Mother Nature Calls her STEM Daughters

WEBVTT

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There are some people that make their
work just another thing they have to do,

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and there are those that make their
work something that they want to do.

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Welcome to Working on Purpose with your
host Elise Cortez. In our program,

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we provide guidance and inspiration from those
people who have found deeper meaning and

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personal connection to their work life.
It's beyond nine to five. It's working

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on Purpose. Now Here is your
host, Elise Cortez. Welcome back to

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the Working on Purpose Show. Thanks
for tuning in again this week. I'm

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your host, Elise Cortez. John
your live from Dallas, which is home

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base for me. If you've been
tuning in for a while, you know

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this program is all about to help
people create more meaningful and purposeful lives and

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equipping leaders inside organizations to make work
a rich and compelling part of lives so

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they want to stay, give their
best performance and stick around. I talk

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with my guests or on their expertise, and share my own experience consulting,

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speaking and developing workforces a globe each
week. In these conversations, I hope

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you walk away with something you can
immutiately put to use and if I can

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do anything to help you along your
journey. Go to my website at a

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least Cortez dot com and use to
contact me featured A message me and let's

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open a conversation to explore what's going
on for you. Know how I might

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be able to help adding a rate. I'm glad we're connected. Thanks for

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listening. Now on to this week's
program with us today is doctor Jeanette McConnell,

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who with the director of Education,
Outreach and Diversity at the NSF Center

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for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the
Environment. She is a champion of fund

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STEM Education and Epiicoate for the Environment
and is committed to the inclusion and diversity

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within the STEM community. This year, she was selected for Homeward Bound,

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a global leadership initiative set against the
backdrop I met of Antarctica, which aims

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to heighten the influence and impact of
women in making decisions that shape our planet.

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We'll be talking about some of her
passions, her experience of being in

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the Homeward Bound program, and how
she has transformed within it. She joined

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today from San Diego, California.
Doctor McConnell, Welcome to Working on Purpose.

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Hi. Hi, It's so great
to have you Yeah, I'm so

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great. I'm so happy to be
with you in this moment here, doctor

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McConnell. And I just want to
say for our listeners, she and I

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connected earlier this year when she reached
out to me to invite me on the

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Cheeky Scientist Show. She set that
up with me and for me, and

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we got to know each other in
that process. And when she told me

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what she was doing in this homeward
Bound program, I said, well,

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let's let's talk about that when you
get done with the Antarctica trip and then

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let's have you on the show.
So that's how it happened. So to

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kick us off here, doctor McConnell, you know that one of my passions,

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among other things, is that I'm
an identity and a meaning researcher.

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So I want to talk about who
you are. So there's a lot to

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you. You have a lot of
things going on. So let's kind of

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had a little fun here. If
you were at like, say, you

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know, maybe a cocktail party or
a gathering or something, what would you

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say to someone to help them orient
who you are? Kind of what goes

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into you? What would you say
to describe yourself? Yeah, that's so

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such a fun question. Identity is
such a fun thing to talk about.

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So I'm right there with you,
and I think I want to start with

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saying that I am a carbon based
life for right, So the first thing

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I am is I am a part
of this universe and this earth. That

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is the usually the very first thing
I think about when I think about myself

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in the context of this larger ecosystem
that we're a part of. And then,

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to skip a bunch of rungs,
I'm also a daughter, right,

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I'm a sister, a spouse,
and then I'm a scientist. I'm queer,

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which means I'm a member of the
LGBTQ plus community. I'm an advocate

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for a diversity, and I care
about our environment. And the other thing

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that I always identify with is I
am someone who's learning. I'm a learner

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and I'm an educator. What a
fantastic package, really fantastic, and what

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a delightful way to narrate yourself.
I hope listeners you got something from that

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for yourself, just how you might
consider presenting yourself for other people. That

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was just a stunning way to start. Thank you for that. Good I'm

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glad, glad you liked it now, as you know, I mean,

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I like being a social scientist.
I like being a geek in my world,

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and I love the fact that you're
a scientist as well. And so

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you earned a PhD in medicinal chemistry
from the University of New South Wales.

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I want to know how did you
become interested in science in your particular area

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to pursue their studies that you actually
did. Yeah, so can I say

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accidentally that absolutely you can sort of
how this happened totally by accident. I

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actually in high school wasn't really I
mean, science was okay, but I

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got in trouble in that class a
lot, and it was actually the only

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class I was ever suspended from where
they like kicked me out and I was

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not allowed to go back for a
couple of days with chemistry. And then

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that's totally gonna have a PhD in
now. But beyond that, when I

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went to university, I wanted to
study physical anthropology, so which meant I

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was studying anthropology and chemistry but at
the same time. But like long story,

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I had to switch universities and to
do that switch in order to remain

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like eligible to play sports, which
is why I was switching. I had

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to choose one, and I chose
chemistry, and then that was a switch.

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I was at the University of Arizona, and then I had to switch

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to San Diego State University, and
then at San Diego. While I was

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studying chemistry there and doing sports and
having my grand old time as an undergraduate,

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as soon as I was about to
finish, I was doing my practical

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work that you have to do in
the major. I have to do some

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lab work, and so I was
doing that with a specific professor who I

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thought was like super awesome and she
just like kicked butt, and so I

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was working with her, and she
approached me in the end and said,

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oh, hey, I'm moving to
Australia. Do you want to do a

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PhD? And I was like yeah, it's like why not, right,

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And so I then spent a year
getting like my the grades and all that,

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like I had to do like a
year of a master's program to set

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it up, and then moved to
Sydney and did a PhD there. So

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yeah, totally by accident, totally
just like taking opportunities as they were presented

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to me. There was very little
planning responding to the moment. And what

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I also heard you say is that
she was a great teacher. She she

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obviously inspired something in you for her, for you to follow what she threw

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out for you, that's that's amazing. Yeah, she's a very powerful person.

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Was Yeah. Well, and that
that speaks suit you know, never

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never, never underestimate the power of
being able to make a difference in somebody's

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life. Wow. Well, let's
hear a little bit about what you're doing

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for work today. So you or
the Director of Education, Outreach and Diversity

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at the NSF Center for Aerosol Impacts
on Chemistry of the Environment. That is

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a title, so we just call
it case. Okay, that's a lot

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easier to say. So what does
this mean? And this sounds extremely you

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know, complex and very far away
to me. So what does it mean?

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What are you actually doing? Yeah, it's actually really has a lot

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of different parts to many different aspects
to the job. Right, Education,

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outreach, and diversity are all very
separate things. But what I do for

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the job, just broadly is I
work with the scientists who are doing research.

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And they're chemists studying the impact that
aerosols have on our environment, right,

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and they study like fundamental chemistry,
and it's actually funded by the National

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Science Foundation, and it's they're tackling
on one of those grand questions. So

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this is a huge question that we
don't really know the answer to yet.

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So I work with those scientists to
help them communicate what they're learning and what

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they're discovering to the general public I
don't like that word, but like to

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students, and then you know,
to the wider community as well as making

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sure that that outreach is done in
a way that is, you know,

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the most effective and reaches a diverse
audience, and then also to support the

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inclusion of diversity within the center that
I work for. So it's actually so

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many different things and it's amazing.
It's all things I love. And it

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was when I found this job.
I had been doing some reflection over the

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past year, much of which had
to do with being a homework bound and

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realized I wanted to switch right,
I wanted to do something different, and

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I just stumbled on this job and
I was like reading the description and I

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was like, I can do all
of these things, and I love all

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of these things. And so this
job now gives me the opportunity to combine

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my passion for science education right with
the desire I have for advocating for diversity,

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you know, like social justice,
environmental justice type concepts into working with

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researchers, which I had was missing
doing because I used to do research,

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you know, when I was studying, and I did kind of enjoy doing

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that and working with scientists. And
so now I get to reconnect all these

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different pieces of my life together in
one job. So it's really incredible.

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That is incredible, And you know, when I listened to talk about that,

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I go back to the years that
I have spent investigating how people experience

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their work, what they find meaningful. And I'm reminded, you know,

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when I when I did that research, I looked at kind of along the

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lines of the Maso's hierarchy, and
and so there are people that of course

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looked at the relational connection. Then
there was some of the emotional stuff,

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the values, et cetera, that
kind of went along the line that intellectual

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the need for intellectual rigor or intellectual
pursuit is definitely something that I found among

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the scientific engineer kind of community that
absent that you would not find the work

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fulfilling. Is that true for you
too? And I think I didn't realize

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that connection like that. That was
because other parts of what I was doing

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were fulfilling. But now that I
get to work so close to brand new

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science and try to understand that and
talk with these people who are doing such

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incredible research, really bring that back, you know, and I can force

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myself to learn new things all the
time. Well, it's one of the

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reasons that I continue to host this
radio show. I mean, this has

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been five years and this I think
you are episode number two hundred and fifty

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seven. And this isn't my Yeah, this is my platform to drink deeply

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from from life, from subject matter
experts, from authors, and consume it.

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That's why I said I was going
to, you know, drink you

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up in this conversation and share you
with my listeners in the process. It's

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terribly important for me in terms of
my fulfilment and my ongoing growth. So

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I love that you've you've you've come
back to that to home if you will.

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Yeah, yeah, So let's talk
a little bit about this idea about

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I know, for you, there's
there's a couple of connections to the work

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that you do as a woman and
in STEM so I want to have you

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comment on why do you believe women
in STEM are so important and certainly in

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leadership and is there something unique about
their contribution to the world from your advantage

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point. Yes, So this is
something that is really important to me,

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is this idea of including women in
STEM and reaching the point of equity right

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in these sciences with women at the
leadership table, And that's what's missing right

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now. So so a lot of
times at the lower levels there will be

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gender parity where they're equal, but
as you move up the leadership ranks of

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however you want to call them,
you lose that. And that is what

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I think needs to change. And
the reason it needs to change is because

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women bring a really unique way of
leading to the table with them. Specifically,

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they are studies have been done on
this. They know that women carry

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with them a legacy mindset much more
than men do when they lead, so

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they're thinking of these future generations.
They're thinking way further ahead, and that

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changes the decision making, right.
It can make you have much greater clarity

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on why you're choosing something rather than
for an immediate payback, right, it's

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longer term. The other is that
women often lead what do they say,

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from your head and your heart?
Right, So with compare fashion with a

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people oriented focus, right. So, and that is a way of lifting

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an entire team up. Right.
So, leadership is something that is not

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shouldn't just be one person, right. Leadership means really creating a bunch of

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leaders around you so that everyone that
you're interacting with feels like they are a

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leader, and that they are leading
the program, leading the group, and

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changing whatever the team is working towards. And women are often really good at

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this humanistic sort of approach to leadership. And this isn't to say that men

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cannot lead this way, right,
It's just that in the society that we

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live in, there is often the
words we used, often our toxic masculinity

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that exists within our societies, and
so those things need to be broken down

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in order for this type of leadership
to to take off and for women to

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have gender parity at these higher leadership
levels. That was beautifully articulated, really

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beautifully articulated. And I completely agree
with everything that you said. And of

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course I do a lot of work
empowering women into leadership roles, so I'm

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completely there with you. And and
again, it's not to say that that

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you know that we're saying that men
can't lead in that way or I think

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they can. But it seems to
me, from what I could, from

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what I've experienced so far in my
research, is that it's just a much

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more natural place for women to stand
from. Yes, And I see think

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that yeah has to do with the
way that, in my opinion, the

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way that we are socialized. Yes, yes, I would say the same.

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Yeah. On that note, let's
grab our first break. I'm at

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least courte as your host. We've
been on the air with doctor Jeanette McConnell,

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who is Director of Education, Outreaching
Diversity at the NSF Center for Aerosol

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Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment.
She is a champion of for fun STEM

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education and advocate for the environment,
and is committed to the inclusion and diversity

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within the STEM community. She joins
us to day from San Diego. Keela,

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We've been talking a bit about really
who she is, what she cares

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about, what lights her up.
After the break, we're going to talk

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about her experience being in a homeward
bound program and what she got from that.

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Stay with us. We'll be right
back. Alise Cortez is a speaker

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and engagement and development catalyst. She
designs and delivers professional development, leadership and

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engagement workshops and can bring her expertise
to your organization. She will help ignite

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meaningful development within your workforce that will
increase employee engagement, performance and retention.

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To learn more or to invite Elise
to speak to your organization, please visit

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her at www dot Elise Cortez dot
com. She would welcome the opportunity to

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help get your employees working on purpose. This is working on Purpose with Elise

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Cortez. To reach our program today, send an email to Elise ali Se

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at Elise Cortez dot com. Now
back to working on purpose. Thanks for

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staying with us, and welcome back
to working on purpose if you're just joined

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us. Our best is doctor Janette
McConnell, who is Director of Education,

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Outreaching Diversity at the NSF Center for
Aerosol Impact on Chemistry of the Environment.

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She was a graduate of the Homeward
Bound Global Leadership Initiative. Having just returned

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from this culmination in a three week
trip to Antarctica, she joined today from

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San Diego, California. I'm your
host, Elise Cortez. So, doctor

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McConnell, one of the things that
was so interesting is when we again,

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as I said, when we first
met and you told me that you were

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going to be in this Homeward Bound
program and that you were going to be

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just going to Antarctica in and of
itself was like intriguing. So the program

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at self, though, when I
think about it, it's a pretty enormous

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commitment of time and effort and investment
of yourself, and I of course absolutely

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applaud that. And I understand that
Homeward Bound is a ten year initiative,

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global leadership initiative. It's set against
the backdrop of Antarctica, which aims to

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heighten the influence and the impact of
women in making decisions that shape our planet,

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which of course I love. As
we've been talking about, and you

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told me that the program's goal is
to get one thousand women with backgrounds in

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STEM to participate, and you're the
four fourth cohort, So I wanted to

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set that sort of as a backdrop
for our listeners. So with that said,

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tell us about the program, what
did it involve, what's it designed

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to do for women to participate around
the world. Yeah, so homeward Bound.

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You put it nicely right. It's
this global leadership initiative that's designed to

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both unite and upskill women with a
background in STEM in order to get them

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into a position both with the skills
they need, but also with the belief

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in themselves that they can do the
things they want to do. So to

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you need both of those things.
You need the skills and the belief in

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order to lead. Can't have one
without the other. That would not work

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out very well. So this program
is actually an entire year long for each

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cohort. So, like I said, I was part of the fourth cohort.

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So for the past year, I've
been meeting with the other members of

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my Homeobound cohort about once a month. We all meet virtually and in those

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meetings, you know, we would
go over different learnings together. And then

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at the end of that we all
met in Schwya, Argentina, and then

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took off to antarct Ticket together all
on a boat. For eighteen days.

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We were stuck on the ship together
learning about what it means to be a

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leader and how we can become visible
leaders and how we can lead for the

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greater goods, all while built from
those learnings through the incredible place that is

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Antarctica. So yeah, the overarching
goal of Homework Bound from my perspective,

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is that it's a way to connect
and empower women with a background and STEM

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to become better leaders and then to
lead for the greater good. I think

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it's incredibly compelling and I will absolutely
confess to you that I wouldn't look at

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the program and I thought, gosh, this is something that I can be

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part of. But I'm not a
STEM person. My degree is human development,

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so I don't qualify for that.
But I was like applaud even just

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the whole year program. I do
have my own program called Videly Inspired Living

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and Leading from Purpose, which is
designed to be a yearlong program and I

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just graduated its first cohort this year
a few weeks ago. Yeah. So

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I believe in the power of doing
something where you spend time working at it

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over a period which but again I
appla that you did that. That's a

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that's a lot of effort, it's
a lot of commitment. Yes, And

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that was it was an interesting discussion
with myself. Right, you initially apply

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and the decide whether that investment was
worth it and I mean at first,

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I sort of just applied thinking I
won't get accepted, you know, so

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it's like I'll just do this,
but I probably won't get in any way.

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And so then I got in and
I was like, oh, okay,

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so the real we're doing this.
Yeah, I have to adjust and

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but it was totally worth it.
And really the learnings and everything were done

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in a way that was really useful, right, And there was so much

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information given to me, and then
I was given the amount of time that

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I needed to work through it.
There was like very few hard, hard

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deadlines, which was really nice because
then depending on how your life changes throughout

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the year, you can work through
it in a time that makes the most

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sense to you. Is that is
beautiful. I think it's important for our

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listeners to understand how this came to
be for you. So you learned about

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the homework Bound program from a previous
supervisor and then you, as you said,

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you applied to get in. Then
you also told me that you had

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to raise twenty thousand dollars to participate. So tell us a little bit about

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what that's, what that requirement was, and how it was that you did

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raise that money. Yeah, so
I did. I found out about the

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program initially from my supervisor at Cheeky
Scientist where we had to you on that

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radio show, and I more than
just learning about it from her is,

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I watched the program change how she
was working, and I watched it change

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how she was leading our the team
that she led that I was a part

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of, and it was really inspiring. And I thought, first of all,

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how cool is it that you went
to Antarctica right absolutely right there?

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But also to watch her change was
really cool, and so I just she

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kept encouraging me to apply as well. She's like, do it, do

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it, do it, and so
I did. And then once I got

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in, yeah, this realization that
I need to do these learnings and also

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raise them money. Now, the
raising of the funds is done as a

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way to get all of us to
increase our visibility and to engage with our

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communities, and that's totally what it
made me do. So I created like

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a they called Chuffed page right where
you can have different perks and share your

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story and get people to donate to
your cause. And then I also teamed

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up with a local brewery here in
San Diego. This was my favorite fundraiser

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activity and we brewed a beer together
a part of the fundraiser. Yeah,

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it's called Polar Night. The brewery
is called Wavelength. If you're ever in

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San Diego, to go check them
out. They're amazing. I will and

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they So we brewed this Polar Night
beer and then in addition to that,

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I gave a talk one evening about
climate change. Actually did it as Bingo

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climate Change Bingo to make it a
bit more interactive. And then I took

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some of that beer with me to
Antarctica. Right, So it was this

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really cool, like full circle way
to interact with the community and then also

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raise some money at the same time. I think I worliant. Yeah,

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my work also helped as well,
so they supported me through this program as

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well, which was really amazing,
and help me with some of the fundraising.

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So I think it's it's it's very
smart how they architected that as a

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way to be able to socialize yourself. I think that's very very smart.

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Okay, so can you just say
a little bit about what's in the program

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and if that doesn't violate anything,
but just I'm just curious to know as

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somebody who has created my own program
of course, and has been through a

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couple of myself, what are you
covering on those week or there's monthly virtual

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gatherings, or do they assign you
homework or papers or reading or what do

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you do? Yeah, that's a
great question. They do all of those

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things, okay, and it just
depends on the topic. So the things

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that we really went over are strategy, visibility, and communication, and then

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there's tons and tons of self reflection, right, so those four things are

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really embedded into the program. And
we also did this incredible like a self

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reflection tool kind of like I can't
think of a comparison, but it's called

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the company is called Human Synergistics and
it's the Lifestyles Index. Okay, it's

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like a test. I can't think
of the right words right now, but

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anyway, and you take this this
thing and it gives you back information about

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how you view yourself as a leader
and how other people are viewing you as

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a leader. And they put into
these different styles and it was really really

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eye opening to see how you and
others are seeing yourself differently and to help

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you reflect on that and then adjust
your behavior and thoughts to become a more

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effective leader and more constructive leader,
so there was, and we were given

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a coach that helped us with that, and we did talk about that sometimes

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as a larger group, were given
tons of papers to read about leadership,

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about Antarctica, about climate change,
and to really get a whole big picture

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of what we were all going to
be working towards together. The other thing

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is that we met on a bunch
of different platforms, so we shared things

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together, like on Slack and on
Facebook and WhatsApp. We broke into smaller

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groups because there was a hundred of
us and that's a lot of people to

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try to connect with all at once. So they also split us up into

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smaller groups where we met and sometimes
we would meet via video call. I

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did meet a couple of people in
person who just happened to live in California

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before we win. And then the
other really incredible thing is they set us

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up with mentors from past cohorts.
So I am lucky enough that two people,

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two people who went on the very
first homeward bound voyage live here in

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San Diego, and they were amazing
and we're a part of many of the

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events that I did here in San
Diego, and they mentored me and supported

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me like all through this process.
That just sounds delicious. I would have

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I would do this in a heartbeat. Yeah, it was really wonderful.

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Well so, so one of the
other things that I find really compelling about

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the program is the whole focus,
you know, of addressing climate change.

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I mean, let me share that
I'm from ore again originally, so we

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will I'm already somebody that really cares
about the environment. We were just that's

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who we are. When I lived
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from in

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the early night nineties, I got
to be part of the Real Or Summit

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where people from all over the world
gathered to talk about that. And then

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of course from my master's thesis,
I wrote about the deforestation of the Amazon

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and it's it's it's it's an impact
on climate problems, and so I'm very

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intrigued about this stuff, doctor McConnell. So if you would say a little

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bit more about how this program is
designed to heighten the influence and impact in

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women and making decisions that shape our
planet, including climate change, and sort

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of what what what the program did
to help you address that or contribute to

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that. Yeah, and this is
the cause that unites all of us,

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and I think that was what I
learned the biggest takeaway, Right, this

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cause should unite all of us,
and it's not always doing that right.

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And so within Homeward Bound, they
teach us all of these leadership skills.

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They teach us how to have really
difficult conversations with other people in a way

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that's constructive, you know, so
you can really go out and try to

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start just connecting with other people and
discussing this with them, right, especially

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here in the US where there's so
much disparity in what people think about climate

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change. Having those skills and knowing
that you have this community of a hundred

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people behind you who you can lean
on when you're having a tough day doing

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that is really incredible. But the
other really big thing that I took away

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from this is we had many people
give presentations about the different impacts of climate

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change. And we know that it's
devastating, right the plant is warming,

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and there's like all these horrible consequences
that are possible. But what I took

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away from this is that there is
hope, and what we need is a

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vision of what's possible, right,
this vision of the world that we want,

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and that this is opportunity to make
that vision possible. Right, A

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more just a more, a healthier, you know, a more equitable society

379
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and environment is possible. But we
need leaders who can see that vision and

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who are willing to take the steps
they need to work towards that goal.

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And that's what Homer Boundance about,
creating those leaders who have that vision and

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who have that passion to take us
towards that great vision of the future rather

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than the sometimes quite devastating and awful
future that people see when they think about

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00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:45.200
climate change. It's such important work. It is such such important work,

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and I'm thrilled to see that this
program unites whomen from all over the world

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00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:52.839
to work on that. It's so
important, and I'm again all the reasons

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why. The more I dug into
what the program was about, the more

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excited I got to have you on
and hear about your your involvement and frankly,

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what it's done for you. So
the next thing I want to ask

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you is, before you even went
to we're going to talk about Antarctica after

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the break, but before you went
to that, and I know you were

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in this program with ninety nine other
women from thirty three different countries, which

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is awesome. I want to understand
what did the participation in the program evoke

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in you. How have you grown
from it? Well, so that's a

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big question. I think I'm still
growing. I think it's still changing.

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But if I had to really break
it down into a couple of points,

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I would say the very biggest thing
is self awareness. It's taught me the

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importance of that, how to go
about getting it, you know, like

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how to make sure that it's something
that you're thinking about like almost every day

400
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when you're interacting with other people,
and then that that is a key part

401
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of being a good leader is having
that awareness. The other thing is I

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00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:06.880
think the possibility that I could do
something right. So to really think that,

403
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like, oh yeah, maybe I
can, Maybe my impact is going

404
00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:15.400
to be worthwhile. I can do
something about this, and I, especially

405
00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:18.920
as a part of this large community
that i'm joining right together, we can

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do something awesome. So I think
those are the two like huge things that

407
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I have taken away from this right
is to be really be self aware and

408
00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:33.079
understand who you are as a leader
and how what you're doing is affecting everyone

409
00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:37.720
around you. And then that as
a community, as a team, we

410
00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:44.400
are better and it's the only way
to get things done is as is together.

411
00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:48.480
What I heard you narrate there,
I should say that what I heard

412
00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:52.359
behind the words that you use to
narrate what you just said there is I

413
00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:57.279
hear a confident woman who is who
knows who she is and what she's doing

414
00:31:57.319 --> 00:32:02.480
in the world and feels connected to
others in the process. So it's it's

415
00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:08.119
a conviction, a confidence and ala
a commitment to that cause that I hear

416
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:12.400
when you say that, Yes,
I think that's you summed it up really

417
00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:15.079
well, fantastic. Well, I'm
just thrilled to have you in my life

418
00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:19.640
and know you. Let's take our
last break here. I'm Elist Cortez,

419
00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:22.400
your host. We went on the
air with doctor jeanettemconnell, who is director

420
00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:25.279
of Education, out rich and Diversity
at the NSF Center for Aerosol Impacts on

421
00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:30.720
Chemistry of the Environment. She's a
champion for fund STEM education and advocate for

422
00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:34.240
the environment and it's committed to the
inclusion of diversity within the STEM community.

423
00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:37.559
She joins it to day from San
Diego, California. We've been talking a

424
00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:40.680
bit about what the Homeward Bound program
was like and what it entailed. After

425
00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:44.240
the break, we're going to hear
about her trip to Antarctica. Stayed with

426
00:32:44.319 --> 00:33:07.279
us, We'll be right back.
Elise Cortez is a speaker and engagement and

427
00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:14.400
development catalyst. She designs and delivers
professional development, leadership and engagement workshops and

428
00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:19.279
can bring her expertise to your organization. She will help ignite meaningful development within

429
00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:23.400
your workforce that will increase employee engagement, performance and retention. To learn more

430
00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:29.160
or to invite Elise to speak to
your organization, please visit her at www

431
00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:32.799
dot Elise Cortez dot com. She
would welcome the opportunity to help get your

432
00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:45.519
employees working on purpose. This is
working on purpose with Elise Cortez. To

433
00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:51.559
reach our program today, send an
email to Elise ali Se at Elise Cortez

434
00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:58.720
dot com. Now back to working
on purpose. Interestingly, this looking back

435
00:33:58.759 --> 00:34:01.480
to working on fusess you just turning
on. My guest is doctor Jeanette McConnell,

436
00:34:01.640 --> 00:34:07.039
who's Director of Education Outreach University at
the NSF Center for Aerosol Impacts on

437
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:10.159
Chemistry of the Environment. She was
a graduate of the Homeward Bound Global Leadership

438
00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:15.440
Initiative. Having just returned from this
culmination in a three week trip to Antarctica.

439
00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:20.840
I'm your host at least Cortez,
So I first need to understand what

440
00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:25.079
even went into preparing for three weeks
in Antarctica. So what was it like

441
00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:30.400
to even anticipate a trip like that? Oh, my goodness, it was

442
00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:37.280
a lot there, it was.
So I was anticipating this trip for a

443
00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:43.159
year. Yeah, I was like
so ready to just go and be an

444
00:34:43.159 --> 00:34:46.599
Antarctica by the time I was here. But it actually ended up being a

445
00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:51.800
lot less like physical preparation than I
thought. I mean, I had to

446
00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:57.880
get some warm closed and I could
bring some extra bits of food with me

447
00:34:57.920 --> 00:35:00.079
because I'm actually vegan, and so
I was really scared about being on this

448
00:35:00.119 --> 00:35:02.639
ship and it was like, what
are they going to try to feed me?

449
00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:08.119
And so I brought some of my
own food with me, And then

450
00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:13.719
I had to prepare all the people
that I was that I interact with,

451
00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:17.199
because I was planning on being completely
disconnected for the whole time that we were

452
00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:23.079
gone, right because the nansher together
is not cell service and there's really limited

453
00:35:23.079 --> 00:35:27.440
access to the internet. So I
just decided not, you're not going to

454
00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:31.639
hear from me, and so getting
everything set up and then trusting that everything

455
00:35:31.639 --> 00:35:37.480
will just keep going when you're not
there is a really interesting kind of feeling

456
00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:39.840
where you realize I'm going to be
gone for a month and then everything's just

457
00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:45.599
going to be fine. Rights.
It's like, yeah, that was really

458
00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:49.159
really cool feeling to know that I
wasn't essential to all of these things.

459
00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:53.199
They could just keep going without me
was liberating. Yeah. So I just

460
00:35:53.480 --> 00:36:00.480
got my stuff together and then went
down and literally I just wanted to get

461
00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:04.360
on that ship. I was ready. But let's just do this right,

462
00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:07.039
right, and you know, and
I think it's got to be an element

463
00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:08.559
of just faith, like others have
gone before you, we're doing this,

464
00:36:08.679 --> 00:36:12.079
We've been that, we've been working
up this the whole year. Let's,

465
00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:15.559
as you say, let me just
get on this ship. Yeah. Well,

466
00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:19.840
I think it's probably really important for
us to talk about why you even

467
00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:24.199
went to Antarctica. So there's a
reason that Homework Bound chose that particular place.

468
00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:28.960
What's its importance? Yeah, there
are a couple of reasons, and

469
00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:32.840
this is one of my favorite questions. And the first, like really big

470
00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:38.000
reason is that it's isolated, right, and so we really wanted to have

471
00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:44.880
the time for personal reflection, for
this collaborate collective growth, you know,

472
00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:49.159
for us to get together and really
become a community, all one hundred of

473
00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:52.920
us, to really connect. And
the only way that's possible is if you

474
00:36:52.960 --> 00:37:00.400
eliminate many distractions. And so being
stuck on a ship out in the middle

475
00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:04.159
of nowhere basically is important to that. But you could be anywhere in the

476
00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:07.880
middle of nowhere, right, So, Antarctica is actually one of the only

477
00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:13.639
place on the planet that is dedicated
to science, cooperation and peace. So

478
00:37:13.719 --> 00:37:16.800
sixty years ago actually while we were
in in Antarctica, the Antarctic Treaty had

479
00:37:16.840 --> 00:37:23.920
at sixtieth anniversary where people decided that
this place was for science, cooperation and

480
00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:28.519
peace. I'm getting goose bumps.
This is so cool. Keep going,

481
00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:34.760
yeah, so's it's a place where
people collaborate, there are wars don't happen

482
00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:40.400
there, and it's all to preserve
that place. And we did have the

483
00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:44.039
opportunity to go to some of the
scientific bases there as well, which is

484
00:37:44.039 --> 00:37:46.719
really cool. But that's beside the
point. But that's another reason, especially

485
00:37:46.760 --> 00:37:53.320
as a multicultural and multinational endeavor,
this provides a place that is safe for

486
00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:58.639
everyone to go right, it's that's
what the point of it is for science

487
00:37:58.639 --> 00:38:05.960
and cooperation. The other really big
reason for Antarctica is that it brings home

488
00:38:06.639 --> 00:38:12.360
the impacts of climate change, like
right in your face. And Antarctica is

489
00:38:13.679 --> 00:38:19.000
huge, like I can't it's hard
to put into words how massive this place

490
00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:22.320
is, and when you're there,
how small you can feel. But then

491
00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:27.679
you remember that there is no people
who live there, there's no local population,

492
00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:31.639
but that place is severely affected by
climate change. The Antarctic Peninsula,

493
00:38:32.199 --> 00:38:36.719
where we spent most of our time, is actually the second fastest fastest warming

494
00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:40.360
place on the planet. And nobody
lives there, right, So it's all

495
00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:45.000
of the effects of the rest of
the world impacting that place, and so

496
00:38:45.159 --> 00:38:49.480
that is really striking to be a
part of. And so you're in this

497
00:38:49.559 --> 00:38:53.000
massive landscape where you feel so small
and irrelevant, right, and it's dangerous

498
00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:58.639
to be there. You have to
be like ready to like you just at

499
00:38:58.679 --> 00:39:01.400
the whim of mother nature when you're
down there, So you feel so small,

500
00:39:01.800 --> 00:39:07.000
but then you realize how powerful humanity
is and that they they we are

501
00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:15.239
impacting this place from so far away. So it brings together this idea of

502
00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:19.880
being isolated and learning about the climate, and also being in a place where

503
00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:25.559
we can all truly work together in
this multinational and multicultural environment. It's so

504
00:39:25.639 --> 00:39:30.920
stunning and so compelling and so big. I'm just again, I'm so happy

505
00:39:30.920 --> 00:39:32.519
to be able to share this experience
that you had with our listeners, and

506
00:39:32.760 --> 00:39:37.840
I hope that listeners that it inspires
you to go after something like this,

507
00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:43.079
to really really grow yourself and challenge
yourself, as I have to imagine the

508
00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:46.599
experience was for you, doctor McConnell. And so with that, I know

509
00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:49.880
you could probably talk a long time
about this, and we don't have that

510
00:39:49.960 --> 00:39:52.039
much time, but can you tell
us a little bit about your experience.

511
00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:55.440
What parts of it particularly stood out
for you, that really landed for you.

512
00:39:57.480 --> 00:39:59.599
Yeah, of course, And I
definitely want to echo that. I

513
00:39:59.639 --> 00:40:05.360
think everyone should find something like this, find a way, you know,

514
00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:08.079
that they can feel as though they're
making a difference, and find a community

515
00:40:08.119 --> 00:40:13.639
to support them. It's it's so
important and I was very lucky to have

516
00:40:13.639 --> 00:40:19.840
been a part of this. But
what stood out for me most this is

517
00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:23.639
so hard. I think the number
one thing is the ice. It sounds

518
00:40:23.639 --> 00:40:27.760
so silly because everybody thinks of ice
when I think of Antarctica, but there

519
00:40:27.800 --> 00:40:32.960
was just so much ice, like
an unbelievable massive amounts of ice. Like

520
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:37.039
we saw one iceberg that was like
a mile long and it just seemed small

521
00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:40.719
because of how when you're looking at
it, but it's a mile of ice

522
00:40:42.159 --> 00:40:45.280
just floating around, right, And
then there are icebergs that are hundreds of

523
00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:54.559
miles and it's just crazy to to
realize the scale of it. And also

524
00:40:55.079 --> 00:41:00.360
that the ice is really noisy,
so it makes you it's always popping.

525
00:41:00.440 --> 00:41:06.880
It sounds kind of like Rice Christie's
and it's the air that is popping in

526
00:41:06.920 --> 00:41:13.519
that ice is many centuries old,
so it's pre industrial revolution air that you're

527
00:41:13.559 --> 00:41:20.920
breathing when you're around those icebergs that
are melting. Right. So the time

528
00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:23.920
scale as well, so all of
these things playing with scale was so big

529
00:41:23.920 --> 00:41:29.599
when when you're down there in Antarctica. And the other thing is is the

530
00:41:29.639 --> 00:41:35.599
people that I was with, So
I have never been in such a supportive

531
00:41:35.679 --> 00:41:42.400
environment that is open and collaborative,
like we all truly truly wanted the other

532
00:41:42.440 --> 00:41:46.239
people to be their best selves and
to grow and learn in whatever way they

533
00:41:46.280 --> 00:41:50.760
needed at that moment. And then
someone else was doing the same for me.

534
00:41:52.039 --> 00:41:55.920
So it's really unique. I don't
know that I will experience it again,

535
00:41:57.239 --> 00:42:00.679
right it was. I hadn't until
I went a way that we all

536
00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:07.039
were there truly supporting each other's growth
and working towards this collective goal of becoming

537
00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:15.320
leaders that take us towards a sustainable
future. This is going to sound really,

538
00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:17.159
really silly, but I have to
ask another question. Yeah, it

539
00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:24.119
strikes me that there would be an
absence of smell there. I'm so glad

540
00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:28.280
you asked, because there's not.
Okay, so what's the third thing on

541
00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:32.360
my list? It is the smell. So there are a lot of penguins

542
00:42:34.039 --> 00:42:39.639
in Antarctica, like millions of penguins
live there, and they stink so bad

543
00:42:42.400 --> 00:42:45.400
there. But you're so cute.
I know they're cute, but actually they're

544
00:42:45.440 --> 00:42:51.840
really disgusting. So there's like poop
everywhere, and they like poop on each

545
00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:54.320
other's walls. They're like so dirty, and then you walk over near them

546
00:42:54.360 --> 00:43:00.400
and smells so bad. And they're
also so noisy. They're like always squawking

547
00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:07.400
and making sounds. So I was
totally shocked at how smelly the penguins were,

548
00:43:07.679 --> 00:43:10.559
and seals as well. Kind of
thinking, but not as bad as

549
00:43:10.559 --> 00:43:15.519
penguins. But when you're like just
out in the like if there's not that

550
00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:22.320
many animals around, it still has
a very fresh smell and sometimes you can

551
00:43:22.400 --> 00:43:24.800
kind of smell the salt like you
would at the beach of the water,

552
00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:30.480
but not always. It's also really
windy, so Antarctica is the driest,

553
00:43:30.599 --> 00:43:36.880
windiest, coldest highest place on the
planet, and so the wind I think,

554
00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:42.480
takes those smells away and changes them
pretty rapidly unless you're right near the

555
00:43:42.480 --> 00:43:46.079
penguins. Then I'm glad you've shared
all that. That really helps I feel

556
00:43:46.079 --> 00:43:49.360
more like I have much more of
a sense of what it was like,

557
00:43:49.400 --> 00:43:52.159
So thank you for that. That
was in the sensory experience helped a lot.

558
00:43:52.199 --> 00:43:58.400
So despite the smelly penguins, we're
getting close to out of time already

559
00:43:58.400 --> 00:44:00.280
here, but I want to make
sure we'll be talk about something really interesting

560
00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:06.320
and beautiful that you did, Doctor
McConnell. You invited your fellow program participants

561
00:44:06.320 --> 00:44:09.400
to create a human pride flag there, which is amazing. So what an

562
00:44:09.400 --> 00:44:15.480
incredible display of connectedness and loved I
think that's compelling. So tell us how

563
00:44:15.519 --> 00:44:16.880
this flag came to be and why
it was so important to you. How

564
00:44:16.920 --> 00:44:20.519
did you pull this off too?
I saw a picture on the way it's

565
00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:22.840
fantastic. I know, it came
out so good and I was so happy

566
00:44:22.840 --> 00:44:28.280
about it. Well, I really
want to do some sort of like pride

567
00:44:29.000 --> 00:44:31.199
demonistration. And I didn't bring a
flag with me, and I was bombed

568
00:44:31.239 --> 00:44:37.760
about it a rainbow flag. And
there was one other openly gay person on

569
00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:42.480
the ship and we talked about it
and we're like, let's do it with

570
00:44:42.559 --> 00:44:45.599
everyone, like let's get everyone involved. And I was like, okay,

571
00:44:46.079 --> 00:44:52.280
like super skipt to go. I
don't want to do this. And we

572
00:44:52.400 --> 00:44:55.440
put up a sheet because we didn't
have when we were on this ship,

573
00:44:55.480 --> 00:45:00.360
we didn't really have digital talking to
each other. So we put a piece

574
00:45:00.360 --> 00:45:02.199
of paper up on the wall and
said sign up for a want to be

575
00:45:02.320 --> 00:45:07.639
in the rainbow bow flag, and
tons of people put their names on there.

576
00:45:07.039 --> 00:45:13.079
And then the day came around and
it was actually really rough seas outside,

577
00:45:13.079 --> 00:45:17.239
and so we gathered in one room
and everyone got into the colors that

578
00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:22.320
they needed. People brought extra shirts, like some people had many colors and

579
00:45:22.400 --> 00:45:25.920
other people shared because some people only
brought like really you know, beige clothing

580
00:45:27.159 --> 00:45:30.039
for Antarctica, right, and so
they shared clothes so we could get all

581
00:45:30.039 --> 00:45:34.280
the colors around. The expedition team, who was the people leading us into

582
00:45:34.280 --> 00:45:39.119
Antarctica. They joined us and then
we marched up to the deck where we

583
00:45:39.159 --> 00:45:43.360
took the photo. And like I
said, it was a bit rough and

584
00:45:43.400 --> 00:45:46.079
windy, and so we were getting
in the lines and as the ship would

585
00:45:46.840 --> 00:45:52.599
toss, everybody would like move all
to one side the boat and then all

586
00:45:52.639 --> 00:45:54.800
too the other side of the boat, and we were all just laughing and

587
00:45:55.719 --> 00:46:00.719
everyone was like joined together like to
try to not fall over. It was

588
00:46:00.039 --> 00:46:05.079
incredible, and then we managed to
get the photo and I was like,

589
00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:08.719
this was It's definitely one of my
highlights to see that when you have when

590
00:46:08.760 --> 00:46:13.400
you really want to do something right. We really wanted to make this happen.

591
00:46:13.400 --> 00:46:15.960
And I shared it with the group
and they're like, yes, let's

592
00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:22.840
do it, and like it just
happened, right. So I was so

593
00:46:22.960 --> 00:46:27.159
blown away by everyone's participation and how
much they enjoyed it as well. Wasn't

594
00:46:27.159 --> 00:46:30.119
just me enjoying it. Everyone had
a really wonderful time. So I was

595
00:46:30.159 --> 00:46:35.159
just so thankful to all of them
for helping me make that moment because it

596
00:46:35.280 --> 00:46:39.280
was very special and if the picture
is phenomenal, it really is phenomenal,

597
00:46:39.480 --> 00:46:44.119
says There's just no way to really
give words to the beauty of that photo

598
00:46:44.440 --> 00:46:46.440
and what you did. And so
part of what I also am hearing from

599
00:46:46.800 --> 00:46:50.679
this is, you know, I
wanted you to talk about what you how

600
00:46:50.719 --> 00:46:53.079
this program has transformed you. It
seems to me, even in just what

601
00:46:53.159 --> 00:46:57.480
you narrated there, that you stepped
what I have a saying and you stepped

602
00:46:57.519 --> 00:47:02.239
more into your shine. You you
let who you really are come right out

603
00:47:02.280 --> 00:47:07.880
to the front and literally celebrated it. And one of the things we talk

604
00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:09.320
about so much is, you know, when you're a leader is to really

605
00:47:09.360 --> 00:47:14.519
be authentic in that space. And
it seems to me that you've also claimed

606
00:47:14.519 --> 00:47:20.639
even more of your own authenticity through
the program. Yes, most definitely,

607
00:47:21.039 --> 00:47:24.119
that's what it's all about. It's
about that. I think that authenticity comes

608
00:47:24.159 --> 00:47:29.280
from self awareness, right, It
comes from that reflection where you realize,

609
00:47:29.800 --> 00:47:34.079
oh, this is who I am, and then you have the confidence to

610
00:47:34.119 --> 00:47:37.880
step out and be that authentic leader
that's the best people want to follow,

611
00:47:38.199 --> 00:47:44.559
that they want to be connected with. It's those authentic leaders. Absolutely agree.

612
00:47:45.960 --> 00:47:49.119
Well, I hate to let you
go because you have been such an

613
00:47:49.119 --> 00:47:52.679
incredible person to just to spend time
with and learn from and be inspired by.

614
00:47:52.719 --> 00:47:54.639
But here we are at the end
of the program already, and you

615
00:47:54.679 --> 00:47:59.360
know that this program is intended to
help people across the world develop more meaning

616
00:47:59.400 --> 00:48:04.079
passions purpose across their lives and their
work. That said, what would you

617
00:48:04.119 --> 00:48:07.199
like to leave our listeners with?
So the very first thing is that if

618
00:48:07.280 --> 00:48:12.519
you are a woman with a background
and STEM, go check out Homework Bound

619
00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:15.840
and see if it's something that resonates
with you. And then the thing that

620
00:48:15.880 --> 00:48:21.400
I really want to leave is that
for me, this was so much about

621
00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:25.599
finding a community that I have a
shared passion and shared vision with and that

622
00:48:25.599 --> 00:48:30.760
that is so incredibly empowering. And
I think it's really important in our work

623
00:48:31.199 --> 00:48:36.719
right and in our daily lives that
we have that community who we share values

624
00:48:36.800 --> 00:48:39.320
with. And so if you don't
have that, you don't think you have

625
00:48:39.440 --> 00:48:44.159
that, to try to find it
and it can be really really game changing.

626
00:48:45.239 --> 00:48:47.760
What a beautiful way to finish.
And yes, I certainly applaud Like

627
00:48:47.760 --> 00:48:51.159
I said, if I had a
STEM background, I'd be all over Homework

628
00:48:51.199 --> 00:48:53.840
Bound. Thank you so much,
doctor McConnell for coming and sharing. We

629
00:48:54.280 --> 00:48:58.199
timed this conversation so it was right
on the heels if you're coming back,

630
00:48:58.320 --> 00:49:00.679
so it's fresh. I really thank
you so much for coming into my life

631
00:49:00.719 --> 00:49:05.280
and letting me share you with the
listeners across the world. Yeah, thank

632
00:49:05.320 --> 00:49:07.079
you so much for having me on
the show. It's been wonderful to have

633
00:49:07.079 --> 00:49:12.599
the opportunity to share. I really
appreciate it well, terrific. So,

634
00:49:12.719 --> 00:49:15.679
listeners, if you want to learn
more about doctor McConnell or to contact her,

635
00:49:15.760 --> 00:49:16.880
the first thing you might want to
do is just go to LinkedIn and

636
00:49:16.920 --> 00:49:21.360
look for her there so you spell
her first name, Jeanette. It's j

637
00:49:21.599 --> 00:49:27.239
E A n E T t E. Her last name was McConnell mc capital

638
00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:30.960
c O N N E l L. You can also find her via email.

639
00:49:31.079 --> 00:49:37.440
It's j McConnell at UCSD dot d
U. Last week, if you

640
00:49:37.480 --> 00:49:40.840
missed the live show, you always
catch a via recorded podcast. We were

641
00:49:40.840 --> 00:49:45.920
on the air with Justin mccorkole talking
about the power of being able to change

642
00:49:45.960 --> 00:49:50.519
a life in a single conversation.
It was awesome, very very in depth,

643
00:49:50.719 --> 00:49:53.280
real conversation with a gentleman who you
spent twelve years also as a preacher,

644
00:49:53.559 --> 00:49:57.960
he knows a lot about conversation.
Next week, we'll be on the

645
00:49:58.000 --> 00:50:01.239
air with Mike Cole's talking about how
his own experience of being a traveling professional

646
00:50:01.280 --> 00:50:05.679
away from his young son set him
on a journey to create an app that

647
00:50:05.719 --> 00:50:08.840
allows distant parents to read to their
children using their own voice. See you

648
00:50:08.840 --> 00:50:10.840
there. Remember that work is at
least one third of our life, so

649
00:50:12.159 --> 00:50:17.800
let's work on purpose. We hope
you've enjoyed this week's program. Be sure

650
00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:22.719
to tune in to Working on Purpose, featuring your host Alice Cortez, each

651
00:50:22.719 --> 00:50:28.960
week on the Voice America Empowerment Channel. This week, find your life's purpose

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00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:30.000
at work.