Abigail Ansah-Zame

Tell me a bit about your research?

As a biomedical engineer the focus of my study was to develop quantitative and behavioral measures of responses to induced falls to assess fall risk and fall resistance. Such a practical biomechanical stability measure does not currently exist, and it will be a valuable tool for research and clinical work in falls prevention.

My doctoral research project combined the science of physical therapy and biomedical engineering to understand the mechanisms underlying recovery from a stroke to serve as the foundation for developing functional rehabilitation strategies that can offer stroke survivors a greater possibility of improvement.

Currently, I am working as a postdoctoral fellow to gain further expertise, skill, and efficiency to further my career to become an independent principal investigator mentoring young scientists, while contributing to the scientific community in better understanding stability / stroke rehabilitation research.

What inspired you to pursue this career path?

I have always been fascinated by biological science and engineering and I developed a passion and interest in the field of biomedical engineering, as it is truly a broad multidisciplinary area. I am interested in interdisciplinary research because it bridges the gap between clinical and engineering worlds with innovative solutions for critical problems. Throughout my pre- and post-doctoral research, my passion for improving the quality of life for others has only been strengthened. The people who inspire me the most are the same people I am working to help. Individuals who have limited mobility due to stroke deal with difficulties daily that to most people are trivial, and yet, they exhibit incredible ingenuity and perseverance. They inspire me to continue to innovate and are the source of my passion for research.

What does it mean to be a woman in science? What challenges or advantages have you faced?

It is no secret that women are put under pressure to take care of their family. As a mother of two young girls, I must be on my toes to prove to them that a woman can be and do many extraordinary things. As a female scientist, I want to be a role model for my girls and young scientists, and teach them how to thrive and achieve their full potential.

What advice do you have for other women in STEM?

My advice would be to always remember that a diversity of ideas is often essential to solving complex problems. Find strong mentors that you can lean on for career opportunities, professional advice and expanding your skill set. Together with a confident mindset and robust networking, you will be set up for success in STEM.

Lauren Lottier

Lottier is currently doing rotations and is not doing specific research.

What led you to this point in your career?

After my first engineering introduction class, I fell in love with the problem-solving factor of engineering as well as all of the possibilities it held. There is so much imagination and creativity in the field. I learned all about design and development in my mechanical engineering undergrad at Youngstown State University and have built on my knowledge in the biomedical engineering field at Cleveland State University in my graduate studies.

What inspired you to pursue this career path?

Before being introduced to engineering, I always thought I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be able to help and improve the lives of others. While going through my mechanical engineering degree I knew there was something missing from it. When I learned about biomedical engineering, I knew it was the perfect bridge connecting engineering to the medical field and it served as my missing piece.

What does it mean to be a woman in science? What challenges or advantages have you faced?

Women make up such a small percentage of STEM fields and that number is even smaller for women of color. To be a woman of color in this field means so much to me. It often could feel very overwhelming and intimidating to be one of only a few females in classes. But, through the years, I learned how to turn my feelings into a driving factor, which was an advantage for me. This was something that really pushed me to be better, especially in undergrad when I was just getting started in the field.

What advice do you have for other women in STEM?

My advice would be to not let anyone make you feel inadequate. As long as you are happy and doing something you love, you should be able to be comfortable and confident in your field. One thing that really helped me to build my confidence was taking charge in group projects or other leadership roles. This forced me to find a voice and learn how to communicate better to help the group succeed.

I am so happy that more women are getting involved in STEM. I was not exposed to any STEM-related fields until my freshman year of college so seeing girls as young as elementary school age learning about and falling in love with STEM is amazing to me. I hope that all girls are able to see that it is 100% possible to occupy and succeed in male-dominated spaces.

“When A Poet Loves” is a short film created by Shatara Jordan. The project is devoted to celebrating Black love and joy, and to provoking conversations about love and its ability to heal humanity. The representation of Black love and poetry hardly gets its light in the media, so a piece like this should serve as a platter of healing and enlightenment for those with an admiration for what the production has to offer. The film is finished and set to release in 2023. Updates can be found via Instagram @whenapoetloves.film.

Black love movies with an element of poetry have always ended up as classics. A few of the most popular classics are “Love Jones” and “Poetic Justice.” Movies like these,however, are in a small category of representation for Black love, poetry, or both combined. Black stories in the media tend to be more saturated with distorted portrayals of Black people according to the Washington Post article, “News media offers consistently warped portrayals of black families, study finds.” Some might argue that a film like “Love Jones” was ahead of its time, considering it didn’t do so well in the box office. Today has never been a better time for Black love stories and poetry to have its light in the media. The “America’s Got Talent” season 15 winner was Brandon Leake, who is the first spoken word poet to win, making him a part of Black poetry history. Amanda Gorman received international recognition for reading her poetry at the 2021 presidential inauguration. She is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, and another poet contributing to Black history. As of 2022, the Grammy Awards has given spoken word poetry its own category. The world is beginning to see how influential poetry is.

The intersection between Black love stories and artistic mediums is also making its way into the media, with Netflix movies like “Entergalactic” and “Really Love.” The Black community is tired of watching films that depict our struggles, and want to see more love, joy and triumphs. This was the purpose of “When A Poet Loves.” The film has received over $5,000 in match funding thanks to the IOBY Cuyahoga Arts & Culture Match Fund. Brandon Leake, who also contributed to the film’s production, was interviewed on his perspective of love to help me further develop some of the film’s poetry.

The creation of “When A Poet Loves” took six drafts, not including smaller revisions right before the start of production. I took the liberty of interviewing over 20 men on their perception of love, so I could accurately write from the perspective of the male protagonist. Some of my favorite quotes from the interviews were:

“If you pay too much attention to someone it’ll annoy you, but not with this person,”

“It’s like being in ecstasy,”

“Is the worst part of myself what I allow her to see?” Working with the cast and crew was amazing. Everyone was committed and patient throughout the process, and film production is not easy! It’s always good to work with other artists who see the value in the art you’re trying to make.

The two protagonists are played by Ma’Lon Smith and myself. The phenomenal supporting characters are played by Lexa Lenae and Chanda Bynum. The film was beautifully captured by cinematographer Trent Naylor. The creation of this project took a little over a year, and I’m excited to show a piece that portrays an intertwining of Black love and poetry. I noticed in movies like “Love Jones” and “Poetic Justice” that only one of the characters was a poet, and throughout both movies we only hear a few poems. Inspired by these classic motion pictures, I wanted to create a story where both love interests were poets, and poetry was more frequent throughout the film.

I hope for people to take away how powerful and influential love can be, even through the ups and downs of it all. I also hope this film gives people the chance to consume poetry in a way they haven't before. I truly believe that poetry is one of those artforms that can be impactful and received in more than just traditional writing. This film is for the Black community, the poetry community, and anyone who believes in the uniting, healing and evolving power of love.

Here are some poetry pieces inspired by the characters and story, written by myself:

How hard would you fight for love?

How hard would you fight for love?

Everything in this world is a battle

But how much is love worth?

Expensive as one can imagine

You choose the cost

It is not love alone that makes it valuable

But what it comes with

Trust, patience, and understanding

Are only a few jewels among it that make love such a treasure

Lexa

She screams savage through her softness

Whatever she wrecks shall woo her if it’s to bring her bliss

Crack under her cuddles she uses to cradle you

Her name is Lexa

She’ll love you like how fire burns

Destructively

With warmth

Mason

His name is Mason

He was a breathing dream

Driven by desire

Desired by she

And she, shifted his soul

He was a shipment of souls swimming for safety

Wondering which self swam in the right direction

Because he knows what it’s like to drown

He is the complexity of charm

Alarming and the star we can’t stop wishing on

Isabella

She stares at a cold hearted microphone

It glistens off her eyes

She blinds herself

This is Isabella

Sometimes struggling to speak

Sometimes struggling to see

Sometimes struggling to sing through her heart

She holds onto hope

FEBRUARY 2023

Like how she holds onto happy ever afters

The Host

Welcome back to our poetry slam!

My name is Chanda, I’ll be your host! Hoarding the shackles in my spark

I’m here to make you smile after a long day of being alive

Who wouldn’t want to take off their life for another one if it means you get to feel just a little bit happier?

I’ll be your portal to another dimension Destination, a reality check Poetry isn’t limited to what you always thought it was