Corteva Agriscience Employees Committed to Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Leaders
INDIANAPOLIS, IN., September 13, 2019 — Corteva Agriscience is proud to announce two employees have been selected as AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) IF/THEN® Ambassadors. Ronda Hamm, Global Academic Relations Manager, and Magan Lewis, Integrated Field Sciences Global Innovation Lead, are two of the 125 women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to receive this honor.
“We are unbelievably proud to announce that both Ronda and Magan have been chosen as AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors,” said Henri Moore, Global Responsibility Leader, Corteva Agriscience. “Their efforts in the community go hand-in-hand with our mission statement of enriching the lives of generations to come. Both women have shown impressive work, both at Corteva Agriscience and in the community, and are incredibly deserving of this prestigious recognition. We look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the future.”
IF/THEN®, a national initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, seeks to further women in STEM by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation.
“We firmly believe that IF we support a woman in STEM, THEN she can change the world,” said Lyda Hill, founder of Lyda Hill Philanthropies. “The goal of IF/THEN® is to shift the way our country—and the world—think about women in STEM and this requires changing the narratives about women STEM professionals and improving their visibility.”
To achieve this goal, AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors connect with students in person and through various media platforms, including popular YouTube channels and network television shows. The Ambassadors are contemporary role models who represent a diversity of STEM-related professions in the United States, from entertainment, fashion, sports, business and academia.
“AAAS is deeply committed to advancing education and opportunities for girls and women in STEM,” said Margaret Hamburg, chair of the AAAS Board of Directors. “This partnership enables us to reach more deeply into STEM education and help advance STEM careers for women and girls. It will help us to elevate the voices of women working in STEM fields and to inspire the next generation of girls and women in science.”
Dr. Ronda Hamm is passionate about providing enriching science and agriculture experiences. She has founded STEM outreach programs, which have served as inspiration to others. She began her industry career as an entomologist where she led the Urban Pest Management laboratory and conducted field research on termites. Ronda develops and implements strategies and relationships to promote STEM for the future of agriculture. She received her B.S. degree in Agricultural Education at Fresno State University. She taught at Clovis East and Sierra High Schools before starting her graduate education at Cornell University, where she received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Entomology. She resides in the Indianapolis area with her husband.
Dr. Magan Lewis has always had a strong drive to be a force for good in her community. This can be traced back to watching her parents, both educators, work to make her world a better place. Magan started dedicating her outreach and volunteer hours to STEM, in order to continue her late father’s legacy. Magan is serving as a National Chemical Education Foundation Strategic Planning and Advisory Committee Board Member, and has launched the annual “You Be The Chemist” quiz bowls for fifth through eighth-grade students in North and South Dakota. Magan mentors young scientists globally through Science and Engineering Fairs and recently co-founded a STEM Camp with her husband. Magan holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from North Dakota State University and M.S. and B.S. degrees from the University of Minnesota. She resides in the Des Moines, Iowa-area.
In October, AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors will participate in the IF/THEN® Summit in Dallas, Texas to take their outreach to the next level by learning from each other and receiving resources and coaching in science communication and effective STEM storytelling.
For a complete list of Ambassadors, go to www.ifthenshecan.org/ambassadors.
About Corteva Agriscience
Corteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry - including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent public company on June 1, 2019, and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.
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ABOUT IF/THEN
IF/THEN® is part of Lyda Hill Philanthropies’ commitment to fund game-changing advancements in science and nature. IF/THEN® seeks to further advance women in STEM by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. Rooted in a firm belief that there is no better time to highlight positive and successful female professional role models, IF/THEN® is designed to activate a culture shift among young girls to open their eyes to STEM careers by: (1) funding and elevating women in STEM as role models, (2) convening cross-sector partners in entertainment, fashion, sports, business and academia to illuminate the importance of STEM everywhere, and (3) inspiring girls with better portrayals of women in STEM through media and learning experiences to pique their interest in STEM careers. To learn more, visit www.ifthenshecan.org or follow IF/THEN® on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
ABOUT LYDA HILL PHILANTHROPIES
Lyda Hill Philanthropies encompasses the charitable giving of founder Lyda Hill who believes that “science is the answer” to life’s most challenging issues and is committed to funding transformational advances in science and nature. To learn more, visit www.lydahillphilanthropies.org.
ABOUT AAAS
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement and more.
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9/13/19
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Contact
Kacey Birchmier
kacey.birchmier@corteva.com
515-535-6149 office