Applied Research on Building Thriving Communities in Our STEMM Professional Societies
STEMM professional societies are best positioned to achieve their missions when the communities they serve are thriving. In this ERN webinar, panelists from the Professional STEMM Societies Working Group and the Students and Professionals with Disabilities Working Group share findings, experiences, and recommendations from their work on building thriving communities in STEM professional societies.
When: June 24, 2025 at 3:00pm – 4:00pm EST
Where: Zoom – Recording Available Here
With Speakers:
Stephani Page, PhD, Managing Dir. of Programs, Strategic Initiatives, and Community Engagement
Dr. Stephani Page is the Managing Director of Programs, Strategic Initiatives, and Community Engagement for the Women in Engineering ProActive Network, and serves as Community Manager for the ARC Network. She is a STEM equity and community engagement professional who has over 15 years of biological and biomedical academic research experience. She earned her doctorate in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Page is a proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a bachelors and masters in Chemical Engineering and Biology, respectively.
In 2014, Dr. Page earned the highest honor awarded to a graduate student in her PhD department, Diane Harris Leadership Award for Exemplary Research, Education, and Public Service. She has been recognized as a researcher by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Biophysical Society, and the American Heart Association. Throughout her career as a scientist, Dr. Page has been committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the academy and STEM. She is the creator of the #BLACKandSTEM community which has a social media following of nearly 17,000 individuals and organizations.
Over the years, she has contributed to several major efforts to improve the scientific workforce and education through experiences such as serving on the NIH’s working group for the Next Generation Researchers Initiative and contributing a commissioned paper for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) report on Mentoring in STEMM (the additional ‘M’ stands for medicine). Dr. Page has also been committed to science communication and engagement through several activities such as serving as an Impactor for the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and speaking at conferences such as Dragon Con and South by Southwest (SXSW). In her rule as ARC Network Community Manager, she leads communications and community engagement for the ADVANCE Resource and Coordination (ARC) Network, an NSF-ADVANCE funded STEM equity brain trust.
Rochelle L. Williams, Ph.D., Executive Director, Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD) and President of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN)
Rochelle L. Williams, Ph.D. is an engineer, educator, and advocate for equity in STEM. She serves as Executive Director of Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD) and President of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN), leading efforts to expand access and inclusion in the STEM ecosystem. With over 14 years of experience in nonprofit leadership—including roles at NSBE, AWIS, and ABET—she has advanced strategy, programming, and policy in support of underrepresented communities. Dr. Williams is a former Christine Mirzayan Fellow with the National Academies and is deeply committed to the advancement of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She holds a B.S. in Physics from Spelman College and both a Master of Engineering and Ph.D. from Southern University and A&M College.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellelwilliamsphd/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/graduate-fellowships-for-stem-diversity/posts/?feedView=all
Dr. Talitha Washington, Executive Director, Center for Applied Data Science & Analytics, Howard University
Dr. Talitha Washington is Executive Director of the Center for Applied Data Science & Analytics (CADSA) at Howard University, where she leads efforts to harness data for impactful research, expanded education, and global innovation. She holds the Sean McCleese Endowed Chair in Computer Science, Race, and Social Justice, is a Professor of Mathematics, and co-chairs Howard’s AI Advisory Council. Previously, she served as a Program Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation and as President of the Association for Women in Mathematics. Her research spans applied mathematics, dynamical systems, data science, artificial intelligence, and STEM education. Dr. Washington earned her bachelor’s degree from Spelman College, including study abroad in Mexico, and her master’s and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Connecticut, which later awarded her an honorary doctorate. She is a Fellow of the AWM, the American Mathematical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
LinkedIn: Your social media handles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talithawashington/ & https://x.com/doctor_talitha , https://ouc.howard.edu/our-services/social-media/hu-social-media-directory
Laureen Summers, Project Director, Center for STEMM Education and Workforce (CSEW), AAAS
Laureen Summers is Project Director of the Entry Point! Program which is the signature program of the Project on Science, Technology and Disability and connects undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities to partners in industry, government, and university research programs for consideration of placement in summer internships. She has also hosted an annual gathering of students and professionals with disabilities at the ERN conference to discuss issues of STEMM education and career. Associated with the Project since 1992, Laureen studied Liberal Arts at Cazenovia College in New York, and has taken coursework in Special Education and Teaching at the George Washington University. A woman with cerebral palsy, she has contributed to several publications and has worked in the disability field for 30 years.