The STEM Thrive Guides

Courses Now Available!

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How can we help you?

resources & information on navigating difficult situations at work or school

Is this harassment?

Learn more about how to identify and document instances of harassment at work or school.
I need help!

If you are currently in a toxic work or school environment, you are in the right place for resources and information to reach a resolution.
How can I help others?

If you want to work with us to support targets of bias and harassment, schedule a call with Jill to get started by clicking the button below.

Schedule a Call with Jill

for personalized advice & resources

Jill has many resources and information that can help you navigate bias, harassment, and discrimination at school or work. By learning about your unique situation, she can help you find a path forward toward a solution.

Schedule a Call

Welcome to The STEM Thrive Guides

While changing the systems and structures of our schools, organizations, and companies is essential to eradicate inequities, in the meantime survivors and targets of harassment and bias need support.

This is me, Jill, a physicist turned battery scientist turned director of technical program management. I decided to start The STEM Thrive Guides in 2020 after recovering from the trauma I experienced from a toxic work environment in graduate school.

In April 2019 it dawned on me that knowing how to navigate harassment was a professional skill.

I had to know how to navigate harassment in order to do my job.

I wondered why there were no professional development trainings sharing the truths behind how to navigate harassment amidst intense emotional overwhelm (because experiencing harassment can be so triggering!), and I also realized that I had grown an expertise in navigating harassment through 12 years as a woman in physics and engineering.

So, I thought to myself, why don't I make this training? And that's the beginning of The STEM Thrive Guides.

The mission of The STEM Thrive Guides is to provide support to targets of harassment by raising awareness that:

Targets of harassment are not alone.
Harassment is normal (unfortunately) and a form of oppression.
Everyone deserves to and has a right to feel safe and comfortable at work and school.
There are resources that can help one reach justice.
The majority of organizations' efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion are forms of gaslighting, and what the real solutions are.

The STEM Thrive Guides currently provides the following resources:

If you are currently experiencing harassment in your workplace or school, read this first.

Feel free to schedule a call with me for personalized help & support:

Click for Calendar Link

The STEM Thrive Guides

You deserve to feel comfortable and safe in your university or workplace.

Course Categories

Watch Intro Video

Video

Which course is best for you?

We currently offer the following courses.

Navigating Harassment Mini-Course:

Instead of spending hours trying to figure out if a school or workplace incident was illegal and what to do to report the incident, we provide you with simple instructions prepare to navigate any situation.

This mini-course provides the basics for learning how to navigate situations involving bias, harassment, microaggressions, and discrimination at work and school.

In this mini-course you will build your own personalized Harassment Preparation Toolkit complete with The STEM Thrive Guides Harassment Documentation Checklist and all of the resources you need to protect yourself and your wellbeing.

The 4 parts of the course are:

What are bias, harassment, microaggressions, and discrimination?
How to Document Harassment
How to Report Harassment
Tips for Addressing Harassment during the Pandemic

These 4 parts are also available for purchase individually for $10-25.

Additional Information:

Students can access course indefinitely after purchase.
Course material is downloadable (PDF).

Course for Undergraduate Students:

The STEM Thrive Guides' Navigating Toxic Work and School Environments for Undergraduate Students teaches how to navigate bias, harassment, and discrimination in a university setting. It is specially designed for students who are attending classes and pursuing internships and introductory laboratory experiences.

Chapter 1: Welcome & Introduction to Course
Chapter 2: Reflection on Previous Experiences involving Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination
Chapter 3: How to Recognize Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination + Your Local Legal Protections
Chapter 4: Self-Care & Emotional Intelligence Development
Chapter 5: How to Navigate Real-Life Situations of Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination
Chapter 6: (not included in undergraduate version of course)
Chapter 7: Identifying Gaslighting in STEM Fields
Chapter 8: Course Conclusions Review

Additional Information:

Students can access course indefinitely after purchase.
Course material is downloadable (PDF).
BONUS: Access to mentors and coaches who can provide 1:1 support.
Includes: Guide to building your own Harassment Preparation Toolkit

Course for Graduate Students and Early-Career Professionals:

The STEM Thrive Guides' Navigating Toxic Work and School Environments for Graduate Students and Early-Career Professionals teaches how to navigate bias, harassment, and discrimination in a university, laboratory, and workplace setting (whether you are working from home or in an office space). It includes more exercises, information, and real-life scenario examples to learn from than offered in the undergraduate version of the course, as well as an entire chapter dedicated to developing positive, supportive professional relationships.

Chapter 1: Welcome & Introduction to Course
Chapter 2: Reflection on Previous Experiences involving Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination
Chapter 3: How to Recognize Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination + Your Local Legal Protections
Chapter 4: Self-Care & Emotional Intelligence Development
Chapter 5: How to Navigate Real-Life Situations of Bias, Harassment, and Discrimination
Chapter 6: Developing Professional Relationships
Chapter 7: Identifying Gaslighting in STEM Fields
Chapter 8: Course Conclusions Review

Additional Information:

Students can access course indefinitely after purchase.
Course material is downloadable (PDF).
BONUS: Access to mentors and coaches who can provide 1:1 support.
Includes: Guide to building your own Harassment Preparation Toolkit

Keep in Touch!

Add your email to the mailing list to get the latest updates and resources.

What else will I learn in these courses?

You have potential, yet are held back by people who put you down, don't take you seriously, and ignore you. While this feels powerless, you are definitely NOT powerless. It's time to unlock your empowerment and reach your goals with more ease.

Understanding of the current structures of society that hold you back, and how to embody the 5 key truths of the Resilient Mindset to persevere despite setbacks.
How to use The Reporting Framework, a proven method to reach win-win outcomes when you face bias, harassment, and discrimination. This method is especially effective for those who experience overwhelming emotions like fear or frustration during difficult interpersonal workplace situations.
How to assemble your own personalized Harassment Preparation Toolkit, complete with the STEM Thrive Guides Harassment Documentation Checklist as well as many additional resources that can aid you when you go to report any illegal incident at work or school.

A word from the instructor:

Lessons Learned from 12 years of Struggle in One 4-week Course

by Jill Pestana

I made the STEM Thrive Guides courses based on what I needed as an 18-year-old freshman physics major struggling to feel like I belonged in my male-dominant field. No matter how hard she tried to prove herself, she never seemed to feel valued and seen as an early-career scientist. I wish I could go back in time and give her this course, teaching her the lessons I spent the last 12 years learning as I worked against huge obstacles to become a senior scientist and patent holder. Today, I feel empowered, confident, and focused on achieving my career goals rather than worrying about navigating bias, harassment, or discrimination. I understand why some people treat me badly, and it affects me less because I know how to care for myself and set boundaries. Thanks to The Resilience Mindset and The Reporting Framework, which I use to navigate these difficult situations, I feel secure and empowered in my career and life!

FAQ

What if I'm not sure if these courses will help me with my current struggles?
Feel free to email [email protected] with any questions or concerns you may have. We are here to help!
I am interested in taking the courses, but am not sure I can right now. Is there a way I can keep in touch?
Yes! The best way to keep updated is by joining the email list (link above). You can also follow us on social media: Instagram (@stemthriveguides), Twitter (@stemthriveguide), Clubhouse (@stemthriveguide), and Facebook (The STEM Thrive Guides).