Lead Smarter, Not Harder: A Mid-Career Reset

Engineering is changing fast. But who gets to shape what comes next? In this episode of Women in STEM, host and producer Kelly Shungu is joined by Dr Nike Folayan MBE (CEng, FIET), Co-founder of AFBE-UK, the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers UK, and a long-standing advocate for representation and progression in engineering. Nike shares her journey into STEM, the moments that shaped her, and what getting in really looked like. We talk about why representation at entry level isn't enough on its own, what actually helps women progress into leadership, and what organisations can do to create environments where women stay and rise. We also look ahead. With AI and emerging technologies reshaping the industry, where are the opportunities for women, and how do we stop existing inequalities from being carried into new roles and industries? This conversation connects to AFBELive 2026, AFBE-UK's flagship engineering conference, taking place in Birmingham on Friday 30 October under the theme "The Future of Engineering: From Access to Equity." Stay to the end for Nike's advice on what the next generation of women in STEM should be thinking about right now. 💜 🎧 Part of our Black History Month series celebrating Black women in STEM. Listen to the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/womeninstem/ Follow the podcast social media: https://linktr.ee/womeninstem_podcast Nike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikefolayan/ Learn more about AFBELive: AFBELive.com

She studied law, but her future was in technology, and there was no traditional route to follow. In this Black History Month episode, host Kelly Shungu is joined by Ama Annan-Fru, an Infrastructure Transformation Specialist and Inclusion & Diversity Lead at Accenture. Ama made the move from law into tech through self-learning, perseverance and a willingness to step outside the expected path. Today, she helps organisations turn complex business challenges into scalable technology solutions. Ama shares what that transition really looked like, including the moments of self-doubt. She talks about growing up with values of resilience, determination and excellence, and how her mother's journey from experiencing racism in Liverpool to becoming a Chief Auditor shaped the way she sees challenges and representation. We also talk about navigating tech as a Black woman and what meaningful inclusion looks like beyond having diverse people in the room. Through mentoring, speaking, and her work with Bridging Barriers, Ama is opening doors for the next generation of Black women in technology. She is also a two-time Black Tech Fest finalist and an Inspirational Woman of the Year finalist. Stay to the end for her advice to anyone who wants to move into STEM but doesn't have the "traditional" background. 💜

She was 10 years old when she saw a problem, and her mum helped her build the solution. To open our Black History Month series, I sit down with Avye Couloute and Hélène Virolan, the mother-and-daughter team behind Girls Into Coding. I'm Kelly Shungu, and in this episode Avye and Hélène share how it all began: Avye started the organisation after noticing that most of the young people at the tech workshops she ran were boys. Eight years on, they've reached over 20,000 girls across the UK. Together, they talk about the moment an idea became something bigger, what it's like to build an organisation as a family, and what representation really means as Black women in STEM. They also share why girls need more than a pep talk to thrive in tech: they need spaces where they truly belong. Avye is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree and UK Young Engineer of the Year. Hélène brings business and strategy expertise as a Director of Girls Into Coding. Stay to the end for their message to every young Black girl who loves technology but isn't sure she belongs. 💜 🎧 Part of our Black History Month series celebrating Black women in STEM, hosted & produced by Kelly Shungu. Follow the Women in STEM Podcast: Podcast Founder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-ann-shungu/ Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-stem-podcast/ All Links: https://linktr.ee/womeninstem_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womeninstem_podcast/ Social media: Website: https://www.girlsintocoding.com/ LinkedIn (GIC): https://www.linkedin.com/company/girls-into-coding/ LinkedIn (Avye): https://www.linkedin.com/in/avye-couloute LinkedIn (Helene): www.linkedin.com/in/hélène-virolan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girls_into_coding/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlsintocoding Learn more: girlsintocoding.com | @girls_into_coding

In this episode of the Women in STEM Podcast, Kelly Shungu sits down with Sonya Lloyd, professional motorcycle racer, biological engineer, and Technical Marketing LDP at Siemens Digital Industries, for a conversation that will completely rewire how you think about what a STEM career can look like. Sonya doesn't fit neatly into any one box. She graduated with a degree in Biological Engineering from the University of Georgia in 2024, competed in the 2025 FIM Women's World Circuit Racing Championship, and is now preparing for the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship on the Factory Suzuki team, all while working full-time in tech. Her story isn't just inspiring. It's proof that passion, data, and sheer determination don't belong in separate lanes. In this episode, we get into: ✨ How a Biological Engineering degree shows up on the racetrack from data and telemetry to race strategy ✨ What it's really like navigating two male-dominated worlds: STEM and professional motorsport ✨ Sonya's journey from university to Siemens Digital Industries and why the path was anything but linear ✨ What the FIM Women's World Circuit Racing Championship means for the future of women in motorsport ✨ How Sonya manages a full-time tech career alongside international racing ✨ The unexpected ways tech and racing feed directly into each other ✨ What she'd say to any young woman sitting at the crossroads between passion and practicality Whether you're a STEM student wondering if your interests are too scattered, a woman navigating a male-dominated industry, or simply someone who needs reminding that there are no rules on what your career can look like, Sonya's story will push you to go faster.

Sharon Samjitsingh is not your average tech founder. She was named TechRochester's Technology Woman of the Year in 2020, counts herself among the Top 100 Women in FemTech and HealthTech, and has built a company dedicated to transforming how we manage respiratory disease, one wearable at a time. In this special episode, guest host Erza Bajskolli sits down with Sharon to explore how Health Care Originals is closing the gaps traditional healthcare has left wide open. Sharon shares the story behind ADAMM, their groundbreaking respiratory wearable, and the Nightingale service that supports patients in real time. She also gets candid about the economics of chronic illness, the unique strengths women bring to health innovation, and what the next decade of wearable tech could mean for the millions living with asthma and COPD. This one will make you rethink what it really means to build technology that puts patients first. Follow the Women in STEM Podcast: Podcast Founder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-ann-shungu/ Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-stem-podcast/ All Links: https://linktr.ee/womeninstem_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womeninstem_podcast/ Founded and produced by Kelly Shungu. Guest hosted by Erza Bajskolli. Episode edited by Erza Bajskolli.