We are excited to introduce the ParishSTEM Speaker Series hosted by sySTEMs. The Speaker Series will consist of two events this year hosted on September 20, 2022 and January 10, 2023. We greatly appreciate your support as we launch this new initiative bringing STEM-related topics to both the Parish and broader Dallas communities.
Mathematician, and 2016 Ford Legendary Woman, Minerva Cordero, is a Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean in the College of Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a renowned researcher in the area of Finite Geometries and has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences. Her passion for mathematics began early in her life with what she calls "the sternest teacher ever", her fourth-grade math teacher. She describes her research as creating the building blocks necessary to develop secure encrypting mechanisms.
Her teaching career spans over 25 years, and her passion and excellence in the classroom have been recognized by several prestigious teaching awards. She is equally passionate about increasing the number of women and other underrepresented minorities in mathematics and science. In 2022, Minerva received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.
Minerva holds three degrees in mathematics: a doctorate (PhD) from the University of Iowa, a Master of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Puerto Rico, her native land. She and her husband, who is also a mathematics professor, have two sons who also love mathematics!
Visit North Texas' premier educational makerspace, the 10,000 sq. ft. Design Den inside Parish Episcopal School and you will likely find Jenn Makins tinkering with one of the many machines or coaching the school's award-winning NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge team. As Director of STEM Education, she is the architect and steward of the school's nationally recognized STEM program and Executive Director of MAKERplay an educational service outreach program that brings STEM activities to children facing extended hospital stays.
Her seventeen years as a STEM educator has led to impacts at both the national and regional levels. While at NASA, Jenn led the development of engineering challenges and teacher professional development workshops. At home in Dallas, Jenn consults for schools seeking to establish STEM programs and is a fixture of the FIRST LEGO League Robotics community.
Jenn holds a Master of Arts in International Science & Technology Policy from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Texas A&M University. In 2018, she received a patent (USPO 10,083,492 B2) for her work developing a social educational online platform.
A doctor and a scientist, Julie Mirpuri has dedicated her life to saving newborn babies. A board-certified pediatrician, Julie underwent advanced training to specialize in neonatal care and as a scientist who can study immune cells and how they interact with bacteria. When she is not in the hospital taking care of sick babies, she works in her laboratory to develop new therapies to impact more babies' lives. She has authored several original research publications and has received several awards in recognition of her contributions to neonatal research.
Julie believes the key to preventing disease in babies lies in their poop. By studying how newborn babies become colonized with bacteria, she hopes to be able to manipulate their bacteria to protect them from developing disease. She collects stool from newborn babies and mice to understand how the environment before and after birth affects bacterial gut colonization. In her world, stool is cool.
Julie trained in neonatology at Emory University in Atlanta. She now lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and 2 sons. She practices medicine and does her research at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Dr. Danielle Robertson is an internationally recognized vision scientist and clinician. Now an Associate Professor, she has spent the last fifteen years of her career ascending the ranks at UT Southwestern Medical Center as the only woman investigator in the Department of Ophthalmology. From her experiences, she knows firsthand how important it is to promote young girls and women to enter into science and healthcare fields.
Dr. Robertson received her Bachelor of Science degree from Washington State University. She holds a Doctorate in Optometry and a PhD in Physiological Optics and Vision Science from the University of Houston. She received her first NIH grant approximately ten years younger than the average first time grant recipient and is the only optometrist in the country to have ever received a prestigious Career Development Award from Research to Prevent Blindness. She writes and lectures extensively on multiple topics that pertain to eye health including diabetes, autoimmune diseases, dry eye, and contact lens-related eye infections.
Dr. Robertson, her husband, and son live in Dallas. She loves watching her son play sports and spending time at home on the lake.
With a global vision to create change, educator and innovator Jennifer Stimpson is passionate about educating the next generation of scientists.
For two decades, Dr. Stimpson has served as a science teacher and community volunteer, who blends science with substance and style. Jennifer currently teaches middle school science at the Hockaday School. Jennifer's love of science sparked during childhood while working in her family's pharmacy. After graduating from Dillard University with a BS in Chemistry, she made history as the first African American woman to graduate with an advanced STEM degree from the University of Northern Iowa, earning her MA in Environmental Chemistry.
Jennifer, a life-long learner, is an award-winning globally-teaching educator, has received recognition for her leadership in education. Jennifer serves on the STEM advisory board for the Girl Scouts of Northeast TX. She holds membership in the American Educational Research Association, Dallas Summit, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, The Links, the National Science Teacher Association, and Leadership Texas.
Susy Solis is a journalist, broadcaster, entrepreneur and coach who now uses her platform to encourage and advise business owners and empower women and minorities. Solis is a media and communication expert, having spent more than a decade on radio and television and later launching her media consulting firm, Solis Media Strategies.
Solis is a sought-after speaker and media coach who has trained dozens of municipalities, federal agencies, NFL athletes, tech start-ups and Fortune 500 executives and their teams on how to effectively communicate in business, during presentations and on-camera. Solis has also garnered publicity for businesses, people and events. Her journalistic background gives her a unique and critical perspective. In 2019, Solis came out of radio retirement and is a morning drive anchor on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD in Dallas. Solis shares her extensive knowledge as an adjunct professor of Radio and TV Announcing in the Media Arts Department at the University of North Texas in Denton.
