In The Margins EP157: Navigating Access and Opportunity in STEMM with Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez
In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez, Director of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance (SOA) at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), sits down in the pod to talk about STEMM education, workforce development, equity, and policy advancement.
From growing up in Indiana to earning her PhD in immunology, Rodriguez shares how a teacher’s spark changed the trajectory of her life — and informs her work to empower future scientists.
In this conversation, with Diverse host Ralph Newell, she dives deep into the challenges and opportunities facing STEMM education, including funding cuts, threats to DEI, as well as the crucial role of community colleges.
Rodriguez explains how she leads SOA’s national strategy to create seamless, equitable STEMM pathways, especially for underrepresented communities, and shares how 280+ organizations are supporting in coalition to build a more inclusive, innovative STEMM future.
Ready to understand the movement building tomorrow's diverse scientific workforce?
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KEY POINTS:
- Rodriguez’s Midwest upbringing and the reason behind her passion for science
- Her transition from immunology research to policy, education, and systemic change
- Why she believes “luck” shouldn’t determine access to STEMM careers
- The STEMM Opportunity Alliance’s mission: to grow a diverse STEMM workforce by 2050
- The five pillars of SOA: engagement, inspiration, discovery, innovation and opportunity
- How funding cuts are impacting research, equity, and student opportunity
- The critical and evolving role of community colleges in STEMM training and apprenticeships
- Facing challenges in DEI efforts and how SOA is helping partners to adapt and persist
- What’s next? Implement co-created strategies and build coalition resilience
Quotes:
“If your organization is involved in helping people get from curiosity to learning to career in STEMM, then there are resources and community available inside of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance.” – Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez
“The goal here is to make sure that the needs of one are being supported by the system that is doing the work — downstream and upstream.” – Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez
Resources:
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) | Stephanie Rodriguez
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Closed captioning and live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).