Women of Rubies, Author at Women of Rubies

In Career Gems June 18, 2019 By Women of Rubies

27-YEAR-OLD CIARA SIVELS BECOMES THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO EARN PH.D. IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING FROM UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

At only 27 years old, Ciara Sivels is the First Black woman to earn a doctorate in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan.

The Chesapeake, Virginia, native has accomplished a major win at the top nuclear engineering program in the country. In October, Sivels successfully presented her thesis on “Development of an Advanced Radioxenon Detector for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring,” but she didn’t always have a passion for science.

When she graduated from high school, the scholar wanted to study culinary arts. It wasn’t until her teacher encouraged her to try her hand at STEM that she developed interests in nuclear science and engineering.

“I remember the teacher from that class saying, ‘Oh, you’re really smart, you should think about doing something other than culinary,’” she shared in an interview with Huffington Post. “So that’s kinda how I switched over into engineering and eventually ended up at MIT and ended up in the nuclear program.”

The road to earning her Ph.D. was not easy, but Sivel received support from mentors like Dr. Sara Pozzi, the academic advisor for her thesis.

“This project was initiated by Ciara and represents a significant advance in nuclear explosion monitoring,” she told Huffington Post. Pozzi explained that representation matters, especially with the lack of diversity in science.

As the founder of Women in Nuclear Engineering in Radiological Science on her campus, Sivel feels its important to expose more Black women to the world of STEM.

View image on Twitter

U-M NERS@umichNERS

Congratulations to Dr. Ciara Sivels in becoming the first African American female graduate of the NERS PhD program!!203 2:40 PM – Oct 26, 2018

Credit: blavity.com

In self development June 18, 2019 By Women of Rubies

“I WILL EXPOSE THE MAN WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED ME AT THE RIGHT TIME” -IFU ENNADA

Ifu Ennada, Big Brother Naija ex Housemate and business woman, has said the man who sexually abused her will be exposed soon.

While disclosing this during an interview with NAN, the budding entrepreneur said she stopped talking about the incident because she did not want to be seen more as a victim than the businesswoman and entertainer that she is.

The reality star who got infected with a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) in the process added that her abuser was a popular name in the entertainment industry.

“I stopped talking about it because I didn’t want people to see me as just a victim. There is so much to it,” Ennada said.

“I am above that but at the right time, I will expose my abuser. He is even in Abuja.”

The movie producer, who also owns a haircare product line, had in 2018 released ‘Tears of a Broken Virgin’, a short film detailing her story in order to raise awareness on rape culture in the society.

On how she supports rape victims, the entertainer cum entrepreneur said she offers free consultation services.

“I do private consultation with a lot of these women and encourage them the way I can. Also, I speak to young women at events for free to help them become better,” she said.

“I hope to do more especially now that I have new, proper management. I hope to out and help more women.”

Credit: fabwoman.ng

In self development June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

GHANIAN GRADUATING STUDENT WINS TWO NATIONAL HONORS FROM TOP U.S UNIVERSITY

A Ghanaian student pursuing a doctorate in Information Systems at the Dakota State University has won two national honors from the university.

A Ghanaian native, Francisca Opoku-Boateng, was at a loss for words this spring when she learned she had been awarded two national honors in one week from the Dakota State University, USA. “This is an amazing, phenomenal package,” said the Dakota State University doctoral student in Information Systems.

Through the Google Women Techmakers Scholars Program, she will receive a $10,000 scholarship for the 2019-2020 school year, attend a Google Scholars’ Retreat, and take part in professional development and community outreach opportunities. Also, via the blackcomputeHER Fellowship, she and a cohort of other fellows will explore technical and professional development through monthly trainings on a wide range of tech topics.

Francisca didn’t expect to receive either because of the large number of people applying from the U.S. and Canada, but is very excited for the opportunities provided by each. At the Google retreat in June 2019, she will tour the Google headquarters and network with employees. “I can’t wait for this,” she said, “I’ve always wanted to experience Google and see what it’s like.”

Through the fellowship she anticipates being able to improve leadership skills and learn how to thrive in a minority environment as a woman in technology. Dakota State has had students win similar honors in the past, a result of efforts of the university to introduce students to programs and opportunities at a national level, said Dr. Pam Rowland, assistant professor of computer science and cyber security.

Students attend conferences such as Women in Cyber Security and are involved with the National Center for Women & Information Technology. This is an important part of their education because “cybersecurity isn’t a local or regional issue, it’s a national and international one,” said Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, associate dean of The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences. “We want our students to be as successful as possible, and that means collaborating and competing on a larger stage.” These large-scale efforts go hand-in-hand with small stage work. Opoku-Boateng is active with the DSU CybHER program, which works with girls interested in STEM and cyber security.

She has assisted or led activities at over 30 outreach events since she started at Dakota State, and suspects that her efforts with this contributed to her selection. Her future goals in technology are to “learn all I can learn and give back to my community and help girls in STEM tap into some these opportunities I have received.” These national, large stage experiences are things she can share on the small scale. “If I can give young girls a real-life experience or tell a story of opportunities I have actually experienced, I think that will add more to their understanding of technology fields.”

In Career Gems June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

BARBADOS TO BUILD A MUSEUM IN HONOR OF RIHANNA

It has been revealed that plans are underway for a museum to be built in Rihanna’s honor back home in her Bajan native.

The reveal came courtesy of the country’s first female Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, who shared the news during a recent speech in London.

Per Mottley, the space would be a permanent, interactive cultural tribute to the RiRi.

Speaking on the 31-year-old’s impact (which includes being an official ambassador for Barbados), she said:

“Anybody who could start going to school on a ZR [route taxi] from Westbury to Waterford and could now be the most successful woman entertainer in the entire globe in my view deserves to be recognised in her life as a living legend of Barbados as well.”

She continued…

“She didn’t say ‘I want to build a business’ or ‘when I build a successful business’, she said ‘when I build my empire’ – and I’ve never forgotten that – and she has built an empire and is still building it.”

On The museum specifically, Mottley added:

“We’ve been discussing with her [Rihanna] family – her brother in particular and her management – the need for them to establish a major museum with the government in Westbury Road so that people who leave the cruise terminal or who are at Kensington visiting for cricket have another iconic thing besides the Legends of Barbados Museum there at Herbert House.” [Source]

The news comes on the heels of the launch of Fenty – Rihanna’s luxury fashion house with LVMH, which is the first original label the latter has established since 1987.

Credit: thatgrapejuice.net

In self development June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

ANDRENA SAWYER: WHY YOUR BUSINESS IDEAS ARE NOT WORKING

Did you know that you can give 110% effort and fail miserably, even with a good business idea?

I’ve seen it more times than I can count. An eager entrepreneur has a brilliant idea and quickly forges ahead, only to come back disappointed that things did not work out.

By the time they come to that realization, they have likely invested a lot of money, energy and time that they will never get back.

Entrepreneurs going through this experience usually assume that they are simply not cut out for entrepreneurship.

It is at this point that I dig a little deeper into their execution process and I find that the real problem was that the idea or goal was underdeveloped, leading to poor execution. It was a set-up for failure from the start.

I then have the task of talking the entrepreneur off the ledge by explaining that there may have been nothing wrong with their effort, resources or intentions. The reason for the apparent failure was likely that the goal was an inherently bad goal.

When it comes to execution in business, a good goal is not just noble in its intention, but it also S.M.A.R.T.

It is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Ensuring that your goal meets these criteria increases the likelihood of success.

It eliminates wasted time and hones in on the best strategy for success.

Specific goals break down your general goals into manageable pieces so that they are easier to achieve. A great example of this might be to increase your annual revenue.

“Increase revenue in 2019” is a noble general goal.

An even better goal is to “increase revenue in 2019 by identifying profit leaks and creating monthly marketing campaigns in order to obtain new clients.”

Using that example, it’s easy to see how an entrepreneur can go from casting a wide net and taking a chance on what sticks, to identifying a specific strategy for success.

Even that specific goal can be further developed as you think about other factors that will affect the outcome.

By adding metrics and changing the goal to “increase revenue by 40% in 2019, by identifying profit leaks and creating monthly marketing campaigns in order to obtain new clients,” the direction and initial action steps are even clearer.

This way, there is little room for wasted resources and time.

The attainable and realistic factors in the S.M.A.R.T. formula are subjective factors determined by the individual’s readiness to start working on their goals.

An entrepreneur who does not have a marketing budget needs to first raise the money or create a budget for marketing before embarking on the goal above.

Without a budget for a robust campaign, attempting to increase revenue by creating marketing campaigns will prove futile.- @andrena_sawyer CLICK TO TWEET

It seems obvious enough, but many entrepreneurs still do not count the cost before they set their foot on the pavement.

The last piece of the formula is timeliness. This ensures that the person setting the goal has a sense of urgency and can fend off complacency when working toward their goal.

It is easy to overlook this final piece, but it is just as critical as the others because it has two extremes: too much time allotted for the goal, and not enough time.

When there is too much time, it is easy to fall into traps of procrastination and complacency. These are traps that force individuals to believe they have more time to do the work than they actually do.

They lose their sense of urgency, which opens the door for others to leverage their ideas, or for a competitor to get to a product launch before they do. The other extreme is not to give yourself enough time.

No goal is perfect, and neither is every process, and there is room for imperfection. – @andrena_sawyer CLICK TO TWEET

By rushing toward the goal, entrepreneurs stand the risk of sabotaging by not properly assessing the risks and all of the factors necessary for success.

After all, there’s value for the entrepreneur in trial and error and even failure.

However, by ensuring that your goals are S.M.A.R.T., you set yourself up to experience the thrill of achievement that will become a motivation for future successes.

ANDRENA SAWYERCONSULTANT | ENTREPRENEUR | AUTHOR

Andrena Sawyer is the President of P.E.R.K. Consulting (www.perkconsulting.net), and the author of The Misadventures of a New Entrepreneur: 5 Things They Won’t Teach You in Business School. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram @Andrena_Sawyer

Culled from sheleadsafrica.org

Credit: SLA, Andrena Sawyer

In Career Gems June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

KIM KARDASHIAN AND PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCES FURTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

Kim Kardashian has returned to the White House and stood alongside President Donald Trump as they announced further support for criminal justice reform.

Kim has made several visits to the highest office in US government, and returned on Thursday to announce a ride share partnership for former prisoners, who are given credit for car journeys to and from interviews.

‘Everyone wants the community to be safe, and the more opportunity we have and that they have and the support that we help give them, the safer everyone will be,’ she told reporters and guests, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, in the East Room.

Earlier she took to Instagram to reveal she was ‘heading to the White House to speak at the second chance hiring and reentry event’.

She added that she was ‘honored to be a part of the announcement that the administration and the private sector are stepping up to create opportunities for these men and women to succeed once home’.

‘While I have been able to offer support to some of the individuals I have met, the obstacles to success are an everyday struggle for thousands and more needs to be done,’ she said.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Kim Kardashian West — The pair are advocating for justice reform (Picture: Getty)

Ivanka Trump and Kim Kardashian West — Kim sat with Trump’s daughter Ivanka (Picture: Getty)

In June 2018 Kim was part of a team who helped to convince the president to pardon 63-year-old grandmother Alice, who was put behind bars in 1997 on money laundering and drug conspiracy charges.

After Alice was reunited with her family, Kim said she couldn’t stop at just one inmate and is now fighting for the release of other inmates.

Credit: metro.co.uk

Photo Credits: Getty Images, BBC News

In Career Gems June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

ALABAMA SIGNS BILL INTO LAW THAT CHILD MOLESTERS SHOULD BE CHEMICALLY CASTRATED

(TRepublican Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill into law Monday that will require some sex offenders to undergo chemical castration one month prior to being released from custody, and will also ensure that offenders have to foot the bill for the treatment.

Under the law, offenders “convicted of a sex offense involving a person under the age of 13” will have to be chemically castrated a month ahead of release and would also be required to continue treatment “until the court determines the treatment is no longer necessary.” Offenders would also have to pay for the procedure, but a denial of their parole could not be based “solely” on an inability to pay.

Chemical castration is defined in the law as “the receiving of medication, including, but not limited to, medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment or its chemical equivalent, that, among other things, reduces, inhibits, or blocks the production of testosterone, hormones, or other chemicals in a person’s body,” according to AL.com.

If a given offender chooses to halt the treatment, the move would be treated as a violation of parole, forcing the offender to resume their incarceration.

“This bill is a step toward protecting children in Alabama,” Ivey said. The bill was passed by both houses of the Alabama Legislature last month.

Credit: themindunleashed.com

In self development June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

80-YEAR-OLD GRANDMA GRADUATES FROM COLLEGE WITH ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE

Mrs. Beatrice Lillie, an 80-year old grandmother, has graduated college with an Associate’s degree in business management from Houston Community College’s Business Center of Excellence.

“I would not have believed it, I don’t think, although we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us,” Lillie told KHOU 11.

Lillie successfully finished her degree after four years of hardwork and determination. She’s also grateful for her younger classmates that kept encouraging her and she inspired them too in return. She remembered them telling her, “I know I can do it, if you can do it.”

She said college has showed her a new perspective about arts and it taught her how to use technology. But before actually getting her first ever college degree in business, she already had a lot of business experiences. She was an owner of her own answering service even before voicemails and cellphones were used. She also served as a secretary in the Harris County Probation Department.

Lillie, who has now been volunteering at the Northeastern Houston Multi-Service Center, decided to go back to school despite her age after Pastor Maceo Dillard Jr. motivated her.

“I said ‘Go for it. You can’t win if you never try,’” said Dillard, who works with the seniors at the center. “It’’ important for people to keep going and engaging their minds, instead of just sitting back.”

Aside from that, Lillie particularly wanted to set an example to her children and grandchildren.

“If Grandma can do it, [they] can do it.”

Credit: Blacknews.com

In Interviews&profile June 17, 2019 By Women of Rubies

MEET TIERA GUINN, WHO IS ONLY 22 YEARS OLD AND ALREADY A NASA ENGINEER

Tiera Guinn Fletcher is an African American engineer who graduated from MIT in 2017 and works for Boeing. She is one of the designers and structural analysts building the Space Launch System for NASA which is set to send people to Mars.

Fletcher was born in the greater Atlanta area in Georgia. Her interest and attraction to math and science began at the age of six and was cultivated by her parents. Her mother Sheila, was an accountant and her father was a construction worker. Her parents encouraged her to calculate things and measure things in her daily life. These exercises – including coupon clipping, totaling up grocery receipts, and learning about the applications of architecture – challenged Fletcher and set her apart from other kids her age. At eleven years old, Fletcher zeroed in on her interest in Aerospace engineering while participating in an aerospace program put on by Lockheed Martin. Fletcher went on to study aerospace in college at MIT.

Fletcher lives in New Orleans, Louisiana where she works on the assembly of the Space Launch System. She was married in July 2018 to Myron Fletcher, another aerospace engineer who also works at Boeing. Both she and her husband share an interest in influencing young people to join the world of STEM along with increasing the diversity of STEM fields.

Fletcher attended Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia. During her senior year of high school, Fletcher received an internship at NASA in Langley, Virginia. She also landed a research internship at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014. The internship involved assisting in the research of landing performance in aircraft. Through these internships her interest in the field grew and she solidified her choice in pursuing aerospace engineering as a major in college and an eventual career.

Fletcher attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and graduated with a 5.0 GPA and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering in June 2017. She participated in a mentorship program to help other students at MIT, this helped instil confidence in herself and her capabilities.

After her first year, Fletcher participated in undergraduate research studying design optimization of aircraft at MIT. Her second year, she again participated in undergraduate research, this time studying Network Analysis. During her junior and senior years of college, Fletcher participated in two different internships at Boeing. From June 2015 to June 2016 Fletcher was a Systems Engineering Intern at Boeing where she helped design, test, and collaborate with other professionals on Boeing products. The following year from June 2016 to June 2017 Fletcher was a Design engineer and Stress Analyst Intern at Boeing where she helped with the design process and analysis of the Space Launch System for NASA.

Fletcher was offered a job at Boeing as a Structural analysisEngineer. At Boeing, she is one of the lead engineers and designers working on the Space Launch System for NASA which aims to put humans on Mars. The Space Launch System is the fastest rocket ever created and the largest. The area that Fletcher works on is the exploratory upper stage of the spacecraft which helps the craft complete its ascent phase. She is part of the Engine Section Task Leading team responsible for this, of which she is the youngest member.

Fletcher received the 2017 Good Housekeeping‘s Awesome Woman Award which recognizes women who are impacting the world for the better by overcoming social constraints and influencing the world around them.

Also in 2017, Fletcher received the Albert G. Hill Prize at MIT which recognizes students in their junior or senior year who have excelled academically and impacted the environment at MIT in a way that improves campus climate for other minorities.

In June 2018, Fletcher participated as a keynote speaker at Impact’18 in Krakow – where speakers discuss innovations and business models to share with the world what work they are doing.

On November 8, 2018, Fletcher won the Most Promising Engineer – Industry Award at the 2019 Black Engineer of the Year Awards.

Source: Wikipedia

In Career Gems June 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

MERCY JOHNSON SETS TO LAUNCH HER KITCHEN TALK SHOW

Nollywood star, Mercy Johnson Okojiewill be launching her new ‘kitchen talk show’ called Mercy’s Menu from July 2019 where she talks to fellow celebrities on their lifestyle, their opinion on life issues and their intimate secrets while cooking.

The 13-episode show features veteran Nollywood actress Liz Benson and other popular celebrities like AY, Chigul, Omawumi, Niniola, Ufuoma McDermott, Maraji, BusolaDakolo, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju, Ill Bliss and Munachi, Lagos House Wife (Rayo) and of course, her beautiful family, Prince Odi Okojie, Purity, Henry and Angel.

Shot on location at Pedini Bosch Kitchen in 2018, Mercy roots out juicy information from her guests on family, work, scandal and some of the most challenging points of their lives.

The show promises to be exciting, funny and emotional.

See the photos below.