Modern Figures Podcast

Listen in as Nancy Douyon, The Missy Elliot of Technology, gives insight into how her inquisitive nature opened doors. Nancy attributes much of her success to “hood logic” and not knowing any better. But truth be told, Nancy has a tenacious, never give up attitude that stems back to her Caribbean roots. We loved her “superhero origin story” so much, that this episode is just her intro!

In this episode you’ll meet Dr. Angelique Johnson, Founder and CEO of MemStim. Learn what its like starting and running a company that combines computing and medicine to develop microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for cochlear implants. She shares some of her strategies for pitching to investors and gaining business skills. She describes why she turned down funding from an investor because she kept in mind the golden rule: he who holds the gold makes the rules. We (of course) also talk about who Dr. Johnson is, including her chrome dipped nails and faux hawk hairstyle and the importance of expressing her individuality at work.

From math to CS, Jamie has experienced several transitions along her educational journey. In this episode, we dive deep into what it’s like to be a graduate student. Learn how her love for video games inspired her to pursue research. Jamie believes programming is an art form. And as the developer of Lyrics 2 Code, she encapsulates her creative ability by coding small, impactful lyrics. Warning: this episode is filled with lots of laughs.

Episode 4 - Computer Science is for EveryoneHosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy WaisomeGuest: Dr. Jamika BurgeDescription: : Roots. Rome. Religion. And Black Girl Magic. Listen in as Dr. Jamika Burge describes what mentorship means to her. She’s a self-described “big city girl with a country heart” who used the knowledge she gained from attending HBCUs to leverage tech as a vehicle for her success. Dr. Jamika D. Burge is a Senior Manager at Capital One, where she oversees research curriculum development and internal/external outreach. At Capital One, she ideates and creates innovative user research curricula that empower designers, developers, and engineers to apply design thinking and human-centered design principles into their daily work, and beyond. She also engages with internal and external organizations in computing and design outreach activities. Prior to joining Capital One, Jamika served non-profit and government organizations, including as a consultant to the Defense Advanced Research Projects A

Episode 3 - Why is This Even Important? Part 2: The Secret Life of the “Only” Magical Black GirlHosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy WaisomeNCWIT Contributor: Dr. JeffriAnne WilderGuest: Dr. Stacie LeSureDescription: True support for underrepresented science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing students in higher education is rare. To combat issues of access, equity, and inclusion, Dr. Stacie LeSure created Engineers 4 Equity. In this episode, we encourage you not to fake humble and take control of your personal story.Dr. Stacie LeSure earned a Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Utah State University where her doctoral research applied Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality frameworks to critically examine effective intervention strategies to reduce the negative consequences of Stereotype Threat. She also has a Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Spelman College. Dr. LeSure obtained the stat

Episode 2 - Why is This Even Important? Part 1: I Can’t Fake Humble...Hosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy WaisomeNCWIT Contributor: Dr. JeffriAnne WilderGuest: Dr. Stacie LeSureDescription: True support for underrepresented science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing students in higher education is rare. To combat issues of access, equity, and inclusion, Dr. Stacie LeSure created Engineers 4 Equity. In this episode, we encourage you not to fake humble and take control of your personal story.Dr. Stacie LeSure earned a Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Utah State University where her doctoral research applied Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality frameworks to critically examine effective intervention strategies to reduce the negative consequences of Stereotype Threat. She also has a Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Spelman College. Dr. LeSure obtained the status of ABD (All But Defense

Hosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy Waisome NCWIT Contributor: Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder Black women were pioneers in various fields of computing, but it’s often hard to find their stories, even today. This episode introduces Modern Figures Podcast and begins the story of how we will elevate the voices of Black women in computing to inspire the next generation of the advanced technology workforce.