Engineer With Impact: Using STEM to Lead, Serve, and Create Change

What happens when engineering becomes more than just a career—and turns into impact?

In this episode, Kara Branch sits down with Tai Prince, engineer, leader, and STEM advocate, to talk about how engineering skills can be used far beyond technical work to create real change in communities, organizations, and future generations.

Through this “Day in the Life” conversation, Tai shares how problem-solving, leadership, communication, and service all play a role in her journey as an engineer. From navigating engineering spaces as a Black woman to pouring back into the next generation through mentorship and advocacy, Tai reminds us that STEM is not just about what you build—it’s about who you impact.

This episode is a powerful reminder that engineering can open doors to leadership, influence, and purpose-driven work that extends far beyond the workplace.

🎧 Tune in for a real conversation about engineering, leadership, community impact, and using your skills to create change.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Welcome back to Black Girls to Engineer Five Five. I'm Clara Bridge, chemical engineer and founder and CEO of Black Girls to Engineer. And today we're talking about something that young people need to hear thoroughly. Engineering is bigger than just a job title. The skills you build through STEM can take you into leadership, mentorship, advocacy, and spaces where you'll create real impact in people's lives and community. This episode is part of our day in the live series, and I'm joined by Ty Prince, engineer, leader, and someone who has used her STEM background to create impact both professionally and personally. This conversation is about purpose, growth, leadership, and what it really means to use engineering as a tool to serve, lead, and create change. Let's get into it. So welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Hi. How are you? Good. Thank you, Cara, for the invite. I'm so excited to be here today and to share my journey, Cara.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

Yes, I'm so excited to have you. So for my audience, this is another amazing Black woman that I've known over many, many years. Very active in the community. That's how we met. And we just continue to build on our relationship from there. Um, and that includes showing up for one another and being able to help wherever we can. So I just want our audience to know, you know, this black girl magic is real, and it's important to come together and work together to do this work in the community because it takes all of us. So I'm very excited about this conversation with you today to talk about your journey starting as an engineer and all the amazing things you are doing in the community. So let's dive right on in. So let's talk about your journey. Like what really inspired you to pursue or pursue your engineering degree?

SPEAKER_00 2:50

For me, it really was just kind of everyday life with my dad. He is a girl dad. So he had two, he has two daughters. And my mom, my mom is retired Air Force now, but during that time when she was active duty, she would be gone on different uh league trips. And so my dad was going to take care of us, but he had to also take care of the home and take care of the vehicles. And he always allowed us to explore and be curious. And so I was the one that was always with him to help take things apart. It was just so fascinating to me to just take things apart, put it back together, and now something works. Or let's figure out why it's not working. And fast forward to turning 16 and I was able to get my first car, but I couldn't get my car until I knew how to take care of it. So really that birthday present was, I'm gonna show you how to take care of your car and then you'll get it. And so he took me how to taught me how to change my tires, my spark plugs, my oil, my brakes, just different things in my vehicle. So I knew how to take care of it. And then I was able to have the responsibility to drive around as a you know new new driver, but in high school. So he he was my inspiration to kind of get into all things tinkering. And then that led to what we now know as engineering.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Wow, shout out to dad. So this is a perfect story right on time for me. So my daughter is in driving school. Most definitely had to be in riding school for us parents out there. But the perspective of your dad was amazing. Most of the time, we're just thinking about safety on the road, which I'm sure that was your dad's concern as well. But understanding the mechanics, like a lot of times, parents don't take their time to really show you the parts of the car. One of them being most definitely, I know many people need it's like just simply us changing the tire, right? Yeah. That's important to know how to service your own car in the time of need and to for your dad to like be like, come on over under this hood and let's learn this car together. It shows a lot of great things of your father. Like, first of all, you want this car, you're gonna understand his responsibility, but also showing you the mechanics and inspiring you to go into that route. So kudow to dad. I never thought about that. I would take a page out of your dad's book, but I know my daughter looked under his head, but I I do that. He took that philosophy and it worked for you and it brought you to engineering today. So are you are you more on the mechanical side, mechanical engineering?

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Yes. Wow. I got into mechanical engineering in school, but funny, I actually didn't start there. I uh started in computer science. I went to school and talked with my counselor, and I said I wanted to be an oceanographer, but I also wanted to be an audio engineer at the same time. And so she was like, computer science where you need to be. I said, okay, started school in computer science. You know, you do your basic classes, but my university definitely put us in computer science early. So as a freshman, what we had at least two classes, starting off with learning languages and the history behind it all. And I realized my sophomore year, I don't like this. Not like it. Computer science had me behind a computer, but I like tinkering. I like to work with my hands. And so I had taken an elective that was more on the mechanical side, the machine side, and I loved it. And so I went back to my advisor and said, I want to change my major to mechanical engineering. And she was like, Okay, you might have to retake some classes. I said, that's fine. I don't want to do that. I want to do this.

SPEAKER_01 6:44

I'm happy you said that because that that goes along the lines of like that exposure. So I love working with younger children mostly because that only early exposure really matters. And your dad did that for you. And so the funny part, I would I love that, I love this story because you knew from the moment you worked with your dad, but you got to college, like many of us do, and try to still figure it out. But I think the key thing there, and what I love to stress to parents is keeping your child exposed into those types of programming so that they can X what they don't like out. Just like your story with computer science. My daughter, she wanted to do software engineering, and she did it for a few years, like learning the principles of it. And she was just like, No, I can't. I can't sit there and code all day. Like she loved the game part about it, which is like I can't, I just can't do and you had that same experience. And so I went on parents to really understand. Like, sometimes your child will show up and be like, no, I don't like that. That doesn't mean don't bring them back right to try the next thing because you're trying to find out what their thing is, and you said you love tinkering and you enjoyed those experiences with your dad, I'm sure. And now you went back on your own. Good thing for advocating for yourself, because a lot of people don't do that until it's your advisor to be like, no, I'm a mechanical engineering because it's your life, right? Yeah, doing whatever. So kudos to you on that. So that's so funny. So, like from day one, pretty much you knew you were gonna be a mechanical engineer, but you were still trying to figure it out like many people.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

Exactly. And you get advice from others, you know. My mom did go to college, and so it's not like I didn't have the the know or the information to know about college. Um, but when you are going to, you know, a new school that's not your family school or somewhere different, because like I said, we were a military family. We actually moved to Maryland my senior year in high school. So it was also like starting over with on the college journey because I was like, oh, I'm going to school in Arizona because that's where we moved from. And I liked Arizona, but then I was like, I don't want to be that far away just yet because we just moved and I want to explore the East Coast. So, you know, trusting your advisors, and there's nothing wrong with that. Definitely trust your advisors, but also, you know, be an advocate for yourself. That is very, very key.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Yeah, I love that. So shout out to both of your parents. I love this story because well, I've seen some amazing things over the years, especially like with my girls who's going off into college, both of those parents staying in the fight with them to get their kids there. I could not imagine what it was like moving from a whole different part of the world to another part in senior year. That had to have been hard. Very different cultures in both of those places. So trying to figure it out, but you still did it. Like I moved from just a high school down the street to the next one. I could not imagine uh moving reset to like Maryland, right? Oh, yeah, I like the DMV. Shout out to the DMV. Yeah. But like moving from Arizona to Maryland is different. Wow. And to still be able to like advocate for yourself and go into such an amazing career. That's cool. So I really wanted to talk about that because there's so many people at that stage of their life that I interact with every day that has a lot of things that may interfere with their life decisions, either that's moving or just trying to figure it out. But the key to doing that, especially with STEM, is that continuous exposure of things. Or if you're kind of like in your senior year, a lot of people just wrap their senior year and a lot of people about to go into it. Asking those questions, like you mentioned, for sure, is going to help them and advocating for yourself. So all great points. So love that, love that, love that. So let's talk about mechanical engineering a little bit more as far as like working day to day. So, what did that look like once you attained your mechanical engineering degree and you went into the workforce? Let's talk about that.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Yeah, so my first, believe it or not, was an automotive. My first job was an automotive. I definitely enjoyed learning about my vehicle back then and it stayed with me. And I was able to get an internship back in school with the automotive company, and then they hired me on after college, and it was phenomenal. Again, I had to move, but being a military kid, we're used to that. But the day-to-day was I was in manufacturing. So getting to see how things are made, how things are built and put together for the safety of others and the enjoyment of others was just probably the best feeling for me and why I love to go to work every day. Because I knew I was improving something for people, for my community, or solving a problem and you know, making it better. So, uh, like a life of an automotive engineer, you go to work, you're not in fancy clothes. I'll tell you that, not in the manufacturing shop. But you're in a uniform, but you get to choose the color of your shirt every day, at least. You're walking the manufacturing line, you know, seeing how the people and machines work together to build something so fantastic and something that we use every day, and even more, a need every day. It needs to be safe, it needs to take us from point A to point B. And it also needs to be comfortable and enjoyable and have all the things work properly. And being a part of that, putting that all together and seeing a finished vehicle roll off the line is phenomenal. So some days you're solving problems. Some days you're just like, oh, let's see if we can improve how our team members are working with the machines to put something together. So sometimes your work is solving problems just within the machine shop, the manufacturing shop. And sometimes your work is solving problems for the broader community who will who you will never meet and they will never know. But you know, that impact is going to be lifelong.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

No, this is so funny. Like it started with just that early exposure. You went from working on cars to creating and making and providing them for the community. So that is pretty dope and so a lot of people don't think about that. And I love that you reference the car industry. That is like one of the main examples I use for children. Because you're riding a car everywhere, and so like the people we like, what do engineers do? I always kind of start with a car bridge because these are things they typically see. So it's kind of cool that you were able to do car manufacturing, bringing things that most definitely the community needs to life. That that's pretty dope. So mechanical engineering and doing the automotive industry. So let's talk about is there any other places that you've worked? You kind of brought your your mechanical engineering degree to because I want to talk a little bit about transferable skills. So a lot of times we start with our main engineering degree, and what many people don't know that you can still take that degree and transition to many different places. So I know you've done that.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

So let's talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Absolutely. So when I was an automotive, I was a manufacturing engineer and a quality engineer. And then I transitioned to the energy space, working for an energy company, energy manufacturer. And I went back to manufacturing and then back to quality and business excellence. So I was able to take my manufacturing experience, that problem-solving experience, and really change, move that into business excellence. So what business excellence is what that means in the corporate world is just continuous improvement, but at an organizational level. So not just maybe a part, but maybe a whole department. How can we improve the department? How can we lean out, you know, processes within a department or in our business unit? So that was really fun to do because now you're seeing things on a bigger level that's affecting your other workers, your other team members and employees that in turn helps progress the business. Again, and you will never see those customers, but you know you're helping and moving things along, you know, for your community. So it was really cool to move into business excellence. And then ultimately, I moved into corporate social responsibility. That's a lot of words for just basically doing good things in the community. And it is it allowed me to take my problem-solving skills to help make an impact using our company and our employees and make an impact in the community where our company sits and beyond. And I was really another, another way to advocate or another time I advocated for myself is with that role because I was already doing that along with my engineering job. I just really like volunteering. I like, you know, the community and giving back. And so I was kind of maneuvering those little events. I say little, but car notes was not little. I was maneuvering that along with my engineering job. And, you know, it's because you love it and it's your passion, it doesn't feel like work. But I had a really good sponsor and mentor to say, hey, let's make this a full-time role for you. And I was able to create that role and be the first global corporate social responsibility manager for my previous company responsible for all of the good things that our employees do in 40 countries and making impacts all over the world. And it's in that job, I was able to take my engineering by creating processes for sustainability, you know. So whoever comes in next, or, you know, if we're going to expand, that there's a blueprint for them to follow and then continuously improve on. So there's a lot of things that you could do with your engineering degree or technical degree.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

Yeah, I love that. So you mentioned all my favorite words, community impact. Sustainability is one of my other favorite words. But I wanted to talk about that a little bit more because I always tell people, because I do more community work now, and people fuss at me too. They'd be like, Could you have waited? And I'm like, Oh, this is my calling. And the community. So let's talk about that because you are a pillar. You do so much for the community, for women, for youth, for everyone. So I do want to transition into how you're leading in the community and the impact that you're making. And your why for it, because a lot of times that's what drives us to do this work. So let's talk a little bit about.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

Absolutely. Well, I'll start with my why. And my why goes back to my college story, exposure. I, you know, having changing my major from one to the other, it did technically add on two years. So it took me six and a half years to graduate college, which is not a problem. As long as you finish, that's all that matters. It doesn't, it doesn't matter how long it takes you. But that exposure is my why. I want to be able to give kids and students and parents just that exposure as early as possible so they can go in knowing what they want to do, what they don't want to do, what they don't like or like, or invent something new, or combine something. You know, just give them the opportunity to expose, uh, to expose themselves to everything. And then they can narrow it down, save time, save money, and then get out and do good with the world. So that's that's my why I do everything in the community. But I I started with this small event called Sunday.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

I'm like, don't you can call these events small. These are not small events. But go ahead, sad.

SPEAKER_00 19:37

Yeah, this is just a little, it's a for me, it was one of my little brainchild dreams. And I was like, why not we bring everybody to our company, these kids to our company, a free event to just experience STEM and what that really means. And for parents to see it and having it at a company helps because they can really see it translate from concept to actuality. So STEM STEM education is my heart and definitely my passion. And with that, with women as well as you know, the minorities in the STEM fields and the technical fields. So I am the media past president of Women's Energy Network, which is a wonderful organization that is helping women in STEM, women in energy, and just building a great foundation and a network to for women to collaborate, to help each other, to support each other. And with Wynn, I started out as just a member attending a luncheon. And one thing my mother has always always told me, I get my leadership skills from her, is that if you want to improve something, you need to be a part of that improvement because who else is doing the work? You can't just complain. And so I joined the community initiative team, of course. But started there, and that's why I learned about Energy Day, Women's Energy Network, how to boost that energy day, which I thought was phenomenal, so much fun, and doing things with Girl Scouts, and lo and behold, slowly worked up to president, of which I wasn't actually thinking about being. I just like being a part of Creamy Initiatives, being co-director, but the the organization nominated me and chose me for the wonderful position of Wynn, and I absolutely enjoyed it. I will always advocate for Women's Energy Network, just and even for our allies to be a be a part of Wynn. So we do have male members because we need allies, but it is definitely for Wynn. And those organizations also help bring forward the impact in our community for young girls. We have something called Young Women Energize, and we put on a STEM careers event, which of course Clara and her girls are a part of as well. And we do that every November. And we also give out scholarships, $10,000 scholarships, along with a brand new laptop for our scholarship. For girls going into STEM high school seniors. So the the why is riddled throughout. And I love being able to see, you know, girls and young students just, you know, experience things because when we when we take them to places, we have our STEM career, our STEM careers event, the one that you were at, Carl, we were at the base, the soccer stadium.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Yeah, that was cool.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

And then we came back to do one at they didn't change all our stadiums in Houston's name. I know. Everybody's changing names, but that was pretty dope. Having the whole stadium. It was a ton of girls there. And that was always even where we would use our Black Road Engineer ambassadors who are the high school, middle school girls to give back to the community. Um, because that's what they're trained to do. But I don't know if I ever told you, I used to be on the other side of it as a mentor, one of the energy companies I worked for, one of our women groups at the time, president, very heavily involved in when. And so she's recruited a lot of us to be mentors too. That's awesome. Well, yeah. I used to do it on the other side too when I was inventoring to just mentor youth, right? Um very supportive of when I mean all the great work they've been doing for years, not just not just in Houston, it's more national, too. I feel like it's other locations. Um and so wherever you are, I would say look at when because the opportunities they provide for high school girls and just that mentoring keys and the events that they do. Even if you are in your career and you're looking for a network or a sisterhood to be a part of, they host amazing events around that too. So it's most definitely a great work. I've been on it from both sides, from bringing in youth to health and also serving as a mentor and being a part of organization myself. So it's another great one. Yeah, so from presenting too.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Yeah, you know, I've I've learned I was just out of ease, man. Have to make you lie. Um I'm gonna accelerate a program and I'm just me.

SPEAKER_01 24:18

Like I'm just down to earth and me. I was talking to this amazing guy. Where is he from? Because he was from all over the world. Oh no, what can I remember? But I remember I kept telling telling him I'm coming the whole time. Um and he kept saying to me, You're so humble.

SPEAKER_02 24:37

And I don't know what he's talking about. You know, I know he was getting that, but I was like, Oh yeah, I'm pretty, pretty chill. And he was like, he just kept saying it to me because I was he had looked like me up and he was like reading about me.

SPEAKER_01 24:50

And he was like, You're humble because I wouldn't talk about none of like what I do.

SPEAKER_02 24:54

I only talk about it when people like bring it up, and I'm like, ah, yeah, I've done some stuff around it. Exactly. So I never talked about like the impact and you like everybody knows all I care about is the girls, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:11

Um I always tell them to go out there and and and be 10 times better than what I've done in industry and in the community. So I just care about mostly just them. But when people start talking about stuff, like yeah, I I know. And I because I it's stuff I care about, right? Yeah, we do have a lot of amazing orgs out there that people don't know. It's a woman that I know in Detroit, she just said it the best. If you're ever sitting in a house wondering what there is to do, there's a ton of stuff that could be done. There's never not nothing to do in our communities, and so there's a lot of orgs that have that. If you don't know, you're trying to figure it out, go volunteer with them. Exactly. Um, to kind of see what it is. But I was so proud to see you become president because I was like, this is turning out. Like I knew all the work you were doing on the ground with Lynn. And when I seen you become president, I was like, I was so proud. So proud for you too. Passion in your heart for the community. But nobody was more deserving at that time for sure than you. And I knew you were gonna take Wynn and just do some amazing things throughout the year. So you served your year, but you're still active. So that's good to know.

SPEAKER_00 26:29

Yes, very much so, very much so. It's it's important because I for Houston, I think I was only number number five black female president. So I'm out of 30 plus years of women. So it was a heavy lift, but you know, a proud one. It definitely was a proud one. And I I'm so appreciative for it. And I am still continuing my my win service because now I'm on the global board as director.

SPEAKER_02 26:58

Oh, yeah. I did just put that announcement. Yes. So more, oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

So so tell us about that, how much you can share. Yes, we have we have our first meeting next month, but we've got some new positions with the global board. We are 23 chapters and two in a in an other countries. So we're trying to build win, and that's really our goal is to build win globally, give people more access to win and the resources that we can provide. I mean, it's just that continuous improvement. You know, what can I continue to do now on the globe level for all the chapters and help be a resource?

SPEAKER_01 27:37

Absolutely. So Ty's talking about all that she's done to help build up others, but Ty has not talked about what she's done to build up herself. So there we go. I mean, as a community, we have to come together and and develop. But you know, I got the entrepreneurial mindset, and I'm always for us, you know, trying it ourselves. And you're most definitely doing that as well. So you most definitely are still using your engineering mindset and all that you do. But talk about what you're doing now because you're making great impact outside of just women, you're also making great impact with the youth as well.

SPEAKER_00 28:15

Yes, thank you. Because I probably was not going to bring that. So I create this past year, I created my own company called TIP Prince Design Solutions, as well as my nonprofit, TIPRESS Design STEM, both doing similar things, supporting STEM education in different ways. STEM activations is the key in the forefront of both, one doing it for the community and organizations, and then the other one doing it for corporations. So, similar to the STEM event I did in my previous company, other companies that may want to do that, you know, they can hire me and I'll go ahead and get get you set up right for your employees. But I'll that's it's it's me to have for sure.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

Because I've been on both sides of it. I think that's the beauty of what it was for me as well. Like a lot of people want to do it, but they just don't know. Exactly. And so a lot of people think that people have it figured out, especially in these corporations. A lot of times in a day-to-day of a corporation, you're trying to figure out how to make revenue and how to complete projects and more of the technical performance requirements. Yes, you care about the development of your team, but community is not always figured out, like it needs some help sometimes. And so that is something that companies need to have represent representatives come in and say, Hey, let me do this for you. Because it helps them too, especially when they want to reach because they all have goals to make great impact. They care about their talent and care about hiring from every part of anything. Um, they care about all that stuff, but they do need people to come in and help and support. And so I'm happy you said that, because that is true. Yeah, you most definitely need it to be able to do that. You've done that for corporations already for working from them. But yeah, as you're independent, yes, you still are going to offer their support and they should take it to take that.

SPEAKER_02 30:15

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 30:17

Um it is easier said than done, especially um multi-million dollar global companies. Oh, that's a lot in itself. So you want to be able to reach every part of that. And a lot of times it's it comes down to your employees, really. And the ones like how you did, like you raised your hand, you showed up and wanted to volunteer. And a lot of times it takes those employees to do that, to say the extra volunteer and in this community like that. So it's it's not always figured out for everyone. So, yes, your services is most definitely needed.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

Yes, definitely. And I one of the one of my things that I've been sitting on for a long time, and I'm so happy that it's finally here and to fruition is my very own STEM kits that I'm doing. But and there are a lot of great STEM kits out there, I know, because I've purchased them all for our student for STEM day. But one thing different about mine is I'm bringing in the culture and history piece to it, just to really give students and parents and teachers and programs that the STEM concepts, they have been there from before and they're going to continue keeping, you know, keeping us going. And it's all how you use them and where we came from and learning your history, learning your culture, celebrating your culture. So I get to combine all that with STEM and a hands-on project in a kit, and that has just been so much fun for me to even create them. And I'm like, I I'm I'm happy I get to create them. So that's one of the biggest things I'm most proud of uh to date, I think, on myself, on my side of my business. And then lastly, tie dye.

SPEAKER_02 32:06

So oh yeah, yeah. I'm about to start calling you tie-dye craing, because indeed.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

I indeed, and that is such a crazy store car. So for those of us in Houston, we all remember Hurricane Barrel, unfortunately. You know, we were a lot of us were out power and water. And my mother was here visiting me. She is a phenomenal woman. She is CEO of a nonprofit that helps with uh water education for girls as well, mainly in Belize. So she was on her way to Belize where she's like, I'll stop here since her flight connects here, and she'll spend some time with you for a couple of days. Well, it was like the day before her game brown. So she got stuck here. She got stuck here with me. And she was like, Well, I'm with my daughter, so everything's fine. Yeah, going to be a little bit more than a little bit of a new year before that you were exactly, exactly. And I was like, mom, sorry, like it's hot and I don't have any. She was like, it's fine. She's like, Well, do you want to learn tie-dye? Because she was going to be doing it with the girls and believe. And I was like, Okay, sure, why not? And I literally was hooked from that day with tie-dye. And I have, I literally tie-dyed something every day for probably the next three months. Wow. And I am massed a whole lot of stuff. And back to my dad, he was like, I bet you won't turn that into a business because what you're gonna do with all these shirts, and I was like, Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

Your peer exactly for information as they should be, but it's just amazing how everything they introduce you to, you become it or you do it.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

That is so amazing. I mean, most definitely from your perspective, from but but from a parent perspective, I know they're proud.

SPEAKER_00 34:06

They they they are amazing. They're definitely my foundation, and they've worked hard themselves. They they've always said, you know, we've learned these lessons, so you don't have to learn them, but you're gonna be learning your own. Yeah. But these ones we can you can teach you. And you know, with the tie-dye, it definitely became also a mental relaxation for me, too. And also it combines engineering, it combines STEM and Arya. Yeah. So that's the cool part about it.

SPEAKER_01 34:34

Cause like that's why I called you the tie-dye queen, because like I know people because I can go do a whole episode about this. Like, as the engineer, you most definitely need something to balance you out to relax you. It's it can be a very demanding job. It can I don't want to say it can be stressful, but it's yes, stressful. Yeah, so it would be like to find your hobby, your joy. Um in the midst of it, to keep you settled. And so I think a lot of people do a lot. Like, I know like crocheting is like hot right now. And so many different things. When when I started seeing you doing tie-dye, I was like, go go head now. Like that is something cool that most people don't think about. Look, let me go tie-dye this, right? You you may see like a piece of clothing in the store and you like those colors, you like that print, right? But you was like, no, I'm about to teach you how to do it. So I think that is just dope in itself. And what works for you worked for you. Uh I don't know. I can't even remember my hobby.

SPEAKER_02 35:46

It used to be dance, like when I was younger.

SPEAKER_01 35:50

I have I had that time to dance in forever. But that is one thing I did promise people that I was gonna try to take a dance class this year. But good.

SPEAKER_02 35:59

And maybe tie dye with you. Oh, tie-dye. Let me know.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

I will bring my little kids with me and we can tie-dye, because it's it's I I just I love it, I love sharing it. I really just love seeing like people create and then they open up and be like, wow.

SPEAKER_01 36:18

And so because you don't think about yeah, yeah, you're so into like the color adding and all that, but you don't think about like the beauty you're creating, and I just have to talk to position everything right so it can come out like how you need it.

SPEAKER_00 36:33

But always that's and that's the best part. It's like a present because no matter what you you do your folds, you can do your geometry and all the things, and but water will be water.

SPEAKER_02 36:44

Oh yeah. Oh, I can only bad.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

It's gonna go where it wants to go, but you can guide it. It's blending of it all. There's like, I mean, it's chemistry, there's geometry because it's so many different things. Adding angles to it, you know, determines where, you know, I want to flow this way, I want to flow that way. It's just it for me, tie-dye really brings in both my left and right brain together, and I really get to be whole when I tie-dye.

SPEAKER_01 37:17

It's good that you prove that because many people have not gotten there yet. Like, I I feel like I'm more balanced now myself. Today I tried pottery. Because my seven-year-old said, Let's go do it. And so I mean, I had to advocate for her because God was like, She's too young. I never let him do it this young. And I was like, Well, let her show you what she can do. Okay, and by the time we were done, he was like, Man, she was really good, like better than like people who are probably twice her age. So I tried that today for the first time. I mean, I think I had too much fun because I was had pottery clay all over the place by the time I was finished, but it was like in my hair, it's everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 38:03

I was like, That's a good time.

SPEAKER_01 38:06

Crafting that art piece, and I love that you mentioned that because I get a lot of people say, What about that A? And you have most definitely served the A with that, because art is very important, and that's what the art instructor was asking me to that. Do your daughter love art? And for me, I'm like special STEM mom. I'm like all the STEM stuff, like, yeah, she likes this and that. And I was like, No, she really likes art. Like, she has nation at home because she really loves it. Um, but the chemistry, like you mentioned, like a lot of times people we think with STEM, yes, we think about art all the all the time with it, but that age alone is very important. Um, and it is that that chemistry is a lot of science, a lot of physics that makes that art work. So then we talked about that today.

SPEAKER_00 38:55

Yes, yes. There's no you can be all the things, there's nothing when you can't. So if you like art, if you like STEM, if you want to combine it, if you I mean, there's nothing wrong. There's no wrong answer.

SPEAKER_01 39:09

It's not so a lot of lessons out of that, like the creativity piece. I love that you're doing your tie-dye, your kids. All that is neat. There is a lot of kids. Okay, let's give applause for the kids because I remember when I first started looking for kids, I couldn't find a kid. I was like, Right, right, right, kids had. But now I'm starting to see a lot more kids coming online. And oh my god, I get joy. I get so much joy from it because toys can be more than just picking up, and nothing wrong with dolls or anything like that. But I always encourage parents, especially because this generation, it's oh my god, they're so advanced to get those STEM toys, to get those puzzles, those all those things that they can't do a lot of critical thinking and creativity with. Because there's so much needed. So, like when we left the pottery spot, my daughter was asking for a whole pottery uh plan.

SPEAKER_02 40:11

Okay, definitely not happening, but this is like the small ones, you could buy a small kit, and that's like I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

I don't know, but I do want to encourage our parents, especially many places, maybe summertime coming. And we all are looking for stuff for our kids to do. So those stem kits, those are perfect because they would buy you some time for my working parents. I've been trying to run my own school, feel like summertime, and then do do many other things, and those hours that you can you know by time with from your kids and join those STEM kits. Right. Do consider purchasing those and also the ones that connect to your community is most definitely important. That representation is most definitely needed. So so kudos to that. So I did want to touch on all the great things that you are because a lot of times, to be honest, to be transparent, with black women, we are doing such great work, but we forget to highlight ourselves. Yes, absolutely. And so once this creates space for you to talk about all the great that you do, because you are more than just an engineer, you're such definitely a leader in the community for women, for children. You do phenomenal work, and I'm so excited to see what you're going to do on a global level with when. Thank you. Thank you. But you must definitely deserve to be there. So I will be back. And and always, always, if there's any way I can contribute to help, you know, I'm always here to support. So I have to ask you my final question before we're like my my other question. Last time I I got tricked up. I was like, me, I had to ask it a different way. But I was like, we're gonna ask it, but I'm gonna ask you because this is most definitely important for the next generation, to really just kind of inspire them. So my question for you would be what should students focus on now if they want to create impact through engineering one day.

SPEAKER_00 42:14

Students should focus on I always just say for me, it's solving a problem. It doesn't matter what that problem is, but solving a problem is going to impact someone else and also you. Because if you see the problem, somebody else also sees that problem or is having that problem or experiencing that problem. And then if you solve that problem, you'd have made an impact on at least one person. And who knows how far that goes because that person could then share, oh, so-and-so helped me solve this problem or created this, and now this is so much easier for me, or this saves me so much time, and it continues to grow. So your impact could be so exponential, and you may not even realize, but if you just focus on solving a problem, you got that impact.

SPEAKER_01 43:04

I love that perfectly said. Just solving a problem. Perfect. There's nothing more we can add to that.

SPEAKER_02 43:12

So thank you, Ty, for being here today.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

Thank you. And what I want people to take from this episode is this engineering is not limited to one lane. Tide's journey reminds us that STEM skills can help you lead, serve, solve problems, and create opportunities that impact people far beyond the workplace. And for every young person listening, understand this. Your purpose can grow through engineering. Your title is only part of the story. Your impact is what people remember. Thank you, Ty, for showing us what it really means to engineer with purpose and lead through service. And thank you for listening to Black Girls Do Engineer Podcast, where we build community, confidence, and futures in STEM. I'll see you in the next episode. To learn more about Black Girls Do Engineer, visit us online at Black Girls Do Engineer.org or email us directly at info at Black Girls Do Engineers.org.