Black History Month: Black's in Tech II

Albeit short, I’m thankful for this period where Black History is taught and celebrated. Continuing with the theme of Black’s in Tech I took a closer look at my network and wanted to share with you four more people who are making great strides in STEM learning, renewable energy, clinical research and technology. Why you ask? Because representation matters and you can’t aspire to what you don’t know.

Michelle Williams, Ph.D. is the Founder & CEO of Williams Learning Solutions, Inc. (WLS), which prepares students for STEM-related jobs at all levels. She is a disrupter in the education industry by providing education through a cloud-based cognitive learning platform for K-12 youth in science. The platform and cognitive engine personalizes teaching with just-in-time guidance, accelerates learning and engages students with a unique simulated environment.

Michelle was an associate professor of science education for 10 years at Michigan State University. Her research on effective ways to teach K-12 youth in science resulted in the receipt of several million dollars in funding from the National Science Foundation to study how to extend STEM education to all students. She has developed science curriculum materials and conducted research that makes instruction successful for all learners.

Lisa Dyson, MIT PhD, is the founder & CEO of Kiverdi, a technology company on the path to develop innovations going beyond traditional agriculture to help feed and power the world.

This is critical because our food system, including agriculture and deforestation, contributes about 20% of the global emissions of greenhouse gases. When it comes to the meat industry, for example, each cow produces the same amount of greenhouse gases as a car. So, how do we live sustainably today while also implementing new practices to ensure that we have a healthy planet as our population continues to grow to nearly 10 billion people by 2050?

Lisa’s company is commercializing a NASA-inspired concept originally meant to enable the recycling of carbon dioxide onboard spacecraft, to convert carbon dioxide, which is in the air we breathe, into raw materials that can be used to make everyday products, including protein, by using a process very similar to brewing beer. Even better, this “brewed” protein contains all of the essential amino acids needed for a healthy diet.

Lisa is driven every day to bring this and our other carbon recycling solutions to market in order to contribute to a healthier and more sustainable future. To learn more about Dr. Dyson’s technology listen to her Ted Talk “A forgotten Space Age technology could change how we grow food.” Visit: Kiverdi

Owen Garrick, MD MBA is President and CEO of Bridge Clinical Research. He has overall responsibility for the Clinical Trials, Health Services Research and Healthcare Communications business units. Bridge Clinical is a global contract research and health communications firm focused on drug development, scientific advancement and patient engagement.

Historically, people of color have been underrepresented in clinical trials. The impact of this is that you cannot know for certain if therapies that are on the market are as effective in people of color. In fact, it was not too long ago that most clinical trials were only done with white men.

To learn more about Dr. Garrick’s research listen to Tuskegee and the Health of Black Men video. Visit: Bridge Clinical Research

Clarence Wooten is a serial Internet entrepreneur who’s been creating, building and selling Internet startups since 1998. He co-founded ImageCafe, founded Groupsite.com a self-serve SaaS platform for building private, branded communities of interest. In 2011 he founded Progressly, an enterprise platform for executing business processes and monitoring progress across organizations.

STEAMRole is a skill and career-development mobile app that showcases inspirational videos and skill roadmaps from successful professionals with careers in science, tech, engineering, art/design and mathematics. Now anyone can learn, earn and return. Because you cannot be, what you cannot see. Visit: STEAMRole.org

STEAMRole is also building a blockchain ecosystem to being transparency to STEM/STEAM education spending by creating RoleCoin, a digital currency that tracks and measures the skill and career development progress of its recipient. Philanthropic foundations, impact investors and family offices finally have a way to track the long-term impact of the $100+ billion annual investments in STEM and STEAM education. RoleCoin tracks proof-of-progress as it happens on STEAMRole. Visit: RoleCoin.io