#WCWinSTEM: Tokiwa T. Smith, B.S.

Tokiwa T. Smith is a chemical engineer, STEM educator, social entrepreneur, speaker, writer and author!

Tokiwa T. Smith conducting a parent workshop for her consulting firm Kemet Educational Services.

Tokiwa T. Smith is the founder and executive director of Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc., or SEM Link, a non-profit organization that promotes student achievement and career exploration in math and science for K-12 students. Tokiwa is also the CEO and principal owner of Kemet Educational Services, a consulting firm that provides support to schools and community organizations in STEM education. Tokiwa is the author of “A Guide to Hosting STEM Events”, which provides a step-by-step guide to planning, hosting and marketing STEM events.

A Guide to Hosting STEM Events by Tokiwa T. Smith.

Responses may be edited for clarity and brevity.

Tokiwa T. Smith smiling during a photoshoot.

Where did you go to school?

• B.S. Chemical Engineering, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU).

What do you do right now?

I’m a STEM educator and social entrepreneur. I used my chemical engineering degree to transition into a career that provides STEM educational and professional development opportunities for pre-college and undergraduate students. I also have a nonprofit organization called SEM Link, which stands for Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link, Inc., that exposes youth to STEM and STEM careers by having members of the STEM community engage them in hands-on STEM and career exploration activities in their classrooms, out of school programs and communities. SEM Link also provides STEM fair support by providing STEM fair judging and a group mentoring program. I also run a consulting firm, Kemet Educational Services, LLC , which focuses on ensuring that pre-college, community college and undergraduate students are prepared to pursue STEM careers.

What made you choose your STEM discipline in the first place?

As long as I could remember, I’ve loved math and science. My 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Richardson, saw my aptitude and passion for STEM and told my mom to encourage me in math and science. Then in my 10th grade chemistry class with Mrs. Shy, I discovered that chemistry was my favorite subject. As I was applying to college and selecting my major, I was also researching chemistry careers. In the end, I decided to major in chemical engineering to combine my love of chemistry and math.

What’s one piece of advice you wish you had when you started your STEM journey?

Build your STEM network as early as you can, even before college.

I have always loved and excelled in STEM even as a little girl, but I didn’t surround myself with people that shared my interest and love of STEM or participate in any out of school time STEM activities in middle and high school. The advice that I wish that I had when I started my STEM journey is that, if you know that you love STEM, engage yourself in as many out of school time STEM programs in middle and high school, engage in hands on STEM activities that will allow you to discover the area of STEM that you excel at and enjoy. Participating in these programs, especially when you are in middle and high school, will also provide you with the opportunity to start building your STEM network earlier, which will include peers and mentors that can help you along your STEM journey.

Tokiwa T. Smith at a SEM Link “Back to STEM” reception at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce for their Atlanta corporate partners and volunteers.

Do you have any woman of color in STEM sheros? Who and why?

My woman of color STEM shero, whom I have never met but whose career I admire, is former United States Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Lisa P. Jackson. She used her background as a chemical engineer to transition into career that she shaped based on her interests and the opportunities that were presented to her.

A shero that I’ve met and am connected with on social media, but don’t talk to as often as I would like, is Dr. Pamela McCauley, an engineering professor at the University of Central Florida and speaker. I love that she is an engineer who is also a great teacher and professor, as well as a speaker. What I like about both of these women is that when most people look at them, they wouldn’t think that they are engineers; so, in a way they are debunking the stereotypes of what women of color in STEM look like.

Tokiwa T. Smith conducting hands-on chemistry activities with kids at a STEM Career Fair.

What else are you passionate about?

I’m a huge football fan. I love watching both college and professional football. I love reading mysteries and science fiction. My favorite mystery authors are Walter Mosley and Eleanor Taylor Bland, and my favorite science fiction authors are Octavia Butler and Tananarive Due.

Why do you think it’s important to highlight women of color in STEM?

Highlighting women of color in STEM provides inspiration for those that are coming after them, provides support to their colleagues that are currently in the STEM fields and lets women of color who came before them know that the sacrifices they made were not in vain.

I met my first African American woman chemical engineer my sophomore year in college. Meeting her gave me a vision of what is possible for me, to be an African American woman chemical engineer. I still reflect on some of the words of wisdom that she imparted to me when it is time for me to make major decisions in my career. My colleagues, which I affectionately call my STEMsistahs and sistafriends, provide me with the support I need to continue this journey as a STEM professional because we celebrate and encourage each other.

So, for those young women coming after us, highlighting women of color in STEM provides a vision of what they can be and mentors to guide them through their journey.

Tokiwa T. Smith teaching a group of kindergartners how to pipette, using plastic pipettes and water, in a classroom in Oakland, CA.

Are there institutions, groups or organizations you would like to give a shoutout?

I would like to highlight my alma mater, FAMU, my nonprofit, SEM Link and my consulting firm, Kemet Education.

Tokiwa T. Smith managing a booth for her non-profit organization, SEM Link.

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

I just received an award for Educational Leadership-K-12 Promotion of Education for my work with my nonprofit SEM Link. The award was presented at the historically black colleges and universities’ (HBCU) Dean Breakfast on Saturday, February 10 at the Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) STEM Conference in Washington, DC.

Left- Tokiwa T. Smith being being presented with the educational leadership award by Dr. J. Murray Gibson (right), Dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Right- Tokiwa T. Smith smiling while holding the educational leadership award.

You can connect more with Tokiwa T. Smith on LinkedIn, twitter and Instagram.

Thank you, Tokiwa, for your STEM advocacy through SEM Link, and for working to create resources to lead K12 students into STEM. We’re honored to have you in our #VanguardSTEM squad!