EmpowerBio

EmpowerBio conducted an Open House for BCCC STEM Pathways to over 20 middle and high school students with an interactive and inspiring introduction to careers in science, healthcare, engineering, and artificial intelligence. The session opened with an overview of college pathways in STEM with focus on available Associate degrees and certificates at BCCC.  The presentation highlighted dual enrollment options at BCCC, showing students how they can begin earning college credits early while saving time and money. EmpowerBio CEO, Dr. Amrita Madabushi emphasized the importance of mentorship and skill-building for students considering STEM professions. Through the Career Corner and workshops, EmpowerBio supports individuals from K-12 through PhD with custom training, job alerts, and networking opportunities.

This was followed by hands-on engineering activities that allowed students to apply problem solving and teamwork skills in real time by participating in the challenge of tower-building with spaghetti and marshmallows.The challenge was met with enthusiasm, and student teams thoroughly enjoyed the interactive experience. Students also explored emerging trends in STEM careers, including biotechnology, AI, and sustainability, highlighting the growing opportunities and strong potential in these fields. The session featured engaging career talks from four young professionals: Aditi Madabushi, an engineering student, Aishwarya Iyer, an MD/PhD student in medicine, Da’Kuawn Johnson, a PhD student and Opeyemi Adeniran, an AI researcher. Each speaker shared their personal journey, emphasizing resilience, curiosity, and the value of nontraditional paths. 

• Aditi Madabushi, an engineering student at the University of Maryland College Park, shared her journey from bioengineering to mechanical engineering, highlighting the importance of exploring STEM fields, hands-on learning, and staying open to new opportunities. She encouraged students to build skills proactively, seek mentorship, and embrace unfamiliar challenges as opportunities for growth. 
• Dr. Aishwarya Iyer, an MD-PhD student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, shared her path in science and medicine, emphasizing perseverance, mentorship, and learning from rejection. She encouraged students to be bold, stay curious, and embrace challenges, reminding them that success in STEM is shaped by resilience and support.
• Da’Kuawn Johnson, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland and Baltimore native, spoke about his pursuit of a career in science, highlighting his dedication to research and passion for giving back to the community. He encouraged students to remain curious, persistent, and proactive in seeking out opportunities like fellowships and scholarships.
• Opeyemi Adeniran, a PhD student and AI researcher at Morgan State University, shared her journey from computer engineering to artificial intelligence. She discussed the steps to establishing a career in AI and encouraged students to stay visible, network actively, and create their own opportunities in emerging tech fields.

The session concluded with pizza and networking, giving students the chance to connect directly with professionals and ask questions about education, career planning, and real-world applications of STEM knowledge.

Session Feedback-

What speaker insights or practical advice felt most important or applicable in your own life?

• I liked how in tune the speakers were with their crafts and how polite they were. All of them were respectful and eager to share and teach students willing to learn (good vibes!)
• Aditi Madabushi and Da’Kuwan Johnson gave the most important advice and guidance to me since I am working on my confidence and to be bold as I have given up on opportunities.
• Opeyemi on what I needed to do to get a job in AI or be on the path to it.
• Aishwarya was most useful as she taught us that rejection can lead to success.
• I loved Da’Kuawn’s info as we both went to Poly.
• Aishwarya talked about putting yourself out there and how much the mentors matter in the lab. She talked about networking and informed us that it is not about what you know but it is who you know.
• Aditi because engineering is the career that I want to pursue when I get out of high school.

What did you like about the workshop?

• The session had lots of useful info with jobs, meeting people, looking at what I want to be and eat.
• I liked working with others to build a structure. I loved how competitive it was
• I liked everything and the people who conducted the workshop
• I liked the experiment with the tower. The workshop was interesting and very hands-on.