by is reducing the amount of food loss/waste. Technologies such as controlled atmosphere packaging, edible coatings and finding optimal storage conditions can help alleviate this issue. The problem of food loss/waste has only been exacerbated due to COVID. It is imperative that we continue developing technologies to protect our food from going to waste.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a conservationist working in fisheries management;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: July 29, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Fisheries, Conservation Management

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Karlisa Callwood, Director, Community Conservation Action Program at Perry Institute for Marine Science

Dr. Karlisa Callwood is a marine scientist and educator who focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to evaluating fisheries and conservation management.  Her interests include establishing practices to enhance science education, particularly from those from undeserved communities, and enhancing strategies to better bridge the gaps that exist between scientists, policymakers, and the public through informal science learning and interdisciplinary approaches.

Karlisa has over a decade of experience developing and managing informal science education programming. She has created and overseen the implementation of a variety of science programs and grant projects at organizations like the Frost Museum of Science, the Deering Estate at Cutler, Breakthrough Miami, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, and Pacific Science Center.  This includes the management of several programs focused specifically on engaging students from underrepresented and underserved communities in the sciences.

A native of the USVI, Karlisa graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology, an M.S. in Marine Affairs and Policy, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Science and Policy, with a focus on interdisciplinary studies of fisheries management, conservation and sustainability.  Her dissertation examined the natural and anthropogenic factors that influence the Bahamian Spiny Lobster fishery, including the role of condos as a collection method, the dispersal and connectivity of spiny lobster larvae throughout the Caribbean, the bioeconomic impacts on the fishery, and the perceptions of all the stakeholders involved, and how all these elements interact to create and define the fishery, including the implications of this convergence on overall management.   Karlisa’s current research is focused on the socio-economic dynamics and fishery perceptions of an emerging parrotfish fishery in The Bahamas.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about engineering as a career in general;
- Recognize that there are various types of engineering;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a transmission line engineer;
- Learn the benefits of sustainable energy;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sustainable Energy

STEMExplore Mentor: Shavonti Archer, Transmission Line Engineer at Engineered Design Services LLC & Founder of Systematic Motivation, LLC
‍

Shavonti Archer is a skilled engineer by trade, advocating for diversity within the engineering community. She founded Systematic Motivation, LLC in 2018, a company whose primary focus is creating more opportunities for minority students to explore their interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs and encourage their desire to pursue a career in STEM. Born and raised in Locust Grove, Georgia where she attended Luella High School, Archer quickly discovered her love for engineering as a 10th grade student. She was instantly captivated by videos of solar and wind farms. Shavonti is a thought leader with a passion for giving back. Systematic Motivation, LLC further supports the idea that engineers are not limited to a certain look or color. Though the industry is dominated by those who are not minorities, there is still room for pioneers from other communities. Systematic Motivation’s aspires to level the playing field & broaden the horizons for all students.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute Virtual Career Connection, the participants will:

- Learn about engineering as a career in general;

- Recognize that there are various types of engineering;

- Observe the day to day tasks of a structural engineer;

- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;

- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

‍

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Structural Engineering

STEMExplore Mentor: Shilpa Botu, Associate Director, Structural Engineering & PSP Signatory at Collins Aerospace

‍

Shilpa Botu, Associate Director of Structural Engineering, is responsible for sign off as a FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) representative on the final product Collins Aerospace manufactures. Collins Aerospace engineers and creates aircraft interiors for commercial aircraft such as Boeing and Airbus. Shilpa is also responsible for training and development of young engineers that join Collins Aerospace certification group.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine scientist working in cetacean (dolphin and whale) acoustics;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: July 15, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Cetacean Behavior & Acoustics, Ocean Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Morgan Martin, Marine Scientist, University of Southern Denmark

Morgan is a visiting scientist at the University of Southern Denmark. She has an MSc in Marine Science from the University of San Diego, California, and a BSc in Biology from the University of New Orleans, Louisiana. Morgan recently finished her PhD in Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. From 2015 - March 2019, she was based in Namibia, southern Africa, conducting her PhD research on the underwater acoustics of two species of wild African dolphins: Heaviside’s dolphins and dusky dolphins. She specializes in using underwater acoustics to estimate cetacean abundance and to study animal behavior.

Her PhD research is the first to show that a toothed whale (Heaviside’s dolphins) can produce two distinct types of echolocation clicks, which questions what we currently understand about how toothed whales produce biosonar. Morgan recently completed a fieldwork season in Patagonia to record the behaviour and underwater vocalizations of Commerson’s dolphins and Peale’s dolphins. She has just returned from working in Antarctica recording marine mammals as well as chinstrap, adelie and gentoo penguins. Morgan plans to begin a new project in June which involves tagging bowhead whales in the Canadian Arctic to study the effects of ship noise pollution.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about coral reef conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a coral reef ecologist and marine conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Ecology; Coral Reefs

STEMExplore Mentor: Daniela Escontrela, PhD Student, Marine Biology, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa

Dani was born in Venezuela and has always lived within a few hours of the beach. She remembers frequent weekend or summer getaways where she got to explore the coastlines and marine life, and ultimately, fall in love with the ocean. When she moved to Florida, those adventures continued. At the young age of 13, Dani was introduced scuba diving! She started college at the University of Miami in 2011 where she became involved with the shark research laboratory and continued her diving profession, becoming and working as a dive instructor. In her third year of college, Dani studied abroad in the Galapagos. After graduating, she moved to Belize where she worked for a year for the NGO Blue Ventures as a Field Scientist. Shortly there after she moved on to the Philippines where she served as a US Peace Corps Coastal Resource Manager for over two years. Once her time came to a close, she moved to DC where she worked for a philanthropy, The Summit Foundation where she managed grants that were awarded to conservation organizations in Belize, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. Most recently, Dani received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which gave her the opportunity to go back to school to pursue her graduate studies. Currently, she is at the University of Hawaii where she just completed the first year of her PhD program and where she will be studying coral reefs in Hawai‘i.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of an elasmobranch ecologist, conservationist, and special project coordinator;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: July 1, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Equality, Diversity, Conservation
STEMExplore Mentor: Jasmin Graham, MarSci-LACE Coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL.

Jasmin is a marine biologist specializing in elasmobranch ecology and evolution. Her past research interests include smalltooth sawfish movement ecology and hammerhead shark phylogeny. She received her B.S. in Marine Biology and her B.A. in Spanish from the College of Charleston where she was a member of the Honors College and the William Aiken Fellows Society. Funded by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program she completed a MSc. in Biological Science at Florida State University. She is a member of the American Elasmobranch Society and served on their Student Action Committee for two years. Jasmin completed internships with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Fort Johnson Marine Lab and FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management. She worked as an instructor for the Saturday at the Sea program through the Florida State University Office of STEM Teaching Activities. Jasmin has a passion for science education and making science more accessible for everyone. She is excited to be part of the MarSci-LACE project and help open doors for more underrepresented minority students to join the exciting field of marine science.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 30-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about bat conservation and mammalogy as a career in general;

- Observe the day to day tasks of a bat biologist;

- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;

- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

‍

Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 1:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Bat Biology, Mammalogy, Conservation Biology

STEMExplore Mentor: Aditi Jayarajan, Bat Biologist and PhD Student, University of Florida - Florida Museum

Aditi's research has been focused on the Caribbean islands, using bats as a model system. Bats are extremely diverse with over 1400 species which have described. The Caribbean islands face many threats due to climate change and habitat loss over time. The islands have grown and shrunken with the change in sea levels and even though bats are volant mammals, they have experienced several stresses which makes some populations go extinct on certain islands. Aditi uses morphology to look at bat populations. She combines modern and fossil bats in order to understand changes that have occurred over time. Aditi also uses modern Computed Technology (CT) scans to visualize bats. Having access to museum specimens at the Florida Museum and through CT scans, she can visualize skeletal as well as internal structures without having to dissect a valuable museum specimen. Aditi uses these CT scanned bats to create 3-D models which highlight the different feeding morphologies of bats. These 3-D models have been vital in outreach programs as people can handle these models and see the importance of bats in the environment. Aditi uses this modern CT with lesson plans which focus on comparative anatomy. She has created lesson plans according to the Florida Sunshine State Standards. Aditi looks forward to working with teachers to improve these lessons so that they can be implemented in classrooms. The lesson plans have  focused on comparative anatomy and  future plans include setting up a virtual space so that teachers can access the lessons from anywhere around the world.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about national security and engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a program manager in Homeland Security and a Professional Engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: May 5, 2020 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career:  Engineering, Program Management

STEMExplore Mentor: Karin Clarkson, Program Manager at U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Ms. Karin Clarkson has served theFederal Government in various capacities supporting acquisition programs for over 20 years. Ms. Clarkson is a Program Manager at in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD).  She is responsible for acquisition planning and execution of several programs that enable operational partners to promote readiness for chemical, biological radiological nuclear or heath security threats.  At CWMD, Ms. Clarkson supports operators by providing information, equipment and expertise to the frontline personnel who protect the Nation.  

Ms. Clarkson is a plank-holding member of the CWMD which was established in 2017 to elevate and streamline DHS efforts to prevent terrorists from using weapons of mass destruction against the United States.  Prior to becoming a federal employee in 2017,Ms. Clarkson was a government contractor at the Domestic Nuclear DetectionOffice.  She has been serving the DHS in acquisition roles since 2009 and provides a depth of expertise in supporting the Radiation and Nuclear detection mission.

Before joining DHS, Ms. Clarkson served the Department ofDefense, Missile Defense Agency as a member of the Aegis Ballistic MissileDefense Test and Evaluation Team.  She also supported the Navy’s Extremely High Frequency Satellite CommunicationProgram as an acquisition specialist.

Ms. Clarkson is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E) in the commonwealth of Virginia and holds a Master of Science degree in SystemsEngineering from the John’s Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the George Washington University.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine mammologist and conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: May 26, 2020 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career:  Conservation, Marine Science, Marine Mammals

STEMExplore Mentor: Brittany Novick, Marine Conservation Biologist, National Marine Mammal Foundation

Brittany Novick is a marine conservation biologist with the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF) in San Diego, CA. She not only currently serves at the clinical diagnostic coordinator for the NMMF & the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, she also assists in conservation research and is on the NMMF’s community education and outreach team. Before coming to the NMMF, Brittany has had a wide range of experiences, from motivational speaking, to producing and hosting wildlife television, to coral cultivation, to aquarium construction, to marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation.

‍
In 2017, Brittany represented the USA at the Miss SCUBA International pageant in Malaysia, going on to win the international title. Miss SCUBA International’s mission is to promote ocean conservation and women in SCUBA diving around the world. As the title holder, Brittany went on to visit & speak at schools, conferences, and dive shows in 13 different countries regarding topics on ocean conservation, conservation education, and SCUBA safety practices.

‍
Brittany is currently earning her master’s degree in conservation biology and is also a professional figure skater. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, archery, and swing dancing.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about conservation and sustainability as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a conservation manager, working with stormwater management and sustainability initiatives;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: June 3, 2020 at 6:30 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career:  Conservation, Sustainable practices, Stormwater management

STEMExplore Mentor: Tyrah Cobb-Davis, Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member at Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources

Tyrah is currently in the Chesapeake Bay Trust's Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program. She works specifically with Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources (OSER). At OSER, Tyrah assists with stormwater management practices through data collection and implementation, in addition to promoting sustainability initiatives. Tyrah is a recent graduate from Randolph College where she studied Environmental Science and had minors in engineering and math. Tyrah had many internships and research opportunities during her undergraduate career that helped shape her professional path, ultimately leading her to the Chesapeake Conservation Corps program.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine scientist, specifically working with sea turtles and sharks;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: June 2, 2020 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Sea Turtle Biology and Ecology, Ocean Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Carlee Jackson, Sea Turtle Specialist and Shark Biologist, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center and Nova Southeastern University

Carlee Jackson received her Bachelors of Science in Biology at Florida Atlantic University in 2016, where she was also a Division I NCAA swimmer.  She currently is a graduate student pursuing her Master’s in Marine Biology at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), where she is completing research for her thesis titled, “Examining the effects of provisioning tourism on nurse sharks in Caye Caulker, Belize.” She is also a Marine Turtle Specialist at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, conducting sea turtle nesting surveys along Boca Raton beaches, as well as assisting with medical procedures and husbandry in the sea turtle rehabilitation center.  

Her research involves extensive fieldwork on boats, in the water and on the beach. For her thesis, she spent two months on Caye Caulker Island collecting field data on nurse sharks through behavioral surveys and underwater camera set ups.  In the Conservation, Movement and Ecosystem Dynamics Lab (CMED) at NSU, she is a part of the shark tagging crew, tagging sharks off the coast of Broward County as part of Guy Harvey Research Institute.  As a marine turtle specialist, she conducts nesting beach surveys along the five miles of Boca Raton beach during sea turtle nesting season.  She identifies sea turtle nests and educates the public on the importance of the protection of sea turtles through public outreach events.

Originally from Detroit, MI, Carlee moved to South Florida during her undergraduate studies.  When she has some free time, she likes to go SCUBA diving or snorkeling at nearby reefs and wrecks.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:

- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine scientist working in cetacean (dolphin and whale) acoustics;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: April 14, 2020 at 2:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Cetacean Behavior & Acoustics, Ocean Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Morgan Martin, Marine Scientist, University of Southern Denmark

Morgan is a visiting scientist at the University of Southern Denmark. She has an MSc in Marine Science from the University of San Diego, California, and a BSc in Biology from the University of New Orleans, Louisiana. Morgan recently finished her PhD in Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. From 2015 - March 2019, she was based in Namibia, southern Africa, conducting her PhD research on the underwater acoustics of two species of wild African dolphins: Heaviside’s dolphins and dusky dolphins. She specializes in using underwater acoustics to estimate cetacean abundance and to study animal behavior.

Her PhD research is the first to show that a toothed whale (Heaviside’s dolphins) can produce two distinct types of echolocation clicks, which questions what we currently understand about how toothed whales produce biosonar. Morgan recently completed a fieldwork season in Patagonia to record the behaviour and underwater vocalizations of Commerson’s dolphins and Peale’s dolphins. She has just returned from working in Antarctica recording marine mammals as well as chinstrap, adelie and gentoo penguins. Morgan plans to begin a new project in June which involves tagging bowhead whales in the Canadian Arctic to study the effects of ship noise pollution.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about biogeochemistry and coastal ecology as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a biogeochemist working in coastal ecology;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: May 28, 2020 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Coastal Ecology, Biogeochemistry

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Ashley Smyth, Assistant Professor, University of Florida

Dr. Ashley Smyth studies water quality and nutrient cycles in coastal habitats, like oyster reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. Ashley's interest in biogeochemistry began after an undergrad research experience, where she realized the impact human activities have on nutrient cycles and she really enjoy being covered in mud. Ashley went on earn a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a David H. Smith Conservation Research Postdoctoral Fellow at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Her research is centered on understanding how coastal habitats, such as oyster reefs, salt marshes and seagrass beds, process and remove nutrients and how human activities alter this ecosystem function. At UF, Ashley is researching the effects of climate change and sea level rise have coastal and marine ecosystems and ways to use coastal habitats for protection.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a conservationist working in fisheries management;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: April 29, 2020 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Marine Science, Fisheries, Conservation Management

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Karlisa Callwood, Director, Community Conservation Action Program at Perry Institute for Marine Science

Dr. Karlisa Callwood is a marine scientist and educator who focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to evaluating fisheries and conservation management.  Her interests include establishing practices to enhance science education, particularly from those from undeserved communities, and enhancing strategies to better bridge the gaps that exist between scientists, policymakers, and the public through informal science learning and interdisciplinary approaches.

Karlisa has over a decade of experience developing and managing informal science education programming. She has created and overseen the implementation of a variety of science programs and grant projects at organizations like the Frost Museum of Science, the Deering Estate at Cutler, Breakthrough Miami, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, and Pacific Science Center.  This includes the management of several programs focused specifically on engaging students from underrepresented and underserved communities in the sciences.

A native of the USVI, Karlisa graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology, an M.S. in Marine Affairs and Policy, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Science and Policy, with a focus on interdisciplinary studies of fisheries management, conservation and sustainability.  Her dissertation examined the natural and anthropogenic factors that influence the Bahamian Spiny Lobster fishery, including the role of condos as a collection method, the dispersal and connectivity of spiny lobster larvae throughout the Caribbean, the bioeconomic impacts on the fishery, and the perceptions of all the stakeholders involved, and how all these elements interact to create and define the fishery, including the implications of this convergence on overall management.   Karlisa’s current research is focused on the socio-economic dynamics and fishery perceptions of an emerging parrotfish fishery in The Bahamas.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of an elasmobranch ecologist and conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: March 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Marine Science, Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Jasmin Graham, MarSci-LACE Coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL.

Jasmin is a marine biologist specializing in elasmobranch ecology and evolution. Her past research interests include smalltooth sawfish movement ecology and hammerhead shark phylogeny. She received her B.S. in Marine Biology and her B.A. in Spanish from the College of Charleston where she was a member of the Honors College and the William Aiken Fellows Society. Funded by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program she completed a MSc. in Biological Science at Florida State University. She is a member of the American Elasmobranch Society and served on their Student Action Committee for two years. Jasmin completed internships with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Fort Johnson Marine Lab and FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management. She worked as an instructor for the Saturday at the Sea program through the Florida State University Office of STEM Teaching Activities. Jasmin has a passion for science education and making science more accessible for everyone. She is excited to be part of the MarSci-LACE project and help open doors for more underrepresented minority students to join the exciting field of marine science.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about biological management and conservation as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a biologist and conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: March 10, 2020 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology, Conservation Management, Environmental Sciences

STEMExplore Mentor: Violeta Anaya Zamora, Ph.D., Sustainability Development Superintendent at Minera Media Luna-Torexgold Resources, Inc.

Violeta is a biologist oriented to the management and conservation of natural resources. She studied for her master's and doctorate degrees in ecosystem ecology and socio-environmental conflicts. Violeta has more than 10 years of experience in social and environmental impact assessment in the mining, energy and industrial sectors. Over the years, she has worked in collaboration with national programs for the conservation of endangered species such as the jaguars. She is a member of scientific societies such as Conservation Biology Society and Environmental Systems Network. Violeta has over 6 years of experience as a mentor for girls interested in STEM courses in Mexico and other countries. Currently, Violeta works as a Sustainability Development Superintendent at a gold mine in Mexico. She is responsible for determining how businesses and the organization can operate without jeopardizing future operations, with the ultimate goal of environmentally responsible mining.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices and exciting life experiences to make careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) come alive! EarthEcho strives to connect students to STEM professionals to serve as positive role models and inspiration to the next generation of STEMExplorers.

During this 45-minute session, participants will:
- Learn about ANGARI Foundation- who they are and how they support ocean science research and education;
- Virtually tour the Foundation’s Research Vessel ANGARI with their Captain Angela Rosenberg;
- Discover what life and work are like for research scientists at sea;
- Gain insight into various STEM and marine industry related careers; and
- Ask questions of ANGARI Foundation’s Director of Science Education & Advancement, Dr. Amanda Waite.
‍

Date: Friday, February 21, 2020 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Ocean Science, Environmental Science, Marine Industry, Education

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Amanda Waite, Director of Science Education& Advancement, ANGARI Foundation

Dr. Amanda Waite is an upstate New York native who, as many times as she’s tried to escape, keeps finding herself back in Florida. Amanda has a B.A. in Geology from Hamilton College, M.Sc. in Oceanography from the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and the Environment, and Ph.D. in Marine Geology and Geophysics from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami. A paleoceanographer and geochemist by training, Amanda studies the relationship between our oceans and climate and how they have changed through time, having conducted earth and marine science research in academic, museum, and petroleum industry settings. She has also maintained a commitment to science education throughout these endeavors, teaching at the college level, as well as in K-12, teacher professional development and informal education settings. Amanda has an innate appreciation and passion for the power of hands-on field and lab based learning in the sciences, and she is thrilled to be able to share this with audiences of all ages at ANGARI Foundation.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events.

The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about environmental health and toxicology as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a toxicologist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Topic/Career: Toxicology, Environmental Sciences

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Theresa Guillette Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University

Environmental toxicologists are scientists who try to understand how living organisms are affected by pollution. Do they get sick more often? Are they unable to have babies? Do they act in a way that they aren’t supposed to act? Some environmental toxicologists collect information from living organisms that are exposed to pollution “in the wild” while others try to ask questions in the laboratory under very controlled conditions. Both types of toxicologists often work together to figure out if pollution can harm living organisms and they can work in many different organizations, including university, federal government, industry, and state government laboratories.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about material science and distribution engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a distribution engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 11:00 AM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Material Science & Distribution Engineering

STEMExplore Mentor: Felicia Horne, PhD Student, Material Science & Distribution Engineering, Tuskegee University

Felicia Horne holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL. She also holds a master’s degree from Tuskegee University in Mechanical Engineering, where her research focused on self-healing materials. After completing her master’s degree Felicia decided to take an opportunity in south Florida to work for a utility company as a distribution engineer. After working for a couple years in Florida, Felicia decided to return to Alabama for her doctoral degree.

Felicia is currently a first year PhD student in material science and engineering at Tuskegee University. Her doctoral research is focused on multi-ferroic materials. Multiferroics are materials in which magnetism and ferroelectricity coexist. These materials are of applied interest because they allow various types of different magnetic and electric device structures. 

Felicia understands the importance of minorities and women in STEM and she enjoys volunteering and giving back especially to programs that support STEM initiatives.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about bat conservation and mammalogy as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a bat biologist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 7:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Bat Biology, Mammalogy

STEMExplore Mentor: Aditi Jayarajan, Bat Biologist, PhD Student, University of Florida - Florida Museum

Aditi's research has been focused on the Caribbean islands, using bats as a model system. Bats are extremely diverse with over 1400 species which have described. The Caribbean islands face many threats due to climate change and habitat loss over time. The islands have grown and shrunken with the change in sea levels and even though bats are volant mammals, they have experienced several stresses which makes some populations go extinct on certain islands. Aditi uses morphology to look at bat populations. She combines modern and fossil bats in order to understand changes that have occurred over time. Aditi also uses modern Computed Technology (CT) scans to visualize bats. Having access to museum specimens at the Florida Museum and through CT scans, she can visualize skeletal as well as internal structures without having to dissect a valuable museum specimen. Aditi uses these CT scanned bats to create 3-D models which highlight the different feeding morphologies of bats. These 3-D models have been vital in outreach programs as people can handle these models and see the importance of bats in the environment. Aditi uses this modern CT with lesson plans which focus on comparative anatomy. She has created lesson plans according to the Florida Sunshine State Standards. Aditi looks forward to working with teachers to improve these lessons so that they can be implemented in classrooms. The lesson plans have  focused on comparative anatomy and  future plans include setting up a virtual space so that teachers can access the lessons from anywhere around the world.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about oncology and the medical field as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a medical oncologist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Medical Oncology

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Andrea Apolo, Medical Oncologist, Investigator and Lasker Scholar, National Cancer

Dr. Apolo is a board certified medical oncologist, Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, Tenure-Track Investigator, and Chief of the Bladder Cancer Section of the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Apolo is a graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. She completed clinical training in internal medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Following her residency, she completed a medical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Apolo is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with genitourinary tumors. Her research involves designing and implementing clinical trials to test novel agents for the treatment of urologic cancers. Her primary research interest is developing targeted therapies for bladder cancer and rare genitourinary tumors, including angiogenesis inhibitors, agents that target MET, and immunotherapies and in identifying molecular alterations that will serve as targets for individualized treatment strategies.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about project management and engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of an engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Engineering, Project Management

STEMExplore Mentor: Alex Dorgan, Technical Assistant to theVP for Strategic Technologies, United Technologies

Alex currently assists the VP for Strategic Technologies in a variety of tasks related to his role defining the technology roadmap for United Technologies. These tasks include identifying needs and opportunities for workforce development, building partnerships with universities and companies and developing technical expertise in key focus areas. On a day-to day basis Alex works with the team to aggregate and present information, pulling together financial information, preparing for external speaking engagements and facilitating communication across organizations. Being able to communicate effectively, track objectives, grasp technical concepts, and adapt quickly are skills that Alex uses on a daily basis to be successful in an ever-changing environment.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a manufacturing engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering

STEMExplore Mentor: Jocelyn Modelski, Manufacturing Engineer at Xylem, Inc.

Jocelyn is an engineer born and raised in Michigan rotating through three different operations/manufacturing roles in three different locations for Xylem Inc through their Operations Leadership Development Program. She is finishing up her second rotation in Buffalo, NY as a manufacturing engineer where her major project has been finishing development on an automated machine that will improve a very labor-intensive process. At the end of October she will start her adventure all the way in northern Italy working as a process engineer for a year implementing a new production line.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about climate science and physical oceanography as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a research scientist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 7:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Physics, Physical Oceanography, Climate Science

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Carmen Boening, Deputy Section Manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Dr. Carmen Boening is a research scientist and Deputy Manager of the Earth Science Section at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. She has received her PhD in Physics with focus on Physical Oceanography in 2009 from the University of Bremen, Germany. Dr. Boening joined JPL in the same year as a postdoc to work primarily on investigating global ocean circulation as measured by the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE). She was appointed as GRACE Project Scientist and Group Supervisor of JPL’s Sea Level and Ice Group in 2015. In early 2018, she joined the JPL Earth Science Section management team as Deputy Manager. Her research interests are in interdisciplinary sea level science and climate/ocean interactions utilizing data from various satellite missions and climate models.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about environmental health and toxicology as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a toxicologist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 6:30 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Toxicology, Environmental Sciences

STEMExplore Mentors: Dr. Jamie DeWitt, Associate Professor of Toxicology, East Carolina University & Dr. Theresa Guillette Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University

Environmental toxicologists are scientists who try to understand how living organisms are affected by pollution. Do they get sick more often? Are they unable to have babies? Do they act in a way that they aren’t supposed to act? Some environmental toxicologists collect information from living organisms that are exposed to pollution “in the wild” while others try to ask questions in the laboratory under very controlled conditions. Both types of toxicologists often work together to figure out if pollution can harm living organisms and they can work in many different organizations, including university, federal government, industry, and state government laboratories.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about agricultural science and engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a production engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Engineering, Production Engineering, Agricultural Science

STEMExplore Mentor: Katelyn Lichte, Production Engineer, Corteva Agriscience

Katelyn Lichte is a Production Engineer for Corteva Agriscience in Pittsburg, CA.  She was a first generation college student and graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.  Throughout college and her professional career, Katelyn has lived in Charlotte, NC; Iowa City, IA; Minneapolis, MN; and most recently, Walnut Creek, CA.  She is very active in her community, especially with STEM outreach.  Her significant contributions to her industry were recognized in June 2019 when Katelyn was named one of the Top 20 Under 30 in the seed industry by Seed World Magazine.  Katelyn is also the Outreach Chair Elect for the Society of Women Engineers.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about water management and engineering as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a civil and environmental engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 6:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Water Management

STEMExplore Mentor: Rachael J. Beam, Engineering Project Manager, Pennsylvania American Water

Rachael Beam is an Engineering Project Manager for Pennsylvania-American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, in the Pittsburgh, PA area. She has many years of experience designing and managing water and wastewater projects including drinking water, domestic wastewater, and industrial wastewater. She is actively involved with the PA Section of the American Water Works Association, and passionate about fundraising for Water for People to help bring safe and sustainable drinking water and sanitation solutions to people around the world. She graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY with a Bachelor’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Engineering Management.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine scientist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Dr. Krista Sherman, Senior Scientist at Perry Institute for Marine Science in Waitsfield, VT.

Krista graduated with her Ph.D. from the University of Exeter in July 2018. Since then she has returned to The Bahamas and taken on a full time position with the Perry Institute for Marine Science as Senior Scientist with responsibilities for developing and implementing the Fisheries Research and Conservation Program.

Krista has extensive marine animal husbandry and research experience —evaluating the status of Nassau Grouper and its spawning aggregations (including the use of underwater visual surveys, population genetics and acoustic telemetry to understand patterns of connectivity); assessing impacts of invasive lionfish on native species and ecosystems; monitoring the health of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats; coral restoration; and conducting Rapid Ecological Assessments for proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).  

She also actively contributed to several national research projects, e.g. the GEF FSP – Building a Sustainable National MPA Network in The Bahamas, the Bahamas leg of Living Ocean’s Foundation Global Reef Expedition, Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean (MTIAISC) project, Bahamas Protected, and coral restoration and monitoring under the Atlantis Blue Project.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about international development and global health management as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a foreign service officer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Monday, December 9, 2019 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Healthcare; Environmental Science; International Development

STEMExplore Mentor: Caroline Carrasco, Future Foreign Service Officer, USAID

Caroline Carrasco was raised in Mooresville, North Carolina. She is proud of her Peruvian heritage and of being from the South! She believes that everyone, regardless of the place or condition they were born in, deserves access to healthcare, a healthy environment, and opportunities to thrive, which is why she pursued a career in international development. Caroline was educated by North Carolina public schools from kindergarten through college. She went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. After graduating, she worked with a road safety NGO in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as a Princeton in Asia Fellow. Caroline then spent almost two years working in healthcare consulting in San Francisco, California. She is currently studying at Johns Hopkins University where she is earning a Master of Science in Public Health with the support of the USAID Donald M. Payne Fellowship; the fellowship provides her with graduate school funding and a career as a USAID Foreign Service Officer. This past summer she worked in Lusaka, Zambia and she will be working in Lima, Peru in the coming months. In her free time, Caroline enjoys film photography, collecting sneakers, and reading books by civil rights activists. 

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science policy as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of an ocean policy manager;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Monday, November 18, 2019 at 2:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Ecology; Communication & Policy

STEMExplore Mentor: Letise LaFeir, Program Officer, Resources Legacy Fund in Fairfax, VA.

Letise LaFeir is a Program Officer at Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) where she develops, implements, and oversees projects for ocean, coasts, and fisheries programs. Before joining RLF, Letise was California Ocean Policy Manager at Monterey Bay Aquarium, where she helped advance the Aquarium’s ocean health goals. She has spent most of her career based in the Washington D.C. area, where she previously worked as a Policy Analyst and then National Outreach Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Prior to that, she was Director of Government Relations and Education Program Coordinator at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and spent one year as a Sea Grant Fellow for now-retired Congressman Sam Farr (D-California). In addition to authoring or co-authoring several scientific publications and a book of poetry, Letise is a certified scuba diver (Advanced and Nitrox) and has traveled to all seven continents. She serves or has served on multiple professional boards, including the National Sea Grant Advisory Board, EarthEcho International Board of Directors, and American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Executive Board. Letise is a graduate of Brown University, with a BS in Aquatic Biology and a BA in English (with Honors in Creative Writing). She received a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about aquarium biology and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of an aquarium biologist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 6:30 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Amanda Hodo, Aquarium Biologist III at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL.

Amanda Hodo was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. She attended Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA and graduated with a B.A. in Biology. She began her career in aquarium husbandry with internships at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and the Shedd Aquarium.

Amanda is currently an Aquarium Biologist III at Mote Aquarium, and has worked at Mote for almost 5 years. She managed Mote's Seahorse Conservation Laboratory for over 2 years, breeding local seahorse species and sharing those offspring with other zoos and aquariums. Some of her favorite duties are breeding fish and scuba diving in the shark exhibit.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about  marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine biogeochemist and conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 7:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Chemistry

STEMExplore Mentor: Carina Fish, PhD Candidate & Ford Fellow at University of California-Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory in Bodega Bay, CA.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine scientist and conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 5:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Ecology

STEMExplore Mentor: Nury Molina, PhD Student & Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar, NOAA & University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

Nury received a B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in Conservation Biology from UCLA where she worked in Dr. Peggy Fong’s lab examining the preferences of herbivorous fish species for different algal species in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. As a NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar, she will complement her research on coral reefs in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa with reefs in Mo’orea. Her Ph.D. research will focus on herbivorous fish and how their consumption of algae contributes to coral reef resilience under the advisory of Dr. Deron Burkepile.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Explore environmental protection and watershed management as careers;
- Observe the day to day tasks of an environmental protection specialist working in this field;
- Recognize that there are communities in the world that need assistance in resource protection;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Ecology; Toxicology; Communication & Policy
STEMExplore Mentor: Tara Flint, Environmental Protection Specialist & Risk Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Tara Flint is originally from a small town on the coast of California, but currently lives in Washington D.C., working for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Pesticide Programs. Her current position focuses on the review of chemistry and toxicology documents for new and existing antimicrobial pesticides (the products used to kill bacteria, viruses and mold in houses, hospitals, schools, etc.). For the last six months, she has also been dedicating 25% of her work schedule to the EPA’s National Estuary Program, researching opportunities for increased community resiliency and systems-based watershed management. Before joining the EPA, Tara served with the United States Peace Corps in Nicaragua as an environmental education volunteer, primarily working with elementary school students and teachers, as well as coffee farmers. During that time she became fluent in Spanish and developed a love for working with communities, growing her own food, hiking volcanoes and cooking. She is hoping to make it back to the West Coast after she graduates from her Master’s program sometime next year, so she can live closer to the ocean she grew up by and her family and friends.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about ocean conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a marine scientist and conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 7:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Ecology

STEMExplore Mentor: Nury Molina, PhD Student & Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar, NOAA & University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

Nury received a B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in Conservation Biology from UCLA where she worked in Dr. Peggy Fong’s lab examining the preferences of herbivorous fish species for different algal species in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. As a NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar, she will complement her research on coral reefs in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa with reefs in Mo’orea. Her Ph.D. research will focus on herbivorous fish and how their consumption of algae contributes to coral reef resilience under the advisory of Dr. Deron Burkepile.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about coral reef conservation and marine science as a career in general;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a coral reef ecologist and marine conservationist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Original Air Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 11:00 AM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Biology; Marine Science; Ecology

STEMExplore Mentor: Daniela Escontrela, PhD Student, Marine Biology, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa

Dani has lived close to the coastline most of her life. Born in Venezuela, she was always within a few hours of the beach and remembers frequent weekend or summer getaways where she got to explore the coastlines and marine life, and ultimately, fall in love with the underwater world. When she moved to Florida, those adventures continued. At the young age of 13, Dani was introduced to one of her passions – scuba diving! She started college at the University of Miami in 2011 where she became involved with the shark research laboratory and continued her diving profession, becoming and working as a dive instructor. In her third year of college, Dani studied abroad in the Galapagos where she conducted various field projects for her classes and volunteered at a tortoise breeding center. After graduating, she moved to Belize where she worked for a little over a year for a nongovernmental organization, Blue Ventures, as a Field Scientist. After finishing her stint in Belize, she moved on to the Philippines where she served as a US Peace Corps Coastal Resource Manager for over two years. There she worked with teachers and fishermen to teach them about environmental conversation and ways to better manage their resources. Once her time came to a close, she moved to DC where she worked for a philanthropy, The Summit Foundation. There, she worked as the Mesoamerican Reef Program Associate where she managed grants that were awarded to conservation organizations in Belize, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. Most recently, Dani received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which gave her the opportunity to go back to school to pursue her graduate studies. Currently, she is at the University of Hawaii where she has just started the first year of her PhD program and where she will be studying reef fishes in Hawaii’s coral reefs.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about social science as a career in general;
- Recognize that there are various types of sciences;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a human dimensions specialist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 2:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Social Sciences, Human Dimensions of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Nia Morales, Social Scientist & Human Dimensions Specialist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Nia’s research specialization is in the field of human dimensions of wildlife ecology and conservation. She currently conducts research involving stakeholder and public interactions with freshwater systems in Florida.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this Virtual Career Connection, participants will:
- Learn about nursing as a career;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a nursing research and innovation expert;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this field; and
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert via video and chat.

Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Medical, Nursing and Innovation
STEMExplore Mentor: Rose Hedges, Nursing Research & Innovation Coordinator at UnityPoint Health St. Luke's Hospital

Rose Hedges DNP, RN began nursing on an inpatient surgical unit and then transitioning to a cardiac intensive care unit where she discovered her determination to find solutions to optimize patient outcomes. Her current role is in informatics at UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she utilizes her clinical expertise, computer technology, and information science to support innovation and change throughout the hospital. Rose is also the MakerNurse champion at St. Luke’s Hospital where she strives to empower nurses to share solutions they have created to identified problems in healthcare. Rose’s passion for health making and prototyping at the point-of-care continues to influence her daily work.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about social science as a career in general;
- Recognize that there are various types of sciences;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a human dimensions specialist;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Original Air Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Social Sciences, Human Dimensions of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

STEMExplore Mentor: Nia Morales, Social Scientist & Human Dimensions Specialist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Nia’s research specialization is in the field of human dimensions of wildlife ecology and conservation. She currently conducts research involving stakeholder and public interactions with freshwater systems in Florida.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about the importance of protecting natural resources in developing countries;
- Explore natural resource management as a career;
- Recognize that there are communities in the world that need assistance in resource protection;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a graduate student working in this field;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 4:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Natural Resource Management
STEMExplore Mentor: Bella Genta, Payne International Development Fellow, US Agency for International Development

Isabella (Bella) Genta is a 2018 Payne Fellow with the US Agency for International Development (USAID). She is currently studying Natural Resources and Sustainable Development in a dual-masters program with American University, in Washington, D.C., and the University for Peace, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Bella is currently in graduate school studying how to protect natural resources (like fish, water, clean air, and forests) in developing countries (countries that are generally poor but would like to improve its citizens' lives). Through her work with the US government, Bella lives and works in developing countries to help design projects and activities that can help people live better, healthier lives while also helping conserving the beautiful environments that exist in these areas of the world. Bella’s most recent professional experience includes working on biodiversity conservation programming in the Colombian Amazon and researching ocean security issues for the D.C.-based think tank the Stimson Center. After graduating and through the Payne Fellowship, Bella will join USAID’s Foreign Service as an Environment Officer.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute Virtual Career Connection, the participants will:
- Learn about engineering as a career in general;
- Recognize that there are various types of engineering;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a structural engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Original Air Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 3:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Structural Engineering
STEMExplore Mentor: Shilpa Botu, Associate Director of Structural Engineering at Collins Aerospace

Shilpa Botu, Associate Director of Structural Engineering, is responsible for sign off as a FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) representative on the final product Collins Aerospace manufactures. Collins Aerospace engineers and creates aircraft interiors for commercial aircraft such as Boeing and Airbus. Shilpa is also responsible for training and development of young engineers that join Collins Aerospace certification group.

Join EarthEcho International as we highlight relatable voices in STEM careers! With STEMExplore, we invite female professionals to share their STEM journey with a live audience during dynamic 45-minute virtual events. The conversation will focus on women in STEM and the STEMExplore Mentor will share her personal journey and the positive influences that helped her to realize her professional capabilities.

During this 45-minute session, the participants will:
- Learn about engineering as a career in general;
- Recognize that there are various types of engineering;
- Observe the day to day tasks of a civil engineer;
- Gain insight into a STEM career and learn the steps it takes to become a professional in this area;
- Ask interview questions of the STEMExplore expert.

Date: February 26, 2020 at 6:00 PM EASTERN

Topic/Career: Civil Engineering
STEMExplore Mentor: Marissa Wyrick, P.E. and Graduate Civil Engineer at Big Red Dog

Marissa Wyrick began as an engineering intern in October of 2014 at the San Antonio office of BIG RED DOG and became a Graduate Engineer upon graduation for the University of Texas at San Antonio in June of 2015. While in college she was an active member of SWE (Society of Women Engineers) as well as MAES (Mexican American Engineers and Scientist) and ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers). Marissa was the captain of SWE’s competition trebuchet team in 2014 and 2015, some of the teams awards included best design two years in a row, and farthest shot in 2015. BIG RED DOG (BRD) is a Texas-based engineering firm that specializes in Civil, MEP, Structural, Traffic, and Transportation Engineering for real estate, infrastructure, and natural resource development on behalf of public and private clients.