TechWomen

Impact Stories

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  Fellow(s): Teresa Williams, Romy Chakraborty and Reshma Singh

  Country: United States

  Region: US

  Project/Action: Berkeley Lab mentors share impact of TechWomen

  Company: Berkeley Lab

  Mentorship Type: Professional

  Policy Area(s): Professional Growth

  Mentor Teresa Williams gave a presentation to her colleagues at Berkeley Lab about the TechWomen program, highlighting the importance of people-to-people diplomacy and the role a mentor plays in enriching mentees’ professional and personal lives, as well as sharing her experience as part of the 2018 TechWomen delegation to Egypt. Following the presentation, Jillian Scott, TechWomen Lead at IIE, and mentors Romy Chakraborty and Reshma Singh joined Teresa to speak on a panel about the program’s long-lasting impact both in the U.S. and in the fellows’ home countries. Romy mentioned that fellow Omolara Aladesanmi, who she mentored in 2015, will be returning to the Bay Area to join her research team as a post-doctoral scholar.
  The mentors also emphasized the reciprocal nature of the mentor-mentee relationship and the value in learning from each other. Romy noted, “I was humbled, mostly, by how much they’re doing with [fewer resources]. …And I felt if I could contribute even a little bit, they could [advance] way ahead in their lives.”

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  Report Date: 5/14/2018

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  Fellow(s): Ijeoma Vincent-Akpu

  Country: Nigeria

  Region: SSA

  Cohort: 2017

  Project/Action: Fellow promoted to department head

  Policy Area(s): Professional Growth

  Ijeoma Vincent-Akpu, 2017 fellow of Nigeria, was promoted to Head of the Animal and Environmental Biology Department at the University of Port Harcourt. Other than having leadership roles on committees and associations, this is her first official administrative position that is recognized by the university. When sharing news of her promotion, Ijeoma said, “I’m grateful [that the] Techwomen program that made me realize that I need to come out from my shell, use my strength[s] and improve on my weakness[es]. Since I came back, I have seen a great difference in me and it has prepared me to function in this leadership position.”
  During the program, Ijeoma worked with Maile Smith, Principal Geologist at Northgate Environmental Management. Ijeoma researches the Niger Delta basin and the health risks of frequent crude oil spills on the people of Bodo, Nigeria.

  Report Date: 5/14/2018