Meet our Industry Person of the Week, Kara Branch, an award-winning Chemical Engineer, entrepreneur, author, and advocate for girls in STEM.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Kara: I grew up with many people always saying to my mom being very smart, but no one ever told my mom what she could do with her smart daughter. My mom was a single mom, and no one provided her with resources. I spent most of my K-12 education excelling in school but there were no resources offered or any cool clubs for me to do besides sports. Fast forward to high school, I fell in love with Chemistry thanks to my chemistry teacher Mrs. Chapman, however, knowing that excelled in chemistry, my passion was to continue my journey in dance and aim to be a background for Usher. I owe it to a family member and my freshman college adviser for challenging me to change my major my freshman year of college. Because of this change I am a Chemical Engineer today and the rest is history.
Q: What do you love the most about your job? What are you most proud of?
Kara: One word “innovator”. I am an innovator at heart! I have spent 8 plus years in industry working on innovation projects. Many projects I worked on were the first of their kind and I love everything about it! Plus, I was able to innovate across many different (Oil and Gas, Space, and Tech). Now I have the honor and privilege to innovate with Black Girls Do Engineer and engineer in the form of changing people life. With my program we have achieve 100 percent college acceptance rate and job placement rate. We have been able to offer over $54,000 in scholarship to help members on their college journey. We have impacted over 4,000 girls and college students since 2019, and we are now on track to being a national nonprofit reaching girls everywhere.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?
Kara: Raise your hand to try new things. It takes a while to really fine your niche in this industry, so do not be afraid to try new things until you find you place in industry and grab yourself a mentor. Mentors are crucial to your growth in industry.
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Kara: Founding Black Girls Do Engineer in 2019. Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation is a Houston-based, award-winning nonprofit organization committed to empowering young Black girls and women, ages 6 to 21, to thrive in STEM fields. Founded by myself (Kara Branch), an award-winning Chemical Engineer and former Fortune 100 Engineering Manager, the organization is driven by the mission to increase the representation of Black women in STEM professions. Each year, Black Girls Do Engineer serves over 1,000 participants through hands-on learning experiences, mentorship, and enrichment programs that focus on sustainability, robotics, artificial intelligence, and financial literacy. The organization provides unique opportunities such as college tours, career fairs, and leadership development workshops, fostering innovation and confidence among young women as they pursue STEM education and careers. Notable programs include the Future Green Innovators project, HERSTEM Pitch Tank, and the annual Future of STEM Conference, which inspire participants to create, innovate, and lead. Through its efforts, Black Girls Do Engineer is not only preparing young women for the future but actively shaping a more diverse and inclusive STEM industry. Although I did not have mentors and resources growing up, I am making sure girls coming up behind me do.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
Kara: Learn more about Black Girls Do Engineer at www.blackgirlsdoengineer.org or email us at info@blackgirlsdoengineer.org.
If you’d like to connect with Black Girls Do Engineer, follow Instagram: @BlackGirlsDoEngineer Facebook: Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation Twitter (X): @BGDEngineer LinkedIn: Black Girls Do Engineer Corporation
THANK YOU, KARA! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
