From astounding technologies to time travel and space operas, science fiction links fact with fantasy on a ride with room for everyone. In today’s world, it’s easy to find technology with roots in science fiction. Everything from medical implants to clean energy and automation, from mobile devices and virtual reality to artificial intelligence jumps out of books and short stories by such iconic authors as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and so many others. Warp engines, space elevators, and reanimated dinosaurs? Not yet, but all three continue to draw research as authors push the boundaries of science with the question both have in common: “What if?” Sci-fi’s appeal is universal. “It’s a big tent — a way to tell stories about science and technology and our hopes and fears for the future and share them across centuries, continents, and cultures,” said Lisa Yaszek, Ph.D., regents professor of science fiction studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “You can go almost anywhere in the world, and even if someone has never heard of sci-fi, they will talk your ear off about the ideas. And that’s a good thing.” Dr. Yaszek is clear that science fiction authors aren’t prophetic, but that their “predictions” are a complex set of extrapolations. “They’re actually a lot like scientists but with more freedom to play,” she said. “They look for trends in science and society, asking ‘what if’ and building distant futures, perhaps giving scientists new vocabularies for things they either want or never want to do.”

Artificial intelligence has become a permanent part of our lives. While it may seem new to many, it’s actually been around since the mid-1950s. Our collective familiarity with a type of AI started with Google search, a tool most of us would consider indispensable. And now, some 27 years after Google’s launch, AI has gone mainstream and picked up a lot of steam along the way. According to The Conference Board, a nonprofit business and research organization, 56% of US workers use AI on the job, with nearly one in ten employing the technology on a daily basis. Just over 50% of survey respondents said that the AI tools they use “match the quality of an experienced or expert human worker,” which indicates that AI usage will only increase as time goes by. While some of us are still wrapping our heads around artificial intelligence and wondering how it will impact our lives, some AWIS members have already taken the plunge into the AI pool, and recently shared some insights.

In this new episode of Diverse, Ucheonye Maple, leadership expert, author, and founder of the Women Who Leap Community, explores the evolving landscape of leadership in high-stakes industries like aerospace and defense, emphasizing the crucial role of empathy, communication, and adaptability. From navigating generational differences to building inclusive work environments, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways for leaders at all levels.

Becoming an artificial intelligence scientist was a difficult journey, but E. Willa Simpson is proud of her achievements. Her decision to become an artificial intelligence scientist is one of the best choices she has made in her entire life, but the road has not been easy and was paved with many bumps along the way. Interestingly, many of them came as she moved closer to achieving her goal. She was balancing the pressures of being a single mom, raising a Presidential scholar, work demands, and then came the diagnosis of a serious, life-threatening medical condition. However, she was determined that she wouldn’t give up. From long before she set out to achieve such a major accomplishment, she realized that reaching that goal wasn’t really just about her. She needed to make a mark on society and get to the finish line, in part because she realized that she come from a long line of ancestors including some who endured the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Trail of Tears, neither of which were so long ago. As an Afro-Indigenous woman, she understands that many of the individuals she descended from did not have the opportunity to realize their own dreams. Through her life and work, she also wanted to honor the life of her brother (who passed away in 1993 as a result of a tragic car accident) and the lives of her parents, who made enormous sacrifices in order to allow their children to pursue a college education and to reach for our dreams. her academic journey would lead her from being a masters student preparing to give birth to her first child, to pursuing a doctoral degree, to achieving her international credentials, and finally to become one of the few African American women A.I. Scientists. Becoming one of the firsts in a field largely occupied by men and women who far too often do not look like her, she hoped would represent some form of testament or confirmation to others that if she could do it, they could too. she wanted her daughter and other young people to know that they can accomplish their dreams if they are willing to work hard and truly commit themselves to achieving this hope.

In 2004, computer science (CS) education at the K-12 level in the U.S. was underdeveloped, fragmented, and focused on basic computer literacy skills rather than computational thinking or programming. Access to CS education was also highly unequal, with gender, racial, and socioeconomic barriers contributing to limited access opportunities for students from historically underrepresented communities. The lack of emphasis on CS education infrastructure at the state and federal level, balanced by a growing number of advocates in the K-16 space meant that there was room for innovation and fresh thinking on how to build interest in the subject of computing. Barriers to CS education at the K-12 level led to disparate participation at the post-secondary levels with lower numbers of women and others from historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups in computing than expected given population sizes. In 2004, data on students with disabilities in CS programs specifically were scarce, and individuals with disabilities were underrepresented in higher education overall. Conceived as a multi-pronged way to focus on solutions to “the underrepresentation and disparities among women, persons with disabilities, Black and African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos/Latinas, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders,” the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) first solicitation for Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) Alliances was issued in 2005. The NSF BPC Alliances work nationally through a wide variety of activities including outreach, advocacy, support programs, convenings, research and other interventions to cultivate a diverse and inclusive computing workforce and research community. While there are many projects funded by NSF, as well as private foundations, colleges, universities and school districts that also contribute to the diversification of computing from K-12 through industry, this article focuses on the currently funded BPC Alliances. NSF BPC Alliances differ from other NSF-funded projects in that they are large coalitions with a national focus, that “design and carry out comprehensive programs addressing underrepresentation in the computing disciplines…. Collectively, Alliances serve as a national resource for achieving the transformation of computing education.” Because the Alliances serve as a national resource, their approaches and accomplishments are shared to raise awareness of their resources and encourage new collaborations.

The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science program awards five women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants for their contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. The For Women in Science program was created out of a simple belief: the world needs science, and science needs women because women in science have the power to change the world. The program is the U.S. component of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Fellowships program. Celebrating its twenty first year in the U.S., the For Women in Science program has awarded 105 postdoctoral women scientists over $5 million in grants. L’Oréal USA partners with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to manage the program’s application and peer-review process. Each year, the program attracts talented applicants from diverse STEM fields, representing some of the nation’s leading academic institutions and laboratories.
You can watch feature films on each of the 2024 Awardees.

Tatianna Miller, a clinical health and wellness counselor and corporate consultant, espoused this key message in a recent AWIS webinar and focused on the importance of resilience for those working in demanding STEM fields. Miller offers support to professionals who want to improve strategic self-development and emotional intelligence skills so that they can better navigate highpressure environments. In the webinar, she emphasized that resilience lies at the heart of successful scientific work. Whether we work in research or any other profession, our ability to adapt, pivot, and learn from setbacks is essential. Every experiment, every breakthrough, and even every failure contributes to building resilience, she explained. A central theme of her presentation was that life is unpredictable—a roller coaster of highs, lows, and everything in between. Miller urged us to stop trying to control external circumstances and to focus instead on how we respond to life’s challenges. This intention requires to manage it effectively. Stress, she explains, is actually a building block of resilience. Crucially, we must strive for flexibility in how we adjust our plans and manage our emotional responses when things don’t go as expected. self-awareness, reflection, and an openness to change. Just as scientists remain open to unexpected results in their experiments, so too must we stay open to the twists and turns that life presents. Miller warns of the danger of clinging to unrealistic expectations about careers, relationships, or personal achievements. These illusions can lead to disappointment, especially for women who often juggle professional and family responsibilities. Such disappointment, in turn, can make life feel like mere survival rather than like a journey toward fulfillment. By shifting our focus inward, acknowledging our current reality, and staying open to change, we can foster a healthier, more resilient mindset.

Emmanuelle Charpentier, PhD, is a French professor and researcher in microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry. She earned her PhD from the Institut Pasteur in 1995, researching molecular mechanisms involved in antibiotic resistance. She moved to the US in 1996 and stayed for five years, working at several institutes, including Rockefeller University, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In 2002 Charpentier returned to Europe. In 2011, Charpentier met Jennifer Doudna at a research conference and they began a collaboration. Together they developed the CRISPR-Cas9 system as a simple gene-editing tool. This discovery reduces the time and work needed to edit genomic DNA. In 2020, Doudna and Charpentier were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this discovery.

The Internet has played a significant role in the democratization of STEM learning. However, there is still much work to be done. It can be challenging to find meaningful authentic lessons for STEM learning and hands-on project-based activities. Searching online for the topic “simple machines” will lead to pages and pages of results. Even when one finds a decent looking resource, many of them: Lack scaffolding and supporting materials; Are confusing; Can lead to misconceptions; Only provide surface level learning; Are more like directed crafting; Have limited assessments; Are not aligned to standards. To provide true and equitable access to STEM learning, the communities need access to learning resources that provide fun and engaging guided activities that are inspired and evaluated by STEM educators and STEM professionals. Research has shown that underrepresented minoritized (URM) students studying STEM face many challenges, including inadequate K12 STEM experiences, financial concerns, and hostile academic environments. Teachers may unknowingly discourage URM students to study STEM due to unconscious biases. These factors, combined with the lack of opportunities and limited resources, drive many URM students away from majoring in STEM fields. To help combat these negative influences, teachers and students need STEM activities that are engaging, low-cost, and standards-aligned.

Sylvie Lombardi, senior R&D director at BD, discusses her journey in biomedical engineering and the rewarding impact her work has on physicians and patients in this episode of Diverse. Hear how Lombardi’s childhood dreams of becoming a doctor influenced her path in STEM, her advice for aspiring engineers in the medical technology space, and the growth opportunities that BD provided throughout her career.