Guests: Mary Murrin, Communications Advisor, Digital Performance, Chevron; Abi Olukeye, Founder & CEO Smart Girls HQ
We explore the realities and opportunities for women in the STEM workforce. We will hear from leaders sharing insights, experiences, and strategies for creating an inclusive work environment. We discuss the challenges faced by women in STEM careers, balancing careers and family, steps to overcome workplace biases, and the importance of championing equal opportunities and career advancement for women. This episode offers valuable perspectives and inspiration for both aspiring and current professionals in the STEM field.
Smart Girls HQ
- https://www.smartgirlshq.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartgirlshq/
- IG: @raisingsmartgirls
- FB: @raisingsmartgirls
- Twitter: @smartgirlsHQ
Mary’s Favorite Podcasts:
- The Ezra Klein Show podcast - A balanced, science-based view of current issues.
- Hard Fork - Podcast Addict- Each week, journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore and make sense of the latest in the rapidly changing world of tech.
- The Daily, New York Times - 20 mins/day looking at top global stories.
Connected Girls
- Connected Girls - Find girl serving STEM programs near you
Abi Olukeye
Abi Olukeye is the founder and CEO of Smart Girls HQ, A learning platform to facilitate STEM career education with a focus on female learners and non-traditional learning spaces. Core offerings include parent education for STEM informal learning at RaisingSmartGirls.com and Dear Smart Girl kits, a project-based career-focused STEM curriculum for girls. Her vision is to create an ecosystem of products that when used together are a powerful catalyst for sustaining long-term engagement in STEM for young girls. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education through Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) Awards, the NC Idea Foundation, and the Vela Education Fund.
Previously, she led Internet of Things (IOT) strategy development and digital transformation projects at Ingersoll Rand. She has over fifteen years of professional and leadership experience spanning new product development, technology commercialization, process improvement, and strategy.
Abi is a member of the Computer Science K12 Standards Committee for North Carolina and serves on the board of CSEdResearch.org. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Virginia Tech and MBA from Indiana University. She and her husband live in Charlotte, NC, and have two young daughters who greatly inspire her work.
Mary Murrin
Mary Murrin is the Corporate Affairs Digital Strategy for Chevron, based in Houston. She previously led social investment projects for Chevron in Houston and in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.
Mary graduated from Brown University and began her career in public affairs with Westinghouse Electric, returning to the energy industry with Chevron in 2014. In between, she led marketing and public relations for five Carnegie Mellon University start-ups developing software for web search, online education, and telecommunications. Mary is an active community volunteer, serving on the advisory board of the Houston Community College Foundation and the advisory board of the Hermann Park Conservancy along with NGCP. Mary is a former elected member of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County Democratic Committee.
Nancy Scales-Coddington
Nancy Scales-Coddington is passionate about creating dynamic partnerships and engagement opportunities, bringing awareness to STEM projects that broaden participation of traditionally marginalized audiences. She has worked as a STEM advocate in museums, classrooms, and public media for over twenty-three years. She is an award-winning producer, pushing boundaries in digital and social media content. Nancy is a science communicator, practicing, teaching, and lecturing at universities and organizations globally.
She has served as a science advisor and trainer on museum exhibits and PBS series including Climate Change, SciGirls, Hero Elementary, and Skillville. She has been part of the Science Teachers Association of New York State for over a decade, serving in various roles. Sharing how girls can reach their potential through a variety of available STEM career paths is at the heart of her work. Nancy calls the Finger Lakes of New York home, residing in Ithaca where you can find her outside hiking with her dog, paddling, or skiing.