You Do Belong #2: Youth Development through STEM Outreach with Noni Williams

Double Shelix

The real value of STEM outreach is the positive youth development and mentorship that students receive. Being inspired to pursue a STEM career? That's just a welcome bonus, says our guest, math graduate student and data scientist Noni Williams. Noni joins Kayla and Sally to discuss effective strategies for STEM and professional development outreach to kids and teens and her extensive experience leading initiatives from robotics and digital art festivals to AP Computer Science and slam poetry. Also, our allyship correspondent Jon Muncie checks in to chat about how we can all work to distribute the burden of emotional labor equitably in our workplaces and beyond.
We also discuss Noni's experiences being the only woman and/or student from an underrepresented background in her graduate mathematics courses and balancing work as a data scientist at United Way of the Midlands with graduate school. Noni gives advice for others in similar situations. Some of Noni's keys to success including tracking gratitude, finding peer mentors, and defining clear boundaries around her time. Noni brings her *extensive* experience leading STEM outreach initiatives for kids and teens to this episode, and we are honored to speak with her!
Upcoming #YouDoBelongInScience episodes will feature your stories! Fill out the form on our website, doubleshelix.com, or call our voice mail, 415-895-0850, to share your story of (dis)belonging in STEM. We're hoping to share a diverse set of experiences from our listeners, but we you to help make that happen!
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Resources
*The nonprofit No More Empty Pots - visit their coffee shop No More Empty Cups near 10th and William in Omaha, www.nmepomaha.org
*United Way of the Midlands Omaha, where Noni is Manager of Solutions and Continuous Improvement, www.unitedwaymidlands.org
*Follow Noni on Instagram @nonihasknees
*Follow Jon on Twitter @jmmuncie
*Follow Sally and Kayla on Twitter @sallywinkler and @Kayla_J_Wolf
*Follow @BetterMaleAllies on Twitter - more excellent allyship tips!
*Follow us on Twitter @doubleshelixpod
Check out our upcoming guests - DoubleShelix.com/flyer
If you liked this episode, listen to our episode with mentorship expert Julea Vlassakis - "Next Level Mentorship for Mentees and Mentors." Check out it out, a few episodes back in this feed.
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