The United Nations Association of New York is pleased to host a special half-day conference on STEM education at the SUNY Global Center.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
8:30 am – 9:00 am | Registration
9 am – 12 noon | Panel Presentation
SUNY Global Center
116 East 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
The fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) require a diverse population of experts to achieve our world’s sustainable development goals. The inclusion of all genders and cultures will ensure that everyone’s experiences will inform and guide the direction of STEM innovation for the future benefit of all.
The United Nations, its partners worldwide, and countless women and girls will mark 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It’s an opportunity to take a stand for women and girls in science and to break the stereotypes that hold them back.
Bridging the gender gap in science is vital for achieving sustainable development and fulfilling the promise of the 2030 Agenda to “leave no one behind.” Although science-related fields are critical to national economies, most countries have not achieved gender and racial equality in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
STEM Diversity — and why it matters
The purpose of this youth conference is to highlight the importance of diversity — to encourage participation from all cultures, and especially young women and people of color, in today’s work and career environment. Promoting such a work force will insure:
an environment of creative innovation
a careful examination of skills currently under-represented through a lack of diverse participation
a recognition of biases and challenges women and minorities face in pursuing leadership careers, leadership and service in STEM occupations
outreach to organizations advocating for diversity and women in STEM fields
Our panel participants are STEM graduate students, STEM career women and global career participants, and diversity leaders and experts from government, public and private sectors, all of whom will share from the experiences of their STEM careers and educational journeys, while effecting the removal of road blocks and challenges facing people of color and women in STEM careers.
Who Should Attend
We are inviting students, teachers, and administrators who educate students at the junior and high-school levels, to attend this forum. Their students will benefit in learning and obtaining an important outlook for their educational and career developments. For more information, please send an email to UNA-NYC Executive Director Ann Nicol at info@unanyc.org.
Attendance is free — but please respond before Friday, March 1st. Space is limited to 120 people, so sign up early! Download the Registration Form, then fill in the information for all students who will be attending, and send it by email to UNA-NYC Executive Director Ann Nicol at info@unanyc.org.
Further Information
Here are some links — to get you inspired, or to share with other potentially interested faculty members at your school — for more information about the importance of STEM in the lives of women and girls:
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Why I’m a “STEMinist” — and You Should Be Too
Conference Organizers and Partners
The Links Incorporated, Central New Jersey Chapter
The United Nations Association of New York
United Nations
Schools Attending
New Brunswick Academy for the Gifted and Talented
Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
Panel Moderator
DR. CHONITA SPENCER
As the United Nations Association of New York’s Chair of Education, Dr. Chonita A. Robinson Spencer is the recipient of the 2016 Distinguished Service Award for Extraordinary Dedication and Service for promoting International Ideals and world goals. Through her leadership and the support of UNA-NYC, students see and realize opportunities for global careers, leadership, and service. Chonita is the chair and moderator of UNA-NYC’s first science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) diversity conference. She has served throughout the years in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals as board director for both UNA-NYC and the Department of Public Information.
A graduate of Keuka College, Niagara University, Central Michigan University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick Theological Seminary and over the course of a 46 year tenure as a professional educator and licensed counselor, Dr. Spencer has endeavored to guide many students to post-secondary career endeavors. As a current adjunct of Rutgers University, Graduate School of Education, Dept. of Educational Psychology, Chonita designed courses for School Counseling state certification, to satisfy New Jersey School Counseling licensure and certification for students seeking counseling positions, k-post secondary education and teamed with her department in certifying Rutgers University as a CACREP university, highly certified in School Counseling. She is a retired school administrator from Roselle and Newark Public Schools, the first gifted and talented teacher in the New Brunswick Public School District, NJ, and an educator in the Niagara Falls Public School District, NY. Mainstreaming for equality of educational, social, and career opportunities was her passion for working with and serving disenfranchised and marginalized children her entire professional life.
Chonita is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and The Links, Incorporated, two professional organizations to which she has dedicate a life time of service.
She resides in Somerset, New Jersey.
Guest Panelists
SABRINA BEKTESEVIC
Sabrina Bektesevic was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia. She came to the United States at the age of 4 years old during the Yugoslav War/Bosnian War. She grew up in Queens, New York. She was awarded a full tuition scholarship from The Posse Foundation as well as from General Electric, in partnership with NBC's Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation novel, to attend Middlebury College in Vermont. She majored in Political Science and French, studying abroad in Paris. During her time at Middlebury, she interned for the United Nations Association of New York. She worked as a high school teacher in Little Haiti, Miami for two years with Teach for America.
Currently, she is at Google celebrating her 5 year anniversary with the company. She has worked in both the San Francisco and New York office. She originally started out at Google in People Operations and moved to Google Sales. In her day to day, she advises Fortune 500 brands on their digital investment with Google. While on the Google Platforms team, she is on the front lines of digital transformation for her clients in the Consumer Electronics industry. She is very passionate about technology, education, and women's rights.
JAZLYN CARVAJAL
Previously responsible for successfully managing prominent construction projects throughout New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, Jazlyn Carvajal is one of the most recognizable women in her industry. Ms. Carvajal first gained notoriety for completing the award-winning $178 million, 375,000 square feet Union City High School with rooftop stadium.
She is also the co-founder of Latinas in STEM, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire and empower Latinas to pursue and thrive in STEM related fields.
Ms. Carvajal received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is President-Emeritus of the MIT Club of Northern New Jersey. Ms. Carvajal was a featured speaker at both the 2018 MIT Women’s Unconference and 2017 Ingeniosas Science and Technology For All Conference in Chile. In 2014, she was the recipient of the Union City Puerto Rican Woman of the Year Award. Ms. Carvajal served as Co-Chair to NJ Governor, Phil Murphy's Transition Committee on Government Technology and Innovation.
RAMU DAMODARAN
Ramu Damodaran is Deputy Director for Partnerships and Public Engagement in the United Nations Department of Public Information’s Outreach Division and is chief of the United Nations Academic Impact initiative, which aligns institutions of higher learning and research with the objectives of the United Nations and the States and peoples who constitute it. He is also the current secretary of the United Nations Committee on Information. His earlier posts with the Organization have included the Departments of Peacekeeping and Special Political Questions, as well as the Executive Office of the Secretary-General.
Ramu has been a member of the Indian Foreign Service, where he was promoted to the rank of Ambassador, and where he served as Executive Assistant to the Prime Minister of India as well as in the diplomatic missions in Moscow and to the United Nations, and in a range of national governmental ministries. He has been actively involved in mass media in India, including print, radio and television, and was a recipient of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union award for the best radio documentary.
MUNIRA KHALIF
Munira Khalif served as the 2017-18 U.S. Youth Observer to the United Nations, a role appointed annually by the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations Association of the USA, intended to increase youth engagement in global affairs and amplify the voices of American youth at the UN.
Munira's experience as a first-generation Somali-American raised her awareness of the reality that many children, especially girls, lack the opportunity to attend school and underscored the transformative power of education. In turn, she is a dedicated advocate for universal access to education and women’s and girls’ rights.
Munira previously served as an advocate and Teen Advisor for the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up campaign to ensure that girls in developing countries are safe, healthy, educated, and counted.
She is the cofounder and leader of Lighting the Way, a youth-led organization that works to make education more accessible and equitable for girls in East Africa.
Munira is an undergraduate student at Harvard University, majoring in Economics and minoring in Government.
CHIBULU LUO
Chibulu Luo is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. Her research examines the nexus between residential energy uses, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and spatial planning in rapidly growing African cities. Through this work, she plans to inform data-driven governance that enables low-carbon and sustainable urbanization pathways in cities. Chibulu is also a recipient of the 2018-2019 Graduate Fellowship with the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG); a former Young Scientist with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA); a Doctoral Research Awardee with International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Canada; a Doctoral Scholar with U of T's Centre for Global Engineering; and part of the leadership team for the Engineering Education for Sustainable Cities in Africa (EESC-A) project within the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto.
Prior to pursuing her PhD, Chibulu worked extensively in environmental policy and development, including with the Earth Institute at Columbia University, the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank. She holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management from Duke University (USA) and Mechanical Engineering from Warwick University (UK).
BRYAN NGO
Bryan Ngo is a doctoral candidate studying the role of chromosomal instability (CIN) and altered metabolism in cancer metastasis under the mentorship of Dr. Lewis Cantley at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Prior to joining Dr. Cantley’s laboratory, Bryan conducted research under the guidance Dr. Wen-Hwa Lee as an undergraduate at the University of California, Irvine. During this time, Bryan's work focused on understanding the mechanisms that ensure faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis. Bryan's long-term career goal is to make fundamental discoveries that contribute to the understanding of human health and diseases, such as cancer.
YETUNDE A. ODUGBESAN-OMEDE
Dr. Yetunde A. Odugbesan-Omede is a Visiting Professor of Global Affairs and Politics at Farmingdale State College, an applied learning and technology centered college. Dr. Yetunde teaches in the department of History, Politics and Geography.
She currently serves as a Senior Fellow on the Millennial Policy Initiative Commission on Gender Equity. Millennial Policy Initiative (MPI), serves as an incubator for modern policy reform and dialogues addressing our nation's most pressing challenges. The Commission’s goal is to provide vital policy recommendations and to promote more equitable representation of women in elected office; to ameliorate or close the gender pay and wealth gaps; and to ensure greater protections for the civil rights and liberties of women within society.
Dr. Yetunde received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Global Affairs from Rutgers University and her Masters of Science in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Law from Rutgers University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies with a double minor in Africana Studies and Organizational Leadership from Rutgers University as well. She has certificates in international relations, international business, and applied political leadership. She was a New Leaders Council Fellow, Rutgers Emerging Leaders Scholar, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Minority Academic Careers Fellow, Eagleton Institute of Politics Fellow and graduate of the United Nations Worldview Institute. She has worked with many reputable institutions and government agencies.
SHIVAM PATEL
Shivam Patel is a Physical Therapist and currently pursuing his master's degree in Exercise Science and Strength and Conditioning at Long Island University in Brooklyn. He completed his Bachelors in Physical therapy in 2017 at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India.
Shivam is a passionate individual who is seeking work as a Sports Physical Therapist and a Professor In Psychology. He is also a passionate photographer who loves to take photos of the surrounding environment and nature. He wishes to work with the UN for conservation of nature and wildlife.
DIANA RUSU
Diana Rusu is the Innovation for Women’s Economic Empowerment Specialist at UN Women’s Policy Division, Economic Empowerment Section.
As part of the “WE EMPOWER through Responsible Business Conduct in G7 Countries” Program Team, she is designing “WeLearn” a global virtual skills school for women and girls. Diana envisions a world where no woman or girl is left behind. Her work is directed towards capacity building for the 21st century job market, the changing world of work, and new opportunities and skills. Passionate about #inno4dev #Edtech and #LifelongLearning, she maintains a focus on technologies and jobs in the gig economy.
Diana holds a Bachelors in International Economic Relations from the Academy of Economic Studies, Moldova, and a Masters in International Affairs from The New School, USA. She is a native Romanian speaker and fluent in English and Russian.