Thriving in STEM: Lessons of Resilience, Growth, and Empowerment

In this powerful podcast interview, I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Tiffani Teachey, a senior mechanical engineer, STEM advocate, TEDx international speaker, and author.

Together, we delved into Tiffani's journey into STEM, discussing the impact of her resilience, authenticity, and passion for empowering underrepresented minorities to pursue careers in engineering. We explored the need for diversity and authenticity in male-dominated industries, and the invaluable lessons of resilience and growth.

The episode showcases the value of diversity and authenticity, and how women in leadership can inspire and empower the next generation.

Join us as we delve into Tiffani's impactful work and her mission to inspire and empower young girls and women to pursue their dreams in STEM.

On today’s show, Tiffani is going to share:

The importance of resilience
The power of a growth mindset
The transformative impact of empowering others

LISTEN NOW:

WATCH NOW:

RESOURCES:

Jump straight to these golden nuggets:

03:15 Attended math and science academy, became engineer.

06:41 Changing approach can influence others' responses.

11:36 Humor can break the tension in relationships.

14:50 Honesty, integrity, and authenticity in work.

20:10 Importance of change and resilience in growth.

22:01 Adapting and applying industry mindset in personal life.

24:32 Adapting and staying hopeful in challenging times.

27:32 Chisholm quote inspires passion to empower others.

31:37 Multilingual STEM book series inspires diverse careers.

KEY TOPICS:

Topic: Applying Engineering Principles to Life

Tiffani applies engineering design process to personal life and mindset
Emphasizes the importance of adapting and improving in life, similar to engineering
Discussion on the importance of not being stagnant and being open to change
Annemarie emphasizes the evolving nature of trust and the increasing demand for authenticity and relevance

Topic: Resilience and Growth Mindset

Tiffani shares insights on resilience, drawing from personal experiences
Annemarie discusses the need to change mindset and attitudes to overcome obstacles and learn from experiences
Tiffani highlights the importance of continuous learning, openness to feedback, and a growth mindset in building resilience and personal development

Topic: Empowerment in STEM and Diversity

Tiffani's passion for empowering young girls and women to pursue STEM careers
Emphasis on sharing stories and experiences to inspire others
Discussion on the benefits of diversity in male-dominated industries and the value of women's perspectives

Topic: Diversity and Authenticity in Professional Environments

Tiffani shares her experiences as a female engineer and the need to assert her expertise in such environments
Annemarie shares a personal anecdote about defusing a potentially awkward situation with humor
Emphasis on the importance of teamwork and being genuine and authentic in professional roles

Topic: Representation and Inspiration Through Children's Literature

Tiffani's realization of the lack of representation for engineers who look like her and her decision to write a children's book to inspire kids to pursue STEM careers
Tiffani's work as a publishing consultant to empower more children's book authors
The importance of empowering and inspiring children through literature and career possibilities

HIGHLIGHTED QUOTES:

Becoming an Engineer: “We learned the value of, you know, problem solving, different things in that manner as far as how engineering could play a role with it.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:03:20 → 00:03:27]

Empowering Girls in STEM Fields: “But if we can start early and let these girls see that they're just as smart and that plays a role with trying to encourage them.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:05:51 → 00:05:55]

Inspiring Curiosity in Education: “Having those curiosity early on, like, you have those kids just asking questions, but then you have those that might not be asking as much questions.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:08:18 → 00:08:25]

Hands-On Activities for Kids: “Doing the different hands-on activities is a great way for them to see themselves doing it and seeing how it can play a role with everyday materials using that.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:09:06 → 00:09:14]

Teamwork and Collaboration: “And just the big pieces, how can we work as a team? That whole teamwork and working together is key. And I think that's the biggest piece we have to learn when we're trying to get stuff done.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:12:56 → 00:13:06]

The Importance of Authenticity in the Workplace: “Be authentic, be genuine, and be honest, I think that's the biggest piece when you're working with others and it helps build relationships as well as positive relationships.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:15:37 → 00:15:42]

Authenticity and Integrity in Work: “You gotta be authentic. You gotta be genuine about the work that you do because the true colors come out.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:17:19 → 00:17:23]

Raising Awareness for STEM Careers: “And so the sky's the limit on just the impact, but it was that pivotal moment where I said these kids have never met anyone that looks like is an engineer.”

— Tiffani Teachey [00:31:44 → 00:31:52]

Contact Tiffani:

Website: www.stemistheway.com
Linked In: in/tiffaniteachey
Twitter: @tiffaniteachey
Instagram: @tiffaniteachey
Email: Tiffani@tiffaniteachey.com

A Personal Message from Annemarie

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YOUR SAY:

What did you think about the message shared today? What action step will you take to turn this around? Go ahead and share. We’d love to hear from you!

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[Ep#219] Thriving in STEM: Lessons of Resilience, Growth, and Empowerment