April 6, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by POET.

Since 1987, POET has been at the forefront of biotechnology research and agricultural development, constantly growing and improving by refusing to be satisfied with the status quo. But where the company really strives to lead the way is with its people.

POET employs a large number of team members in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Growth in STEM careers continues to outpace that of all other occupations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in these fields are projected to grow by 9 percent between now and 2030.

Unfortunately, women have been historically underrepresented in STEM for a variety of reasons. Despite accounting for half of the U.S. workforce, women made up only 30 percent of those employed in STEM occupations.

But POET proudly is paving the way toward changing that status quo, with a growing number of women joining its team in STEM-related positions.

To celebrate its female workforce, POET hosted an installment of its educational series, The Rhyme & Reason, on March 31. These monthly, companywide events are open to all POET team members across its network of bioprocessing facilities and corporate offices and provide an opportunity to garner insight into the many different areas of the business.

This Rhyme & Reason capped off Women’s History Month by highlighting four women in STEM positions across the company:

• Camille Crouch, senior fermentation specialist.
• Teena Coad, senior manager of business applications development.
• Kristin Clay, general manager of POET Bioprocessing – Shell Rock in Iowa.
• Kim Hammers, IT application analyst III.

“STEM fields are traditionally male-dominated. When I started my career, I feel like women in STEM was a new thing,” Hammers said. “When I started at a different company, there were maybe two women who were senior engineers in the whole company and two others starting at the same time as me. That’s really changed throughout the years.”

The conversation shifted to the growth of STEM fields and the increase in interested women pursuing careers across tech industries.

Crouch pointed out the opportunities POET provides to individuals in STEM careers.

“For people with STEM-related degrees, POET is very unique because there are so many opportunities for people to grow in their careers,” she said.

She also noted the important role mentors have played in her career.

“In the past, there were times when I felt discouraged being a woman in a STEM field,” Crouch said. “That’s when I looked around to find those mentors. I’d encourage any man or woman to look for mentors that push you and drive you and to be mentors to those who will follow us. I consider myself a cheerleader to try and pump people up in whatever they need.”

Speakers Camille Crouch, Teena Coad, Kristin Clay and Kim Hammers and moderator Rachael Grooms, public affairs manager

Clay, one of POET’s female general managers at its bioprocessing facilities, agreed and added the importance of being a mentor to young people considering STEM fields.

“I realized right away that POET was willing to put women in impactful roles,” Clay said. “I can’t say enough good things about how POET’s acquisition of our facility in 2021 improved our site. As a mentor, I was involved for several years in the Girls in Science Initiative. You could interact with girls from lower elementary all the way through high school.

“I want to be a mentor for others because I’ve been lucky enough throughout my career to have great mentors. You should view yourself as an ambassador for STEM. For a lot of young people growing up, they don’t have experience with these things. If you have the opportunity to be a positive influence on someone, then take it.”

Lastly, the panel discussed what advice each woman would give to POET team members to help get young people interested in STEM careers. Advice ranged from encouraging parents to get kids involved in science-based activities to reaching out to schools to help create opportunities for students to learn.

Coad encouraged taking initiative to create change.

“Find the passion for what you hope to help change,” she said. “It’s not easy, and it’s going to take various different perspectives. If you see an opportunity and think someone should do something, think, ‘Why not me?’”

To see POET’s open positions, visit poet.com/careers.