STEAM Spark - Think STEAM Careers, Podcast with Dr. Olufade
STEAM Spark: Think STEAM Careers Podcast with Dr. Olufade. Welcome to STEAM Sparks: The Think STEAM Career Podcast, hosted by Dr. Ayo Olufade. Our mission is to raise awareness about the importance of pursuing college and careers in STEAM fields and the positive impact they can have on BIPOC communities.
Dr. Ayo's journey, fueled by his passion for STEAM education, lies at the heart of this podcast. His experiences and meaningful conversations with guests from STEM and STEAM backgrounds inspire us to highlight the significance of STEM education and careers as sources of empowerment. We aim to better position the next generation for success.
By sharing personal stories and experiences, we hope to inspire and encourage our audience to consider STEAM careers. We are committed to promoting diversity and representation of BIPOC communities in the STEM field, breaking stereotypes, and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone's unique perspective is valued.
Join us as we explore the endless possibilities and opportunities in STEAM fields. With your participation and support, let's work together to shape a brighter future for all.
#ThinkSTEAMCareers #BeInspired #BeAnInspiration
It is time to innovate!
Dr. Ayo Olufade, Host STEAM Sparks: Think STEAM Careers Podcast with Dr. Olufade
STEAM Spark - Think STEAM Careers, Podcast with Dr. Olufade
Journey of a Late Bloomer: Passionate for STEAM Education and Careers and Mentorship – PART ONE
Ever wondered how fostering a love for science can change lives? Join our conversation with the phenomenal Dr. Gladys Delancey-Bolden, an expert in molecular cell and physiology, as she shares her inspiring journey from an educator to the founder of the Biolog Laboratorium. She passionately discusses her mission to empower underrepresented students in STEM and the significance of building confidence in students of color. Dr. Delancey-Bolden also opens up about her admiration for astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and the vital role of peer review in scientific research.
Hear my personal story of discovering a passion for science and the transformative power of early exposure to STEM. I share how encouraging professors, family support, and overcoming personal barriers, such as marriage and parenthood, shaped my journey. Learn about my proven strategies for helping students excel in exams and my current philanthropic endeavors that aim to empower the next generation of scientists through educational programs and consulting.
Navigating standardized tests like the GRE can be daunting, but we’ve got you covered with essential preparation tips and resources. Experience our discussion on closing the gender gap in STEM, the strides made in biological sciences, and the critical role of representation and mentorship. We also highlight the impact of having strong role models and mentors for young girls, emphasizing the importance of early exposure to authentic STEM applications.
Welcome to STEAM Spark. Think STEAM Career Podcast. I'm Dr Ayo Olufade. In today's episode, we will explore the fascinating world of STEAM education and its intersection with culture, technology, innovation. I'm thrilled to have with us this afternoon Dr Gladys Delancey-Bolden. Dr Gladys Delancey-Bolden, dr Bolden, thank you for coming on STEAM Spark.
Speaker 2:Think STEAM Career Podcast. How have you been? I'm doing well. Thank you for having me, so I'm looking forward to this wonderful conversation. That's very much needed. So I'm doing well.
Speaker 1:Excellent, dr Bolden. Can you please tell us about yourself, please?
Speaker 2:Okay well, you know, my background is molecular cell and physiology. You know, and that's really where I focus. I started out as a, actually as a supervisor, and so, because of my background, I was able to couple up an array of different science courses that required me to actually work with faculty. Also, I had the bonus of teaching. I was managing the labs, you know, and so there was a whole lot involved in that, and so through that experience, I ended up forming my own program called Biolog Laboratorium, and the reason why I formed that organization is because what I found is that a lot of people were gravitating towards me, people that look like me, who felt very uncomfortable in the science realm.
Speaker 2:So I thought, you know, these were college students, and usually if you have college students, they're not going to change their path. They're already committed to change their path. They're already committed. So I thought if I could introduce STEM content at an early age, as young as five years ago, I could give them a robust foundation and also build their confidence, because that's what I saw that there was a lack of confidence. So I've had the opportunity to work with youth as young as five to give them that foundation, and I also work with college students. I actually work at a college, so I'm working with college students. But I also understand that it's very difficult to change their mind frame when it gets to that point. That's unusual.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for introducing yourself.
Speaker 1:I am really fired up because you and I know that in our community there is really a low representation of people that look like you and I, you know, in the STEAM and STEM field, and even though now we see a gradual increase in the representation of women, but there are still low representation of girls, young girls, women that look like you and I in this field.
Speaker 1:And to see someone like you, of your caliber, a professor, that taking the time to, you know, invest in our community in order to build the future of our kids, is really is very inspiring, and this is one of the reasons why I really wanted to take the time to talk with you, so that others can glean from your work and also be inspired to see that, look, you're doing it, so they also can do it. I have a question for you. This is I guess you can look at it as a ice. I like to, you know, look at it as an icebreaker. You can look at it as a ice. I like to, you know, look at it as an icebreaker. So if you were to meet someone, if you know somebody asks you if there's someone that you would like to meet. Who would that person be and why?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just like his mindset. I think it's unfortunate that it's, you know, not a female, you know, I'm sure there's very few, but, however, I just like the fact that he doesn't mind interjecting into conversations and I think he has, you know, a vast amount of knowledge and I think I can learn a lot from him. So that's that's the person I would like to sit down and have a conversation with.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, neil deGrasse Tyson, indeed, he's phenomenal, right. We're very proud of him for the work that he does, you know, in science and trying to explain, you know, astrophysics, because that can be complicated for quite a lot of us. And, by the way, I think his presence inspires, will inspire, the next generation of our people to go into, you know, into space technology.
Speaker 2:Exactly, absolutely.
Speaker 1:So, especially as our country is making every effort to land on the moon and also mass, I think we need to be part of that conversation, absolutely so. He's an inspiration indeed. Did you see? I posted recently actually a video post on LinkedIn, actually a video post on LinkedIn Neil DeGrasse Tyson, responding to being mentioned on Rogan's podcast by Terrence Howard. But one of the things that I love about his video post, I'm not really so much concerned, even though both men, gentlemen, we I'm really really proud of both of them. I think they bring a lot to the table. They put our community in a very, very good highlight. Terrence Howe, this brilliant actor he also has.
Speaker 1:One of the things that people don't know is that he has a science background. Actually, he studied chemical engineering once upon a time. He's also into hydrogen energy, right, so that's where he's putting a lot of his money. But he has a lot of other ideas of his money, but he has a lot of other ideas. But I guess the beef between the two of them is that Terence claimed that how Tyson did not really respond to his request to critique his work. But Tyson came back and said, yes, I did, and he provided the evidence.
Speaker 1:But one of the things that I love about Dyson's video post is that he actually talked about the importance of peer review. As you and I know, peer review is one of the corner of peer review. As you and I know, peer review is one of the cornerstone of science. This is what makes our science work right. This is what establish credibility. So I will encourage everyone that has not seen that video post please check it out. It's on LinkedIn. I've posted out there and I've made my little comment, but I'm really proud of the fact that he talked about peer review, which I believe that it is something that we, as educators, need to impress upon our students the importance of peer review. So that video post does a good justice, in my view, upon our students the importance of peer review.
Speaker 2:So that video post does a good justice in my view. So what's your take? Well, I definitely think that we can't go around making assumptions. You know you must have peer reviews, you know, for example, there was someone I know that was claiming that you know, if you eat a particular diet based on your blood type, that it will provide you with benefits. Well, you know, I also purchased the book that you know makes these claims, and you know, what I realized is that this book was actually promoting the Mediterranean diet. So the truth is that you know there is research to support that the Mediterranean diet can have health benefits and you know it doesn't have anything to do with your blood type. But so it's not a good idea to go out, and you know, and make these assumptions. You definitely need to have. That's how you back science, that's how you have credibility, like you said, to make sure that this, your research, is peer reviewed.
Speaker 1:And so that's what gives us that credibility. So I think that's extremely important. When it comes to science, yeah, thank you so much for bringing that up, because I think I like Mediterranean food myself. I don't know about the blood type, but now you're making me hungry. Maybe after this podcast that I'm going to go to, probably Carmel.
Speaker 2:You know, and I'll be honest with you, I follow the Mediterranean lifestyle as well, and when it comes to nutrition, so yeah.
Speaker 1:Good, good, good, good. Now maybe they need to kind of give us something, something because for mentioning or, you know, uplifting Mediterranean food, you know.
Speaker 2:Well, the research is there.
Speaker 1:That's good. Oh my God. Now you just uplifted that industry. That's all good. That's all good, all right. So if I can ask you, what sparked your interest in STEM? Yeah, what sparked your interest?
Speaker 2:Okay, so well, I can tell you, in K-12, there was nothing that sparked my interest in STEM.
Speaker 2:There was nothing there. I have very little recollection of science period. So actually, you know, I consider myself, you know, I was an older student, so I call myself a late bloomer, and I was already married, had children, you know, and everything you know when I returned to school, and so what happened was there were actually teachers that saw this gift in me, and then I started developing this ravenous appetite to learn more, and, especially when I started going for my master's, I had the opportunity to pick and choose the classes that I wanted to take, so I was able to explore a vast amount of science courses, and it was like an abyss for me. It's like I could never fill that hole, and so that's how I landed there. So I really like to say that science actually found me never fill, you know, that hole, and so that's how I landed there. So I really like to say that science actually found me. And then, you know, so we have like this beautiful relationship.
Speaker 1:Wow, I am really impressed because what I have with the people that I have talked to, especially women, one of the things that they often told me is that and it's not just women alone and in my reading, one of the things that I've also discovered is that the minority, especially people of color, like you and I, are mad, and science seems to be especially mad, seems to be something that stopped them on their track Right. So I mean to hear you say that science actually found you, and I know science. There's a lot of maths in it, so why weren't you discovered what? What was it? I mean, can you share your experience please?
Speaker 2:Well, I can say this that you know I like trying to figure things out and I think that you know, when you do math, it forces you to think critically and to analyze things, and I really enjoy doing that and I really believe that people don't give it a chance and you have to inculcate this into youth when they're really young and so that they can feel confident with it, because it is a challenge, but life is a challenge, so you're not going to go through life and everything's going to be easy. But I really believe that if you can, especially in our communities if you can give them this exposure early and also they need to build their confidence and give them that robust foundation I think they'll have a better take on it. And I know that that will work because that's what happened with my program. I have a few females who are actually. One of them is getting her degree in some type of biology and then the other one, she is pursuing science. So I know that it works and it's because I built that confidence and I work with them.
Speaker 2:So I really believe this, because of the fact that I really enjoy figuring it out and that is my phrase that I use for my college students I say you know, you have to figure it out, and especially now. See, you know years ago, you can get away with doing the same thing for 30 years. Well, that doesn't apply today. Today you have to be able to pivot, almost like every two years. Things are changing so rapidly. So, whether you want to get into that mindset or not, you really don't have a choice.
Speaker 1:Very good, very good. I like the idea that you have to go get it. You have to be ready to also pivot. Yes, yeah, you also mentioned earlier about so science found you. You were married, you had children. Uh, that could have been a barrier for you. How did you overcome that? How didn't that become a barrier for you?
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, well, I can say that, you know, I felt like this. You know, once all my children were in school, I decided to go back to school and complete my education, you know. And then I had a supportive spouse, so that was another thing, but also those professors, that who saw this gift in me, who gave me awards. You know, I even had the opportunity to. I did so well on my GRE. Well, let me just say, initially I did not do well with my GRE, you know, because I'm not going to say I wasn't a good test taker, I just didn't know. So when I took it again, I did so well.
Speaker 2:They offered me the college offered me an opportunity to actually teach anatomy and physiology. You know, who would have ever thought, you know? And so that gave me confidence and that also gave me experience to prepare me for what was going to come next. So you know, and that's why I say, when I hear people say they're not a good test taker, you have to know how to prepare. And let me tell you something I have a formula that can help students pass, like you know, those exams. You know, and I know it works, because I had two students just a year ago who. I gave them the formula, I worked with them and both of them got over 90 percent and they're going into a nursing program. They didn't have to leave the select. Yeah, so I know, because at first, like when I took the GRE, I was basically memorizing. So I said, no, I need to learn the material. So I figured out the strategy and it worked.
Speaker 1:It worked. Can you, for those parents that really want to know about your program, what is the name of your program? Usually I leave it to the end. I'm going to put it also as a reference later.
Speaker 2:But you mentioned yeah, yeah well it's, it's by a lot um laboratory. I don't work directly with youth anymore. What I do is I help sponsor of the programs because you know I've done, I've been in that, I was doing that for like 10 years. So what I do is more philanthropic, where you know I'm actually helping someone who you may be familiar with. I don't want to mention his name, I don't know if he's comfortable with that but, I'm helping to get him established because I believe in what he's doing.
Speaker 2:So I'm helping others as a consulting and advisor as well as a philanthropist to help them get started. So I'm doing that type of stuff now in that area Excellent.
Speaker 1:I remember taking my GRE oh my God. The first time I did it, oh my goodness, I really struggled. My score was not really good, but my parents helped me invest in Copland. Okay, so was it Copland or Princeton, I think? I don't want to age myself, but, but I took one of those, you know, tutoring programs and that, literally, you know, helped my test taking it boosted, you know, my score and I was able to use that to apply to graduate school. Wealthy enough whose parents do not have the resources to, you know, to enroll them in this type of programs. Any recommendation for them?
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, because the resources are available for free. All you really need based on how I do it, all you need is time, and you have to be able to have. It's about time management and scheduling yourself to review the material, as I would tell you to do it. So it does not require any type of expense at all, it's just time, okay.
Speaker 1:I think I will agree with you with that. One of the things that I also did is that I went to Bunsen Nobles. I used to spend a lot of my time in the Bunsen Nobles about 20 years ago I literally did and their books I know that they have a lot of prep books and all that and I studied that and I studied that and I studied that. I think the combination of that and the tutoring really helped me a lot, yeah.
Speaker 2:And let me just say that you don't have to be. Let me just tell you, all those tests are basically the same SAT, act, gre, and then the one that you take to get into the nursing program. I can't remember the name of the T's. Okay, let me just tell you, they're all the same, so you can use all of those books, because you're getting different perspectives. You see what?
Speaker 2:I'm saying and you're learning the material. So you're not. You don't have to just stick with GREs. I do recommend, if you're going for the GRE, you get old ones, new ones and you get SAT books. It's all set up the same, but it's introducing it to you from different perspectives. That way you learn the material as opposed to memorizing it.
Speaker 1:And one of the things that I think I like what you said. That is really good. One of the things that you and I talked about earlier is the AI. Now, in the age of AI, it really makes things much easier. Remember when we used to use index cards.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, I do, I do, yes, yes, oh yeah, oh yeah, I do, yes, oh yeah, oh my God.
Speaker 1:And then Quizlet came, and now you know, forget Quizlet.
Speaker 2:What's Quizlet?
Speaker 1:Now you can write obvious stuff, you know, by using AI. Especially Khan Academy now has a really beautiful program. At least they have come up with beautiful programs so that can help students. Now I'm pitching for Khan Unbelievable.
Speaker 2:But they are good. Let's face it, we're mentioning some good resources.
Speaker 1:Seriously, yeah, right, so you can personalize, and for teachers, they can personalize their teaching. For students, individual students and parents can also do the same. So those are ways that are access to tutorials that can help and, God knows, there's so much online now that there is no excuse whatsoever in our community to say, well, I can't really do it. Yes, you can yeah, that's right absolutely but but don't take my word for it.
Speaker 2:take it from Dr Bolden no, we both, we both have credibility.
Speaker 1:Oh, all right. So while progress has been so, the next question this question actually comes on the closing the gender gaps in STEM. So how do we close the gender gap? So we know there has been progress, especially women participation and now representation in the STEM field. We know there has been progress, but there's still a ways to go. In what area do you see women making significant stride and then closing the gap? In what areas?
Speaker 2:Well, I definitely see them making significant stride in the biological sciences and the reason why I think that you see growth is because there's so many pathways that you can take. You know, if you have that particular degree like you can go into microbiology, you can go into you know anatomy and physiology. Some people get that degree because they want to go into medicine or something like that and I also think that the biological sciences I think it's relatable. I think that when you think about you know anatomy and physiology, you know that's dealing with your body. You think about microbiology. You think about you know microbes, you know microorganisms and stuff like that. So I think that it's not so much that it's easy organisms and stuff like that. So I think that it's not so much that it's easy. I think that one reason, like I had mentioned before, is that you can explore different pathways and then and it can also serve to you know get you into medicine. You know so and I also think it's relatable. I really do so.
Speaker 2:I think, that's a part of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like that. Is this very similar to now, you know? You know, our people, especially our women, are going into healthcare. Is it the same thing as that? Or it could also be because our people are into service-oriented you know, workforce and nursing seems to be service-oriented.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:To me workforce, and could that also be a component. But I do like what you said about relatable I mean. But just in the vein of that is there something I mean.
Speaker 2:Well, let me tell you this when I teach my anatomy and physiology students some of them they have told me that the reason why they're pursuing health care is because they may have a family member that has an ailment, or had an ailment, and they wanted to learn more about it. That was definitely one reason. Another reason is because they felt like they would make more money. They said that you know, you know, and it is above, you know, minimum wage. You can do pretty well, you know, in those fields, you know. But so I really believe that, from based on what they have told me, that those are some of the reasons as to why they are pursuing that type of degree. Now, you mentioned something about the gap. What was that question about?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, closing the gaps. You know the gaps, gender gaps in STEM. So my point is you know we're we've seen an increase, I mean I mean in the reduction between the male and the females, right? You know, in the STEM fields Right, and you've talked about in the biological right biological fields like biomedicine, and we're talking about health field there has been an increase, there's been a closing of the gaps between and the female, and so that was what I was talking about and you answered that very beautifully. And you also answered the contributing factor. You mentioned that for some of the students that you have, the reason why they're going into nursing, for example, is because they're trying to help family members. So I think that that is. I like those answers. So now, what other areas do you think there needs to be more efforts to close this? You know the gaps, the gender gaps Are there any other?
Speaker 1:areas.
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely, there's a vast amount of areas. You know, if you think about aerospace aerospace that's a huge one that there's also computer science. Computer science I mean because to me I'm gonna be honest with you when we talk about STEM technology is the foundation. Now, to me, you must know technology. I don't care what field you're in, you know. And then you also have civil engineering, you know. So there are many areas, but you know, I think that a lot of it has to do with the fact.
Speaker 2:The reason why we don't see representation is because you'll find that most people who pursue STEM, ok, they have a parent that's already in the STEM field, so they are exposed to it, so we have this, we don't have the exposure. And then if you don't have someone like who I came across, you know people who told me okay, you know, we believe in you, you can do this, you're good at what you do Then you know it's hard for them to imagine that they can be in that space. And then, especially, if you don't see that representation, someone that looks like you or you know, or close to you, so you're going to have and that's why you're going to continue to have that unless you have, and also the parents. We need parents to be informed so that they can say you know, let me try this. Okay, you may not want to do it, but let's at least try it, because there are programs out there that are actually free, that are given this type of exposure, you know, but we need those parents to get those children there.
Speaker 2:Or you need, if, if you can't, if you don't have a parent to do it, maybe you have some type of counselor at school. They need to be promoting that to their students, especially, you know, just to give them the opportunity to be exposed to it. Because I, when I um, when people saw what I was doing people who I grew up with they were like, wow, I feel like, you know, I missed my calling because we just weren't exposed to it. So you'd be surprised how many people could actually do these things it does. It is hard work, but, like I said, life is hard. However, but if you don't know anything about it, you know, you don't know it exists, so how would you know to pursue it?
Speaker 1:That is true. You mentioned parents. That's a really great point, but how do we get the parents to see the value in this? How do we do that? And that's a really great point. But how do we get the parents to see the value in this? How do we do that?
Speaker 2:And that's why I said if you can't get to the parents, you have to hope that the counselors. You know there has to be somebody you know what I mean that can be this vehicle to help get these children in. And let me tell you, the teachers are the ones who have access to these children and you know, and my thing is, they may have to promote it. You know, teaching is a hard job.
Speaker 2:You know, a lot of people take that for granted. You're dealing with a lot of students but you know there's a lot of information that's filtered down. I know that there are colleges that let schools know about different programs and you know, and they're not always a fee. You know for those programs and even if there is, they have like this sliding fee scale or something you know where they could pay a nominal fee. But it's important that you know teachers. You know you have to seek out and find out what's available and offer it to your students. You know and hopefully you can stimulate some type of interest or spark interest in that student.
Speaker 1:I kind of like the fact that you're connecting teachers and parents. I think that collaboration between teachers and parents could be a powerful one, because a lot of times, probably, the parents are not aware. So what is the way, what is the most easiest way for the policymakers or, you know, to people that are trying to bring about change in STEM, to reach parents, to change parents' mind? Well, going to them directly it's good, but it's really hard. But I think that going through the school, through the teachers, and making sure that teachers have a buy-in and the counselors have a buy-in.
Speaker 1:But again, this is a place whereby there could be a naysayers, whereby they say, well, stem is not the only thing. Well, guess what? Stem is connected to so many. That's why we call it STEM right or STEAM. That's why we call it STEAM right, absolutely. So I think that is a really very good point.
Speaker 1:I think people in power, people in places to make policy change, I think they need to pay attention to what you're saying, that the way to really get to parents is through the counselors, through the teachers. When the administrators emphasize that, and also it comes from the counselors, through the teachers. When the administrators emphasize that Also, it comes from the top. One of the things that I have also noticed, in my view, is that I've only had, since I've been teaching 20 years, I've only had one administrator maybe now the second administrator that I have my current administrator that really see the value of STEM, that pushes STEM, and maybe because I'm in a CTE school too right, but I'm not trying to put the other principal administrators down, but I've been so frustrated and that is one of the reasons why I wanted to get into administration, because there has to be someone that sees the importance of STEM and pushes STEAM right.
Speaker 1:When you push those initiatives right then in our community, then there's going to be a sea change. But when the administrator on the top doesn't look at it that way, doesn't see the importance of STEAM, doesn't push the STEAM initiative within his school or her school, then the students and the teachers will not even know that this is a call to action. This is what we need to do. So I like that point and I hope that somebody that is listening, you know, heard you on that, because I think that that's a very critical point. You want to say something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do, because I'm really surprised that there's this disconnect, that people don't see the value in STEM, because science is about everything you know. And then you're talking about technology. That is the foundation of society. You have to have some type of tech. You know experience. That's no getting away from that. Engineering is how you create things, okay. And then math. You're talking about finances. Now I'm seeing a big push towards schools implementing financing. You know finances, so I think that is a good thing. So I think that for some reason, it sounded foreign to people, but it's basically all incorporated into society, I think. So I don't know where that misunderstanding came. I'm not clear on that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think we have talked. Then the next question. Thank you so much for that point. The next question is how can we continue to support and encourage more women to pursue and thrive in traditional, male-dominated STEM field? So do you want to touch upon that? I know I think we've touched upon it a little bit, but A little bit, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, I definitely think you need representation. I definitely think you know people need to actually see themselves. I think that you know early exposure, early exposure I definitely think people need to actually see themselves. I think that early exposure, early exposure I really think that, especially in our communities and, like I said, I was working with youth as young as five and I was giving them authentic STEM applications so that they could see what this was really about. I also think you're just going to have to have exposure. Exposure is a huge thing.
Speaker 2:You know I try to mentor. You need mentors. You know I try to mentor individuals. I encourage people to pursue the field, I give them the real facts about it and I also let them know the truth about it as well, because I came across a college student one time that told me that she had an internship and it was male dominated and they kind of pushed her out and you know, and that's because she didn't have that strength and I think that that's because she was exposed later. But you know she's doing much better now, but she didn't have anyone to talk to. So you need to find someone who can actually mentor you and assist you through these challenges, because I had those challenges as well.
Speaker 2:You know I had situations where I don't know it was crazy, but you know, I think because I was a more mature student. But if you think about somebody who's like 22, 25 coming in, you know that could be a little difficult for them, and I get it, because you don't have the tools to deal with that and you probably have not ever encountered that before, so that could be very intimidating. However, see, I was a much more mature student, so I was able to, you know, deal with those situations. They still caught me off guard, but I felt very confident in my knowledge, you see, so it's yeah, so it's just not a, you know, an easy thing, but those are some of the things you definitely need to seek out someone who could help you through those things, yeah.
