My friend and former colleague wrote a book of essays this past year (in addition to being a mom to two kids and managing her job during the pandemic). The book was like many of my conversations with Christina in that it was worth every bit of time that I allocated to it. I recommend it for anyone pursuing or mentoring in the STEM fields, but particularly if you are from a background that is underrepresented in your chosen field or you are mentoring a diverse body of students in your discipline.
In ‘Knowns, Unknowns, and Solutions’, Christina has chronicled the realistically meandering path she has taken to achieve her professional goals while remaining true to her principles and sense of self. This journey is complicated by the lack of mentors that look like her in the engineering field, but she details her strategies that empowered her progress. Most notably she talks about how those strategies evolved from high school to college to industry and then to management.
I try to be an ally and advocate for those that are underrepresented in engineering, but in reflecting on Christina’s journey, I found instances where my efforts fell short or missed the mark. It is a quick read that allows you to peek into her experiences, but one that leaves a lingering impact as you start to reexamine the counsel you offer students and new graduates on a similar path. With these new insights, I’m hopeful of being a better mentor for fresh batches of Christinas in the years to come.
