“Putting On Your Big Girl Pants” is about the transformation from playing small to standing tall for those women who are interested in moving their careers forward. This season we provide insights and specific steps STEM women can take to step into their unique destiny.

Women are significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, and tend to leave their positions mid-career at higher rates than men. According to a 2016 report by the American Association of University Women, approximately 1 in 4 women working in STEM fields leave their positions mid-career, compared to 1 in 10 men and also at a higher rate than women with other degrees. Women with a STEM degree are more than twice as likely to leave their jobs as women with degrees in non-STEM fields. This suggests systemic issues within STEM fields make it difficult for women to stay in the workforce.

Those women who leave the STEM workforce often transition to other career paths in education, health care, business, and the arts. However, some women may choose to pursue entrepreneurship, take time off to care for their families or pursue other non-STEM related interests.

In this show, the listener will learn about the ways to advance their career, such as:

• Overcoming imposter syndrome
• How to take advantage of the activities corporations instill to promote women
• How to network their way to their next position

The reasons to look forward to listening to this series:

1. To gain confidence in their abilities and recognize their value in the workplace.
2. To learn strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt.
3. To gain insight into how to take advantage of corporate policies that help promote women.
4. To learn how to network effectively to advance their career.
5. To gain advice from successful women who have faced and overcome similar challenges.
6. To gain a better understanding of the unique challenges faced by women in the workplace.
7. To learn how to identify and address gender bias in the workplace.
8. To gain advice and tips on negotiating better salaries and promotions.
9. To gain insight into how to build meaningful professional relationships.
10. To gain access to a supportive community of like-minded women.

My name is Dr. Natalie Luke, and I am the author of the book, “Unceiling Your Career: At Any Age” and host the upcoming show, “Putting On Your Big Girl Pants.” I’m producing this show because tons of impressive women have stepped up to their unique destinies, and I’d like to introduce them to listeners. In doing so, the listener will receive the inspiration and information they need to trust themselves, reduce career anxiety, and advance their careers.

Organizations benefit from having women and other under-representative women in leadership roles through increased innovation and financial performance due to the diversity of thought and the experience women and others bring to the table. Studies have shown that when women are in leadership roles, businesses are more likely to be successful due to their ability to bring different perspectives and insights. Additionally, having women in leadership roles can help companies better understand their customer base and create products tailored to women’s needs. Finally, having women in leadership can help create a more positive work environment, as female leaders are often seen as more approachable and supportive than their male counterparts.

The Show – “Putting On Your Big Girl Pants”

Overall this series provides valuable advice and resources to young STEM professionals.

The audio show is eight episodes in total….

Episode [1] contains the introduction to the show dreaming big. Here, listeners learn about my and my mom’s story of pursuing our dreams in the sciences. My mom was told she wasn’t allowed to drive simply because she was a woman. Instead, she bought a car and drove her way to become a physician. You’ll also hear about how I applied her story to my career. As a bonus, you’ll learn simple questions you can use to overcome difficult situations so that you no longer think small but instead dream big.

Episode [2] includes a segment where I introduce the listeners to an engineer who went from shy to finding her voice and becoming a speaker for her company. Today, the bold engineer found her voice and a unique position in a company that promotes women in the engineering sector. In this episode, the listener will learn how to find her voice.

Episode [3], we will introduce the listener to companies purposely promoting women to top levels of the organization. We will learn about their processes and how the companies have benefited from having more women at the top.

In episode [4], we will hear from a scientist who had to fight her way to tenure in a University. Listeners will learn what she did and how she won. She will also provide others with lessons learned that she thinks she could have done to protect herself from unfair actions in academia if she were to go through it again.

In episode [5], we will focus on “Imposter Syndrome.” We will break it down and hear from a lady who overcame Imposter Syndrome to carve out a unique position for herself in the medical field. We will also discuss maladaptive perfectionism, and listeners will learn how to know if they are overdoing their perfectionistic tendencies.

In episode [6], we will begin talking about the power of networking. We will talk about the importance of having women in your corner speaking positively about you and then show you can present your best self through your digital twin. We will also hear from corporations that assist women in networking to high levels within their organizations. We will then distill the points learned as talking points listeners can use to speak to the companies or universities they work for.

In episode [7], we will focus on “diversification.” We will speak with an organization that prides itself on the fact that 18% of the company’s women are multicultural. We will learn what the companies do to attract and promote these women, how the women have benefited from joining the organization, and the strides the company has made due to the diversification. We will then turn these learnings into talking points that the listeners can use to promote their careers.

Episode [8], we will cap off the season by talking with a panel of women leaders about their path to leadership, their path to leadership advice they have looking back, and their vision for their future.

More About My Production Journey

My production company (New Degree Studios) gave me a team to help me launch my show. I am working with…

• A producer this Spring to further hone my show
• A post-production editing team will assemble all of my show’s pieces.
• A cover artist will be designing my show’s marketing materials. (The mockups you see currently are a placeholder!)

About the Creator

Dr. Natalie Luke has transitioned her career several times after earning a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Cell Biology from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. From there, she transitioned to the business world, where she became a sales professional in biotech and then became a director of sales, training director, marketing director, and director of clinical research before becoming a Vice President in Clinical Research. These transitions took place primarily while working for two companies.

Natalie authored her book “UnCeiling Your Career” to help women worldwide gain confidence in themselves, develop their leadership skills, and provide a framework to become their highest selves.

“UnCeiling Your Career at Any Age” encourages adults of all ages to push past their ceilings and find success in their careers. The book provides helpful and practical advice on developing, growing, and advancing in one’s career. Dr. Luke emphasizes that it is never too late to reinvent oneself and achieve one’s goals.

Dr. Luke offers a plethora of strategies that can be used to maximize career potential. She encourages readers to identify and break through their ceilings, the invisible mental and physical barriers that prevent them from reaching their highest potential. She then provides advice on overcoming these barriers and gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed in the workforce.

The book provides helpful tips and strategies for improving communication, cultivating relationships, and building resilience. Luke also guides in finding mentors, creating a professional network, and taking advantage of technology and digital resources. In addition, she provides advice on how to use emotional intelligence to develop self-awareness and cultivate relationships with others.

Dr. Luke is creating this radio series, “Putting On Your Big Girl Pants,” to provide more resources to help women know they are not alone, they can dream big, and there is proof as they learn from other successful women featured on the show.

For more information, contact Dr. Luke at [email protected] and LinkedIn.