Today’s guest: Rosalyn Ellington

Show notes: Rosalyn graduated from NC State University with a BS in Materials Engineering with an emphasis in metallurgical engineering. She worked in this field for seven years until getting laid off.

She was able to pivot to a career as a civil engineering project manager with the State of Florida, where she had to learn about the environment and land use impacts in and around the Everglades. Rosalyn has been in this role for over 23 years. She’s living proof that engineers and engineering are flexible.

I (Linda) met Rosalyn when I was a college freshman. Since I was a minority and first-generation college student, I was assigned a mentor to show me the ropes of student life and help me survive the college of engineering. Rosalyn did these things and so much more.

She also talks about the importance of getting involved with engineering student organizations as well as being a mentor and finding a mentor, especially as a minority student new to the college experience.

What to look for in a STEM mentor:

• Relevant experience in STEM
• A listening ear
• Objective perspective
• Tactful honesty
• Servant leadership
• Encouraging and fun personality

Terminology mentioned in this episode:

• HBCU which stands for historically black colleges and universities
• NSBE, pronounced “nezbie”, which stands for National Society of Black Engineers
• SWE, pronounced “swee”, which stands for Society of Women Engineers
• ASCE, American Society of Civil Engineers

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Show Sponsor:

STEM Dreams podcast is sponsored by Wildlands Engineering, a water resources engineering firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Wildlands is dedicated to increasing diversity in engineering and environmental sciences like geology and ecology.

Wildlands, thank you for helping us help the next generation of STEM dreamers.

Credits: Show sound effects and music was sourced from FreeSound.org.