Ep 72: Stephanie Espy: Exposure to The Possibilities

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Stephanie Espy, Founder and CEO of MathSP (https://mathsp.com/) and STEM Gems (http://stemgemsbook.com/).  Stephanie shares a common goal with Diva Tech Talk (www.divatechtalk.com) to support the next generation of female STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) practitioners. Both of Stephanie’s parents are engineers and three of her siblings are connected to STEM. “Engineering and science are two main career paths my family has taken.” Stephanie was also influenced by “really fabulous teachers”as early as elementary school, extending through secondary education and college.

After high school, Stephanie moved from Georgia to Massachusetts to attend MIT (www.mit.edu ). There she “thrived because of the community” and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering.  Her penchant for bonding with others in her dorm, in her major and “with other women of color on campus” got her through the “difficult moments.” Stephanie successfully completed research projects and worked at many internships which “helped solidify my understanding of how engineers make a difference in the world.”  She matriculated to the University of California, Berkeley (https://www.berkeley.edu/) for her graduate degree in chemical engineering.  She also accrued corporate experience, working with polymers in a manufacturing plant; using various rubber-producing plants at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve quality and yield of U.S.-grown natural rubber; and as a chemical engineer in the oil and gas industry at BP (www.bp.com).  She also decided to get a business degree to complement her graduate degree in chemical engineering.  “I landed at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School” (http://www.goizueta.emory.edu/) where Stephanie earned her MBA.  At Goizueta, she “shifted gears; I got this entrepreneurial ‘bug’ and that drove me to want to create something, my own way of helping to close the gender gap in STEM.”

Stephanie said “most of my experiences had been in male-dominated environments. I yearned for more representation” by women and people of color.  She founded MathSP a decade ago. “S stands for strategies; and P stands for problem-solving.” The company’s premise is “in order to enter a STEM career, you must have a solid foundation in math and science.” Her venture helps male and female students at all levels “uncover gaps in their foundation and close them, helping them become more ‘STEM-fluent:’ better problem-solvers, independent thinkers and life-long learners.”  

She also saw a need to serve girls “in their own special way.”  In 2014, Stephanie founded STEM Gems (http://stemgemsbook.com/), which began as a book but has morphed into “a movement.”  Its aim is “to expose girls and young women to careers and role models in STEM.”  It offers its audience exposure to career opportunities that “they did not even know existed.”  In addition to the variety of career choices, STEM Gems also give girls exposure to role models working in science, technology and math.  “These are things you, as a girl, can do!” The STEM Gems book features 44 different women and their diverse careers, like data science, global health science, environmental engineering, archaeology, entomology, biotechnology, animation and a plethora of others.  

“There are so many careers out there that people don’t really think about,” Stephanie exclaimed.  STEM Gems is shining a light on many of them. “A lot of research went into finding STEM women leaders, highlighting their accomplishments and advice, interviewing all of them,” and spotlighting the biggest thing: “how they make a difference in the world and help people.”  A challenge was also to put those stories into the language of children “so a 10-year old girl could pick up the book, read it, and understand. It has touched so many lives, both through the book and the STEM Gems Clubs!” The clubs focus on groups reading the book and following a curriculum (with adult community members leading). They began in the last 12 months, and have spread through the United States.  “It is a ‘tribe setting,’ and shows you that you are never alone in your pursuit of greatness,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie has learned many leadership lessons throughout her career: “Never, ever, give up, despite the odds.”  Do not be intimidated. “Walk into a room and sit at the table…” invariably letting your voice be heard. Speak up and speak out. And “you cannot shy away from a challenge.” Get comfortable “being a trailblazer.”

Stephanie’s parting tips for women and girls to succeed include:

• “Be a part of the community. You can’t do much alone.”   To that end, she recommends membership in many of the national and regional professional associations that offer resources, support and fellowship.
• “Be a mentor to the next generation. Be a role model to many; and pick a few for whom you can really have an impact on their journey.”

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