Online Program

Resilience in STEM: Navigating Common Mental Traps (309990)

Keywords: resiliency, STEM, learning, growth, staff retention, diversity, innovation, cross-functional collaboration

This presentation will discuss some mental traps no one in STEM tells you about and how to navigate them. After attending WISDS 2018 as a mid-career research professional, I felt compelled to make some significant changes and conquer my STEM demons. I met a wide variety of highly driven people along the way during data analytics boot camp, a full-time analytics master’s program, and a data scientist job search. We each experienced a lot of intense ups and derailing downs. Reflecting on what we went through, I have identified common challenges that seem specific to STEM. I call them Researcher’s Doubt (navigating the I don’t knows), Bewilderment (another face of curiosity) and Expert’s Humility (power of the basics). Whether you are interested in attracting and retaining technical talent, supporting people transitioning into STEM, or starting your own career, this presentation will provide insights on how we can all help people thrive in STEM.