JSTEMP the EIS — an educator, innovator & scientist who inspires tomorrow’s innovators through STEM!
This week’s Community Feature (formerly our #WomanCrushWednesday in STEM or #WCWinSTEM campaign) is Dr. Jennifer Stimpson, an Education Consultant who is also the founder of the National Association of Black STEM Teachers. Through her work she is dedicated to enhancing STEM education and creating equitable and safe spaces for Black educators in STEM.
Responses may be edited for clarity and brevity.
Where did you go to school?
Ed.D. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
M.A. Environmental Chemistry, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
B.S. Chemistry, Dilliard University, New Orleans, Louisiana
What do you do right now?
I currently work as an Education Consultant, collaborating with a variety of organizations to enhance teaching and learning processes. I focus on making STEM education engaging, relevant, and inspiring for their audiences.
I am also the founder of the National Association of Black STEM Teachers (NABST). NABST promotes the leadership of Black/African American science teachers by fostering education, innovation, and diversity to enhance effective science teaching and learning in a dynamic educational landscape.
I spent a significant amount of time as a K-12 teacher and recognized the need for support among Black STEM educators. This inspired me to found the organization with the goal of creating a supportive community where Black teachers in STEM can voice their needs, share their experiences, and work together to advance STEM education.
Can you walk us through your career journey and how it led to your current work?
I began my career as a federally trained forensic chemist with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Following my undergraduate studies, I worked as a Forensic Toxicologist at the medical examiner’s office. For those familiar with Law & Order: SVU, I was the person responsible for identifying substances to determine whether they were toxins, poisons, or illegal drugs. My work in this role was crucial in determining the cause of death in certain cases, while in others, I assessed the toxicity of substances to aid in forensic investigations.
I then became a K-12 Chemistry teacher at a magnet school in the inner city of Dallas, Texas. I worked there nearly a decade before landing a teaching role at a prestigious all girls school. I was the first Black teacher in the high school.
“When you talk about a journey of being called and knowing what your calling is even though you didn’t decide that calling, you have to be ready.”
Since I was the only Black teacher at this school I never had a community. I didn’t have anyone to vent to or people who saw me as their professional equal. I had to carve out my own space. I’ve been blessed with opportunities but all of those I had to create for myself because I wasn’t nurtured, cultivated or supported in a way others were. When you’re different you have to work harder.
My purpose for creating NABST was to provide Black teachers with a strong sense of community. Even in public schools, this need remains: while some subjects may have a diverse representation of Black educators, science departments often lack Black teachers.
“People are always excited to be the first but oftentimes people don’t set out to be the first. The first is the person who has to do the hardest work. They have to blaze the trail. They’re the ones that have to dig the rocks out of the way before others can have a beautiful walk across the puddle.”
What is your favorite aspect of your current role?
My favorite aspect of my job is that I get to help people connect with the future and potential of science by transforming how they engage with the wonders and possibilities of STEM education. I promote STEM fluency which refers to the ability to understand, apply, and effectively communicate concepts and practices related to STEM beyond just basic knowledge of these subjects. It involves a deeper level of competency where individuals can think critically, solve problems, and innovate using STEM principles. I think of teaching STEM like teaching a foreign language.
I have been so blessed throughout my career journey. I had the privilege of being part of the Albert Einstein Fellowship Program, where I worked at the U.S. House of Representatives, helping to shape STEM education legislation. I’ve also been featured in several articles, and I’m truly grateful for these opportunities. At the same time, I often find myself looking back and thinking, ‘Wow, me?’ — because I know there is still so much work to be done.
I view every recognition as a responsibility, and each honor motivates me to keep pushing forward. I thrive on the challenge of always tackling something new.
Are you working on any new projects you would like to share?
Yes! Alongside the work I am doing to grow NABST, I am now working in the aviation education space. I’ve left the classroom and I am running, developing and leading programs in aviation in STEM for K-12 communities. I have a new organization working with the National Aviation Education Center where I am teaching how the World War II B-fighter planes impacted survival during the war. My angle is to teach how aviation impacted the city of Dallas.
What made you choose your STEM discipline in the first place?
Most people have to go to school to learn science. I was born into a science family. My parents were pharmacists at a time when it was rare that Black people went into pharmacy. They either became a doctor or a teacher. Specifically, my father was a compounding pharmacist which is a pharmacist who compounds chemicals to prepare medicines in different forms to create the best delivery method for people. For example, if you had a hard time swallowing then he would make the medicine as a topical solution or an injection. He owned and operated his own business, so during summers and weekends, I’d spend time at his shop. I was fascinated by the advanced equipment he used to prepare medications.
I also witnessed him serving the community by teaching people how to improve their health and well-being. He was a respected figure in the community, inspiring others to live their best lives. My dad was one of the last compounding pharmacists so being able to see that and see how he helped people was inspiring.
What piece of work are you most proud of (publication, presentation, project, etc.)?
In 2020 I was selected to be one of the AAAS If/Then STEM Ambassadors. I’ve got a statue of my likeness for my work in STEM education. It has been in Dallas and DC.
- Q&A with Jennifer Stimpson: STEM Educator, Innovator, Scientist | Dallas Doing Good
- Orange is the new cool: 3-D statues at NorthPark Center in Dallas honor women in STEM careers
I was honored to be one of just two K-12 educators selected out of 120 individuals. Being chosen as a science teacher for such a prestigious opportunity is both meaningful and special. As educators, we serve as gatekeepers, playing a pivotal role in shaping students’ futures and helping them decide what paths they want to pursue. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been in a position to inspire young girls to explore the wonders and possibilities of science, encouraging them to see themselves as part of the future of STEM.
What’s one piece of advice you wish you had when you started your STEM journey?
I was the first Black female to earn a master’s degree in a science field at my graduate school. Looking back, I wish I had known how to navigate the period of waiting to be called when it came time to lead. As an extrovert who loves connecting with others, the slow, painful experience of being overlooked was harder than I had anticipated. I also wish I had understood earlier that when you enter a space where you’re different, it’s not about you asserting yourself — it’s more about others feeling comfortable with your presence. I’ve learned to accept this reality over time, but I wish I had known it sooner.
How did you find support within your institution or field?
I collaborate with others! I founded the National Association of Black STEM Teachers, a network of like-minded individuals committed to supporting and empowering the next generation of Black educators in K-12 science. I deeply enjoy this work because it keeps me grounded in my STEM education roots while creating opportunities for others who are navigating their own paths in this unique teaching and education space.
What do you think the field can do to make STEM more equitable?
There are many ways to make STEM more equitable.
First, by ensuring that children and their families have equitable access to high-quality STEM education, including in informal and tech-enabled environments. This can be further enhanced by providing abundant opportunities for hands-on learning, which can enhance understanding and retention and support the practical application of theoretical and abstract concepts.
Secondly, by expanding access to and participation in high-quality, community-driven learning opportunities. It’s crucial to elevate and resource affinity programs that support historically excluded and marginalized communities, particularly within their workplaces.
Lastly, we can strengthen incentives and support systems to attract and retain educators from diverse backgrounds, while continuing to build a foundation for collaborative action.
What else are you passionate about and how do you make sure to make time for your other passions?
Outside of work, I enjoy travelling. I’ve been to some unique places, including studying Incan math in Peru and conducting plate tectonic research on the Sierra Negra Mountain in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. I’ve also collected geological samples of rocks that are unique to the Jura Mountains, located in the Alps on the Italian side.
I am also a closeted historian. I am always on the genealogy trek trying to locate all my ancestors. I enjoy reading history fiction and biographies. My other hobbies include cooking new recipes that go to the edge of spiciness (like using ghost pepper for my chili or Reaper sauce for hot wings) and walking roughly 2 miles each day (rain and bitter cold are the exception).
The greatest piece of advice I received from the past year is:
Don’t look for your rewards to show up in common vessels. Be prepared to look for the unexpected.
And the best advice I have to give to someone this year is:
Be attuned to what you focus on, because it affects your inner state which ultimately determines your behavior. Do good and be good.
You can find Dr. Stimpson on Instagram and find NABST on Instagram, X, and Tik Tok!
Thank you, Dr. Stimpson, for allowing us to share your story! We’re honored to have you in our VanguardSTEM Village!
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Community Features: Dr. Jennifer Stimpson, Ed.D. (She/Her) was originally published in VanguardSTEM Conversations on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.