In this episode, we hear from Dr. Jennifer Bekki, a Professor in The Polytechnic School within the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University who also serves as the Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence for the Fulton Schools. Her dissertation research focused on modeling and analysis of semiconductor manufacturing, and her work now primarily focuses on understanding the impact of interpersonal and institutional support on the wellbeing and career trajectories of graduate students in STEM. Here, Jennifer shares what it was like to work on a modeling project that had unexpected results, and how she moved forward despite the experiment not turning out like she maybe hoped it would. She also shares part of her personal mental health journey while in graduate school, and what she recommends to students today knowing what she knows now. Let’s listen!
