Career Connections interviews
Carnegie Science Center interviewed two scientists of color who are making a difference from right here in our region and beyond!
Career Connections Chats:
Image courtesy of Dr. J’Tia Hart
Dr. J’Tia Hart
Nuclear Engineer at Argonne National Laboratory
Watch a short interview with Dr. J’Tia Hart 
(Feb. 2021)
About Dr. J’Tia Hart:
As a 15-year-old freshman at Florida State University and a former contestant on CBS’ Survivor, Dr. J’Tia Hart has always been up for a challenge. Now, she’s turned her attention to increasing minority participation in STEM and serving as a spark to ignite the future. Dr. Hart, as a multidimensional and vibrant professional, brings a modern approach to STEM. Through her philanthropy, she seeks to illustrate the potential of a STEM career focusing on women in the African-American and Latinx communities. Her goal is to show young women that they can exist and excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Dr. Hart is a nuclear engineer at Argonne National Laboratory where she directs analysis covering international affairs, nuclear energy and safety, energy security, and cybersecurity to inform executive cabinet decisions. Before rejoining Argonne in March 2020, she served as the Executive Briefer to the Secretary of Energy in the Department of Energy’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence and led intelligence analysis on nuclear proliferation, foreign nuclear energy programs, and nuclear fuel cycle issues of a portfolio including high priority foreign programs at Headquarters and the national laboratories.
Dr. Hart holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Florida State University and advanced degrees in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has published academic articles and book chapters on unconventional reactors, nuclear economics, the nuclear fuel cycle and international energy development. Before her time at the Department, Dr. Hart was an Argonne National Laboratory employee working in nuclear technology, energy development and nonproliferation cooperation in South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and North Africa and worked at the Idaho National Laboratory in the area of nuclear fuel cycle systems analysis.
Image courtesy of Afua Bruce
Afua Bruce
Chief Program Officer at DataKind
Watch an interview with Afua Bruce (Feb. 2021)
About Afua Bruce:
Afua Bruce is the Chief Program Officer at DataKind , a global nonprofit that harnesses the power of data science and AI in the service of humanity. Afua leads DataKind’s product offerings, center of excellence, volunteer community, and chapter network to partner with social sector organizations. Prior to joining DataKind, Afua was the Director of Engineering for New America’s Public Interest Technology program. At New America, Afua oversaw projects in technology and policy to improve outcomes in criminal justice reform, foster care, immigration, the opioid epidemic, and more. She also supervised the Public Interest Technology University Network. Previously, she spent several years leading science and technology strategy and program management in the Federal government—as the Executive Director of the White House’s National Science and Technology Council and in a variety of positions at the FBI. Before joining the Federal government, she started her career as a software engineer at IBM. Afua holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, and a MBA from the University of Michigan.
Carnegie Science Center interviewed two scientists of color who are making a difference from right here in our region and beyond!
Career Connections Chats:
Image courtesy of Dr. J’Tia Hart
Dr. J’Tia Hart
Nuclear Engineer at Argonne National Laboratory
Watch a short interview with Dr. J’Tia Hart (Feb. 2021)
About Dr. J’Tia Hart:
As a 15-year-old freshman at Florida State University and a former contestant on CBS’ Survivor, Dr. J’Tia Hart has always been up for a challenge. Now, she’s turned her attention to increasing minority participation in STEM and serving as a spark to ignite the future. Dr. Hart, as a multidimensional and vibrant professional, brings a modern approach to STEM. Through her philanthropy, she seeks to illustrate the potential of a STEM career focusing on women in the African-American and Latinx communities. Her goal is to show young women that they can exist and excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Dr. Hart is a nuclear engineer at Argonne National Laboratory where she directs analysis covering international affairs, nuclear energy and safety, energy security, and cybersecurity to inform executive cabinet decisions. Before rejoining Argonne in March 2020, she served as the Executive Briefer to the Secretary of Energy in the Department of Energy’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence and led intelligence analysis on nuclear proliferation, foreign nuclear energy programs, and nuclear fuel cycle issues of a portfolio including high priority foreign programs at Headquarters and the national laboratories.
Dr. Hart holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Florida State University and advanced degrees in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has published academic articles and book chapters on unconventional reactors, nuclear economics, the nuclear fuel cycle and international energy development. Before her time at the Department, Dr. Hart was an Argonne National Laboratory employee working in nuclear technology, energy development and nonproliferation cooperation in South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and North Africa and worked at the Idaho National Laboratory in the area of nuclear fuel cycle systems analysis.
Image courtesy of Afua Bruce
Afua Bruce
Chief Program Officer at DataKind
Watch an interview with Afua Bruce (Feb. 2021)
About Afua Bruce:
Afua Bruce is the Chief Program Officer at DataKind , a global nonprofit that harnesses the power of data science and AI in the service of humanity. Afua leads DataKind’s product offerings, center of excellence, volunteer community, and chapter network to partner with social sector organizations. Prior to joining DataKind, Afua was the Director of Engineering for New America’s Public Interest Technology program. At New America, Afua oversaw projects in technology and policy to improve outcomes in criminal justice reform, foster care, immigration, the opioid epidemic, and more. She also supervised the Public Interest Technology University Network. Previously, she spent several years leading science and technology strategy and program management in the Federal government—as the Executive Director of the White House’s National Science and Technology Council and in a variety of positions at the FBI. Before joining the Federal government, she started her career as a software engineer at IBM. Afua holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, and a MBA from the University of Michigan.
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