CSE Public Lecture
Rising to the Moment
Watch a recording of the second installment in the College of Science and Engineering’s new public lecture series, "Rising to the Moment," featuring Dr. Jayshree Seth, a 3M corporate scientist and the company’s first chief science advocate, with opening remarks by CSE Dean Dr. Andrew Alleyne. During the lecture. Dr. Seth discusses her unique role at 3M and the importance of diversity and equity in STEM.
“The State of Science and the Need for STEM Advocacy”
About the talk
The future success of businesses, economies, and humanity hinges on the continued advancement of science, and the development of sustainable innovations. This, in turn, is dependent on the inclusion of diverse perspectives inside our organizations and in our communities to bring creative thinking, innovative mindset and scientific prowess together to solve real-world problems.
Dr. Seth will provide an overview of the 3M State of Science Index, a global research initiative to uncover what people think of science. Many of the findings highlight the importance of reducing real and perceived barriers to science appreciation and STEM education, not only to ensure that we have a healthy pipeline of future scientists, technologists, and engineers to solve the complex and global humanitarian challenges we face, but also for society to accept the solutions.
The presentation will also include the impact of the pandemic on the public perception of science, key themes that emerge from the 2020 and 2021 results, and how we can all play a role in science advocacy and advancing diversity in STEM.
About the speaker
Dr. Jayshree Seth is a corporate scientist at 3M and leads Applied Technology Development for Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division. She joined 3M in 1993 after an M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Clarkson University, New York. She holds 72 patents for a variety of innovations with several additional pending. Dr. Seth is a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from her alma mater REC Trichy India, now NIIT Trichy, where she earned a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering. Dr. Seth was appointed 3M’s first-ever chief science advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise, and professional experience to advance science and communicate the importance and benefits of science in everyday life.
Dr. Seth is also a member of Carlton Society, which is the 3M Science and Engineering Hall of Fame. She is the fourth woman and first female engineer to be inducted. In 2020, she was awarded the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business in 2021.
Dr. Seth was featured in a docuseries titled “Not the Science Type” that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. She is the author of the books The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints and The Heart of Science - Engineering Fine Print, published by the Society of Women Engineers. All sales proceeds for these books go to a scholarship for under-represented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership, and STEM advocacy and has been featured in local, national, and international media. She serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota and on the Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University. Dr. Seth has two adult children, and her husband is also a 3Mer.
Watch a video about Dr. Jayshree Seth that is part of the 3M docuseries "Not the Science Type," which addresses negative stereotypes and the need for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields.
Questions about this event? Email us at csealumni@umn.edu.
