How Can STEM Professional Societies Support Your Education and Career?
The AAAS Emerging Researchers National Conference Professional STEM Societies is hosting a pre-conference webinar, “How Can STEM Professional Societies Support Your Education and Career?”
Professional societies for each of the STEM fields have a breadth of resources available for students and early career professionals, but it’s often hard to know how to find and make use of them. Through a panel and breakout groups with STEM Society professionals, this webinar will share more about what different STEM professional societies do; the funding, community engagement, and professional development opportunities available across career stages; the variety of ways to get involved, and more. This webinar is a great way to connect with STEM Societies in advance of the ERN conference! Join us to learn more about specific opportunities, ask questions, build community, gain resources, and share your ideas and perspectives.
When: March 4, 2026 at 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST
Where: Zoom – Register Here!
With Speakers:
- Lisa Black, PhD, Director of Workforce Engagement & Outreach, The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- Johnny Poolaw, PhD, Director of Student Success, Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
- Kanika Pulliam, PhD, Executive Director, Graduate Fellowships for STEM Development (GFSD) and Past President of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN)
- Rochelle L. Williams, Ph.D., Executive Director, Graduate Fellowships for STEM Development (GFSD) and Past President of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN)
About the speakers
CO-FACILITATORS:
Verónica Segarra, PhD, is Associate Professor, Faculty in Residence, and Endowed Chair in Biological Sciences and Chemistry at Goucher College, a small liberal arts college in Baltimore, Maryland, where she teaches undergraduates to be life scientists in the classroom and in the research lab. Verónica obtained a doctorate in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale, and obtained her undergraduate degrees from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL.
Verónica was born in Puerto Rico, where she was raised by amazing women. She tries to take her inspiration from them in her roles as a teacher, mentor, and scientist. Her favorite part of her job is to see her students carve out careers that are tailored to their passions, talents, and values. In her free time she pursues her artistic interests and engages in science outreach.
Heather Metcalf, PhD, is a scientist, educator, and advocate dedicated to equity in STEM education, innovation, and careers. Dr. Metcalf’s most recent roles include Managing Director of Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN), co-facilitator for the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Professional STEM Societies Working Group, and consultant on Qualcomm’s inclusive invention initiative, The Inventor’s Patent Academy. Dr. Metcalf serves on advisory boards for the AUNTIE Tech Collective and the Societies Consortium to End Harassment in STEMM. Dr. Metcalf holds a doctorate in higher education with a focus on science and technology policy, a certificate in nonprofit management, master’s degrees in computer science and gender studies, and undergraduate degrees in mathematics and computer science. Previously, Dr. Metcalf served as Chief Research Officer at the Association for Women in Science, where they led an $8M+ portfolio of research projects and evidence-based advocacy initiatives related to gender and racial equity in STEM careers.
SPEAKERS:
Lisa Black, PhD is Director, Workforce Engagement & Outreach, for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). In 2016, Black joined the staff of ASCE, the nation’s oldest engineering society, representing more than 160,000 members. In her role as, she is responsible for developing, monitoring, and evaluating policies, programs, activities, and products aimed at broadening pathways to the civil engineering profession. Through her work with ASCE’s board level committee, Members of Society Advancing an Inclusive Culture (MOSAIC), she provides leadership in developing and implementing policies, programs, and products designed to advance awareness and recognition of the civil engineering profession, with a special emphasis on promoting civil engineering as an inclusive discipline. Prior to joining ASCE, Dr. Black acquired nearly 20 years of experience in social work, policy, and leading strategic planning initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. These experiences encompassed administrative leadership, research, community engagement, and project management that span pre-kindergarten through career workforce. In the prek-12 public education sector, she served as Special Assistant to the Superintendent for Race and Equity in Madison Wisconsin and held education leadership licenses in Wisconsin and Virginia.
Johnny Poolaw, PhD is a citizen of the Delaware Nation and is also a descendent of the Chiricahua Apache, Comanche, and Kiowa Nations. He serves as the Director of Student Success for AISES. In this role, Dr. Poolaw oversees the Student Success Division within the Programs Department in the development and implementation of student success programming, including developing and providing a holistic suite of college student services focused on supporting academic success, career exploration, and successful transition into the workforce, developing scholarship and internship policies and procedures, engaging in collaborations with partner organizations and coalitions, and collecting data to track outcomes and evaluate AISES’ student support programs to explore the impact of AISES’ college program.
LinkedIn: Johnny Poolaw | LinkedIn
Kanika Pulliam, PhD, CAE, is a scientific workforce and professional development leader committed to creating equitable, high-quality pathways for emerging and established scientists. She serves as Assistant Director of Education and Professional Development at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where she directs career development programming. Kanika previously led career programs and workforce diversity at the American Society of Human Genetics, where she launched new diversity initiatives, built high-impact alliances, and expanded year-round professional development offerings for the genetics community. She began her career managing undergraduate research and laboratory facilities at Morehouse College and teaching courses in biology and molecular sciences. Kanika earned her PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology from Emory University and completed her undergraduate studies in biochemistry at Spelman College. She is a Certified Association Executive and is actively engaged in advisory, volunteer, and speaking roles supporting STEM training and professional growth.
LinkedIn: Kanika Pulliam, PhD, CAE | LinkedIn
Rochelle L. Williams, PhD, is an engineer, educator, and nonprofit executive focused on strengthening the role of STEM professional societies in advancing equitable education-to-workforce pathways. She serves as Executive Director of Graduate Fellowships for STEM Development (GFSD), where she leads national partnerships with federal agencies, laboratories, and industry to expand access to graduate STEM education and sustain a competitive scientific workforce. Dr. Williams previously served as Chief Programs and Membership Officer at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where she directed national programming and membership strategy for more than 20,000 members and oversaw multi-million-dollar partnerships aligned with workforce and advocacy goals. Her work spans accreditation, governance, coalition-building, and institutional strategy, with particular attention to how professional societies shape legitimacy, access, and accountability within the STEM ecosystem. She currently serves as Past President and Treasurer of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) and as a member of the ABET Board of Delegates.
LinkedIn: Rochelle L. Williams, Ph.D. | LinkedIn