From Post Doc to Acting Executive Director

By Dr. Tara Nkrumah

In 2019, I became the new postdoctoral research scholar for CGEST. Being aware of Dr. Scott’s passion to mentor girls and women of color in STEM education and the workforce gave me a sense of gratitude to be afforded this highly competitive opportunity. In the first weeks of my work at the center, Dr. Scott set the bar high for what she expected, teaching me how to scale up my culturally relevant skills for social change to a national and international community. For example, the center’s programs, such as Compugirls and CompuPower which offer a culturally responsive camp, have helped to hone my culturally relevant curriculum writing and culturally relevant teacher professional development skills. My K-12 experience as a science/STEM educator in the U.S and for multiple years in West Africa, combined with CGEST’s local and global outreach to girls and women of color in STEM education enables me to live the life I dreamed of.

Often getting to your destination requires guidance. Dr. Scott has modeled mentorship that takes the person from the idea to reality. I started as a postdoc with aspirations to have an impact on teaching and learning in STEM education that promotes social equity. Being part of CGEST under Dr. Scott’s leadership has shown me in her words, “how to comfort the troubled and trouble the comfortable”.

Image: 2019 ASU Black African Convocation where Dr. Nkrumah was the keynote speaker.