Kristin is the Education & Outreach Director for the Penn State Center for Nanoscale Science, a large interdisciplinary materials science research grant funded by the National Science Foundation.  Her background spans science and education via B.S. degrees in both Physics and Secondary Education with an initial career teaching high school physics and mathematics, as well as developing undergraduate curriculum in Penn State’s Physics Department. Shifting to informal education, her work evolved to focus upon broader impact interests within the academic research environment.  Currently, Kristin strategically manages the Center’s portfolio of outreach, education, and professional development initiatives. Her work actively engages researchers in a variety of opportunities that reach public and student audiences at all ages and stages along the academic pathway while building important career, leadership, and interpersonal skills.  Kristin played a central role in the foundation of Penn State’s STEM Open House, which has evolved into a successful annual graduate recruitment event within the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School. In partnership with The Franklin Institute, Discovery Space of Central PA, and WPSU, she has coordinated the development of the Mission Materials Science website for youth.  More recently, Kristin has turned to the complex concept of sustainability, recognizing how essential it is for scientists to understand and integrate it into their daily research practices and mindset. Initiating a partnership with Penn State Sustainability in 2021, she co-founded the nascent Penn State Sustainable Labs Program which trains researchers how to improve their daily operational practices while gaining skills needed in the workforce. Given its success thus far, Kristin is eager to expand the program’s benefits to participants by building bridges to industry and a variety of other stakeholders.

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Dr. Jillian Goldfarb received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University and Ph.D. from Brown University. She is currently an Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University and holds appointments in Systems Engineering, Biological and Environmental Engineering and Archaeology. Dr. Goldfarb’s research tackles challenges surrounding energy generation and its impact on the environment. Her work is funded by the National Science Foundation, the USDA, BARD, and foundations and industry. She has developed new concepts for solid waste to green material conversion and proposed novel biorefinery pathways for renewable biofuels. She’s translated her biofuels work to develop new analytical methods for the recovery of organic residues from ancient pottery. Her work on public understanding of science was highlighted by Dr. Fauci at a White House briefing during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is an outspoken leader on LinkedIn, where she uncovers the Hidden Curriculum to enhance equity in graduate STEM education and improve faculty mentoring. Dr. Goldfarb recently launched a Podcast, STEMinism Unfiltered, to unravel the complex issues women in STEM face, and how to build a community to persevere in STEM careers. She is a recipient of a NSF CAREER Award, an ACS Green Chemistry Institute GreenX: Rising Star Award, and was a 2017 Fulbright Scholar to Italy. She was named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society in 2023 in recognition of her work on sustainable biofuels and materials, advancing science policy, and longstanding service to the ACS and scientific community. 

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After nearly a decade in healthcare, working as a Physician Assistant, Alli made a bold move to pursue her passion for technology. She earned her Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies from Wichita State University and later pursued continuing education in software engineering fundamentals at Doane University, blending her clinical expertise with technical innovation. Now a Software Engineer at Q2, she applies the same rigor, empathy, and problem-solving mindset that defined her medical career to building effective, user-focused solutions in tech.

Alli is deeply committed to advancing women in technology. She has spoken at multiple conferences to both professionals and students, sharing her nontraditional career journey and advocating for inclusivity in STEM. She also volunteers regularly with local women-in-STEM organizations and with Girls Code Lincoln, encouraging the next generation of technologists.

Outside of work, Alli is a devoted mom of two, inspiring her daughters to follow their curiosities and passions. You can also find her curled up with a good book or flowing through a yoga class.

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Prashha Dutra spent 15+ years in the trenches of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering—navigating male-dominated factory floors, proving herself in Corporate leadership roles, and hitting that frustrating $100K ceiling that so many STEM women know too well.

She knew she was brilliant. But getting others to see it? That was the challenge.

So she cracked the code. Prashha figured out exactly what it takes to go from being undervalued at $100K to commanding $200K+ offers—and now, as a Confidence Coach, TEDx speaker, and Forbes Coaches Council Member, she's helping other STEM women do the same.

Her secret? It's not just about updating your resume. It's about believing in your brilliance first, then positioning yourself so decision-makers can't help but see it too. Through proven frameworks and step-by-step strategies, Prashha guides women to land high-paying roles while building work-life balance and connecting with role models who've walked the path before them.

Her clients love her upbeat energy, engineer's precision applied to career growth, and unshakeable commitment to helping women claim the compensation they've earned.

Ready to write your own six-figure success story? Visit Prashadutra.com or send a DM to connect!

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Dr. Aaron Mattingly-Daniels is the Director of Graduate Equity Programs in the Eberly College of Science. In this role, he recruits and supports both prospective and current graduate students across the college in alignment with equity and inclusion initiatives. This includes coordinating recruitment initiatives, guiding graduate students, spreading awareness of resources, advising on policy, and developing inclusive academic and professional programming for graduate students and others in the STEM community throughout the year.

Dr. Mattingly-Daniels earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco his Bachelor of Science in both Biochemistry and Biology at Virginia Tech.

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