Speaker Spotlight

The Innovator and Motivator Podcast by AWIS-CAC features scientists who have demonstrated the ability to innovate and/or motivate in their chosen STEM career trajectory. For these podcasts, we invite the scientist into this conversation with their mentee to afford for rich conversations that matter. Here, we spotlight the podcast mentors that have been featured in past podcasts.

  • Spring 2024 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Abigail Ross

    Spring 2024 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Abigail Ross

    with mentee, Mauricette Rajaobelina Dr. Abigail Ross is a primate behavioral ecologist and the Founder and Executive Director of The Dr. Abigail Ross Foundation for Applied Conservation (TDARFAC). She graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, M.A. in Biological Anthropology from Northern Illinois University, and Ph.D. in Evolutionary Anthropology from…


  • Winter 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Laura Tran

    Winter 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Laura Tran

    with mentee, Malia Gasteier Dr. Laura Tran is an Assistant Editor with The Scientist magazine. She earned a B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science from Saint Louis University (2017) and a Ph.D. in Integrated Biomedical Sciences from Rush University (2023). Her research focused on how circadian rhythms and alcohol affect the gut and resulted in an…


  • Fall 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Ashlynn Stillwell

    Fall 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Ashlynn Stillwell

    Our fall 2023 Innovators and Motivators podcast hosts Dr. Ashlynn S. Stillwell, an Associate Professor and the Elaine F. and William J. Hall Excellence Faculty Scholar in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri (2006), and an M.S. in Environmental…


  • Summer 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. YamilĂ© Molina

    Summer 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Yamilé Molina

    Dr. Molina is an Associate Professor in the Division of Community Health Sciences in the School of Public Health, an Associate Director for Community Engaged Research for the Mile Square Health Center, one of the oldest FQHCs and one of the few affiliated with an academic medical center, and the Associate Director for Community Outreach…