Modern Figures Podcast

Episode 39 – Young, Gifted, and Black-ademic Part 1 Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Twitter: .@jeremywaisome .@Dr_Kyla Episode Description: This episode is part of a series dedicated to giving the Modern Figures Podcast listeners the inside scoop of a career in academia directly from our hosts, Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen. From mapping out a career path...

Episode 38 – Big Brain Energy Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Sayde King Twitter: .@sayde_king Episode Description: DOne of our loyal listeners, Sayde King, joins us to share how the Modern Figures podcast changed her life. Sayde shares her career journey from being the IT person in high school to being a Phd student in Computer Science and Engineering. Learn ho...

Episode 37 – Black ComputeHER: Chicken Soup for the Soul Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Jamika Burge Twitter: .@jdburge @b lackcomputeher Episode Description: Dr. Jamika Burge joins us for her second appearance on the Modern Figures Podcast. She talks about the origin of the BlackComputeHER conference and how it focuses on the intersection of identity while...

Episode 36 – Not Your Average Computer Scientist (part 2) Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Christina Gardner-McCune Twitter: @Dr_GMcCune @EngLearnLab_UF Episode Description: In part two of this two-part episode, we hear what Christina has been up to in the AIforK12 space. Christina’s Bio – Dr. Gardner-McCune is currently an associate professo...

Episode 35 – Not Your Average Computer Scientist Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Christina Gardner-McCune Twitter: @Dr_GMcCune @EngLearnLab_UF Episode Description: In part one of this two-part episode, we hear the origin story of someone who was not your average computer scientist growing up. Dr. Christina Gardner-McCune was not “sitting around buildin...

Episode 34 – All The Resources Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guests: Daniela Cárdenas, Alejandra Guzmán, and Elyse Okwu Episode Description: In this episode, Alejandra, Daniela, and Elyse discuss all of the resources! This dynamic trio works within the Computing Research Association to manage, organize, and implement programs that create positive experiences for individua...

Episode 33 – Securing the Technical Bag Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guests: Portia Kibble Smith and Dr. Katherine Picho-Kiroga Portia’s LinkedIn : Portia Kibble Smith Portia’s Email : [listen for it in the episode … because … bots] Katherine’s Twitter : @drkpicho Katherine’s LinkedIn :   Katherine Picho-Kiroga Katherine...

Episode 32 – Cultivating Tech Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Nashlie Sephus Nashlie’s LinkedIn: Nashlie Sephus, Ph. D. Nashlie’s Twitter: @phenomenashlie Nashlie’s Instagram: @phenomenashlie Nashlie’s Ted Talk: “ The How and Why of Diversity in Tech “ Bean Path Instagram:  @TheBeanPath Episode Description: ...

Episode 31 – Like a Kid in a Computing Store Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Amber Johnson Avery Amber’s Instagram: @CallMeRudy Kidult’s Instagram: @TheKidultLife Bean Path Instagram:  @TheBeanPath Episode Description:  Being the first Black woman to earn a PhD in Computer Science at Purdue University is only one part of Amber’s st...

Episode 29 – Big STEM Energy Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Karina Liles Karina’s Instagram: @DrKLiles Karina’s Facebook: @Karina. Liles STEM Truck’s Instagram: @S TEMTruck STEM Truck’s Facebook: @STEMTruck Description: Dr. Karina Liles is nothing short of amazing. She has been using technology to solve problems from a young age. Fro...

Episode 29 – Applying Pressure Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guests: Erik Russell and Dr. Burçin Tamer Description: If you’ve watched Disney’s newest hit movie Encanto, you can relate to this episode. We all feel like Luisa at times, but instead of crumbling under the weight of the pressure to address inequities in computing, the Computing Research Association is app...

Episode 28 – Wandavision Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Wanda Eugene Description:  Dr. Wanda Eugene, an actor turned engineer, has ALL of the degrees. She found her home and community in engineering through an unlikely path. Hear about how she uses her expertise in computer science, industrial engineering, instructional technology, entrepreneurship, and African-...

Episode 27 – Guess Who’s Back, Back Again Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Description:  We are back (again). We have a *BIG* update (listen until the end). In this episode, we reflect a bit on the progress of the podcast so far. Listen to hear what we have been up to since the panini press began, podcast updates, job updates, life updates, and&#160...

Episode 26 – Best Revenge is Your Paper Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Pamela Gibbs Website:  http://www.pamelasgibbs.com Instagram: @pamelaDisrupts Twitter: @ pameladisrupts LinkedIn: Pamela Gibbs Description:  From a young age, Pamela Gibbs wanted to know all the things. As an avid reader, her interest in solving the great mysteries of the...

Episode 25 – Corporate-ish. Identity, Retention: Her Passion, Our Mission. Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Denae Ford Robinson  Website:  http://denaeford.me Twitter: @ denaefordrobin LinkedIn: Dr. Denae Ford Robinson Description: If you visit Dr. Denae Ford Robinson’s website you’ll learn a lot about her. One of the first things yo...

Episode 24 – Working Moms Get The Job Done Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Gloria Opoku-Boateng Instagram: @ glowhyia Twitter: @ glowhyiaOB LinkedIn: Dr. Gloria Opoku-Boateng Description: Gloria Opoku-Boateng met Kyla at the 2018 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference. And Kyla knew we had to interview her to share her unique story. She started...

Episode 23 – Educating the Tech Workforce Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Lauren Thomas Quigley Instagram: @ blackGirlSTEMMagic Twitter: @ laurendthomas1 LinkedIn: Dr. Lauren Thomas Quigley Description: Here’s a secret: you don’t have to get a degree in computing to have a career in the tech industry. Our next guest has degrees in physics, optical...

Episode 22 – Ask Us Anything – Diversity and Inclusion Edition Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Description: In late 2019 we asked our followers on social media what they wanted to know. At the time, it was a chance to encourage participation from attendees at the Grace Hopper Celebration in Orlando in a social media challenge. But after reviewing all of the...

Episode 21 – The “Secret Sauce” Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Juan Gilbert Website:  www.juangilbert.com Twitter: @ DrJuanGilbert LinkedIn: Dr. Juan Gilbert Description: Dr. Juan Gilbert is passionate about diversifying computer science and the professoriate. He is a first generation college student whose parents instilled in him the value of educat...

Purchase the Book Episode 20 – Blazing Trails: Catch this Smoke Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Nicki Washington Website:  www.nickiwashington.com Instagram: @ drnickiw Twitter: @ dr_nickiw LinkedIn: A. Nicki Washington Description: Dr. Nicki Washington is unapologetically dope. She literally wrote the book. No, seriously! Her book entitled, Unapologetically Dope...

Episode 19 – Lessons from a 14-year old Tech Boss Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Moria Bowman Zinger Website – Zinger App Description: At 14 years of age, Jeremy and Kyla couldn’t have imagined being the CEO of a tech company. Today’s guest, Moria Bowman , has been working on businesses since she was 10! Growing up in an entrepreneurial family inspir...

Episode 18 – Securing the Bag with Digital Swag Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Jasmine Bowers Guest and Host Shirts are in Our Store Website – www.jasminebowers.com LinkedIn – Jasmine Bowers Instagram – @JasmineDBowers Twitter – @JasmineDBowers Description: Jasmine Bowers is a doctoral candidate researching digital finance privacy and securit...

Episode 17 – Ask Us Anything  – Higher Education Edition Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Description:  In late 2019,  we asked our followers on social media what they wanted to know. At the time, it was a chance to encourage participation from attendees at the Grace Hopper Celebration in Orlando in a social media challenge. But after reviewing all...

Episode 16 – Holding Space and Interrogating Privilege Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Colleen Lewis LinkedIn – Dr. Colleen Lewis Twitter – @CSTeachingTips Web – CSTeachingTips.org Description:   Dr. Colleen Lewis is our favorite ally for underrepresented populations in computing. Though she is a white female, we felt it was impor...

Episode 15 – Big Goals & Big Data Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Dr. Renata Rawlings-Goss  LinkedIn – Dr. Renata Rawlings-Goss Twitter – @GossRenata Web – Good With Data Description: Would you say no to the Alvin-Ailey Dance School? Dr. Renata Rawlings-Goss did in the name of science! Though she was enrolled in a competitive perf...