“Who you are surrounded by often determines who you become.”
-Vicky Saunders
“Honored” doesn’t even come close to fully describing how I feel as I continue to be privileged to meet and learn more about women like Dr. Mayen Udoetuk.
My first connection with her was about a year ago at a panel discussion she organized here in the Silicon Valley addressing the topic of women in leadership and diversity and inclusion. I was one of the members in the audience and what I remembered walking away with was an even more solidified belief that women have much value to bring to the table and to the discussion. I think that having a willingness to learn is one of the greatest attributes in a true leader and Dr. Udoetuk, having led such an important discussion, is an example of that.
She is no doubt a role model in many respects for others and to have her included in this series that celebrates Black excellence inspires me deeply - to do work that is meaningful, to see the richness in people’s stories, and to be extremely thankful for the people who have helped me along my own path.
Without further ado, I am proud to share with you today’s spotlight on Dr. Mayen Udoetuk.
Images | Heartbox Photography
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“I'm from Houston, Texas. I first fell in love with chemistry from listening to my mom explain the world around me, but also from watching countless episodes of "Bill Nye The Science Guy" and "The Magic School Bus". After years of undergraduate training, summers spent in various university research labs, and conducting on-campus research during each semester, I earned my BS in Chemistry.
Afterwards, I went directly into a Master degree program for Microelectronics-photonics (a type of engineering). Though I was initially intrigued by that field and the bioanalytical chemistry research I was conducting at the time, I became more interested in what was happening to me psychologically during such a strenuous learning process. That's when I found out about educational psychology. Since then, I've earned a Masters and a Doctorate in the field, and have crafted my career around it.
I'm most proud of my resilience, my humanity, and my creativity. Each one of these attributes has helped me thrive when I wanted to give up, to be humble enough to ask for and receive assistance when needed, and to exemplify creative problem solving in my personal and professional lives. “
What is something most people might not know about you?
“There's a lot people don't know about me. One thing I don't mind sharing is that despite my extrovert tendencies, I'm an introvert through and through. Most people also don't know that I'm a creative regarding resin work, flower pressing, dancing, playing piano, and drawing. I've spent so much of my life being focused on my career that I never really shared those aspects of myself until recently.”
Can you tell me about someone who has had a huge influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?
“I've been blessed with so many people who have had huge, positive influences on my life. To name a few: Dr. Jim Hammons introduced me to the world of education and how to thrive in it; my mentors and good friends Dr. Carol Bunch Davis, Dr. Liz Borda, and Dr. Juan Sanchez taught me to lean into my strengths and be accounted for with each new professional milestone and challenge; my mom and good friend Dr. Kenyatta Dawson taught me to embrace my creative self wholeheartedly; my mom and dad taught me to be courageous when taking calculated risks; and my inner circle of "sista friends" taught me what it means to cultivate sisterhood.”
If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?
“I'd love to meet my maternal great -grandmother and grandmother, as well as my paternal grandmother. I can only imagine the warnings and wisdom they'd share.”
“The people who inspire me most are those that came from very little or nothing, yet still found a way to make something extraordinary with their lives while also blessing others in the process.
When you're raised in an environment that focuses on survival, it's extremely difficult to evolve your mindset and behavior. Those that find a way out of vicious cycles for themselves and for others through constructive means are the true MVPs.”
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