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From biology to biomedical research, and ultimately high performance computing, Dr. Raquell Holmes has had a very “circuitous” journey.

In college, she had professors who weren’t able to help foster her interest in mathematics. But one professor gave her the support she needed, by giving her a window into the life of research. It wasn’t until she was working on her graduate school research that she became interested in the world of computing. Today, her work of bringing computing to teachers, schools, and other scientists is done through her nonprofit organization, ImprovScience, where she invites people to play at work through improvisation.

Tune in as Dr. Holmes explains many aspects of her identity which were formed in her youth that influences who she is today. Our favorite quote from this episode podcast is related to the importance of finding community. She stated “I get to be Black the way I’m black,” and we feel that!

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With parents in computing, a career in CS was a natural fit for Dr. Day. Math was her favorite subject because she could check her answers. She was developing websites in middle school and by the time she reached HS she knew she wanted to attain a PhD. Dr. Day is the first woman to receive a PhD from NCA&T.

In this episode, you’ll learn how faith, determination, and hard work are what she believes led to her success. And she shares the importance of having multiple mentors, which may even include your parents.

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?Humanities in technology and culture in research. Users in design and training the teacher. Branding herself for conscious customizing. These are a few of Nancy’s favorite things. ?
In this episode, Nancy schools us on the importance of inclusive UX (user experience) design and adapting technology to have a conscience. It’s impossible to design for a population that you don’t seek to understand, and she has made this her brand.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Episode 4 – Computer Science is for Everyone Hosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy Waisome Guest: Dr. Jamika Burge Description: : 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…

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Episode 3 – Why is This Even Important? Part 2: The Secret Life of the “Only” Magical Black Girl Hosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy Waisome NCWIT Contributor: Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder Guest: Dr. Stacie LeSure Description: True support for underrepresented science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing students in higher education is rare. To combat issues of…

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Episode 2 – Why is This Even Important? Part 1: I Can’t Fake Humble… Hosts: Dr. Kyla McMullen and Dr. Jeremy Waisome NCWIT Contributor: Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder Guest: Dr. Stacie LeSure Description: 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….

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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…