Chemist and Science Communicator
Who is Stephanie Castillo?
Stephanie Castillo is a Ph.D. candidate in Science Communication at Vanderbilt University. However, she didn’t just study for her degree. She is studying to make a difference. How is she doing that? She’s the founder of Phuture Doctors,a digital media company that exposes viewers to diverse careers and professionals in STEM. Her mission is to share the stories of scientists from all intersections of life who do not typically see themselves on the big screen. She has nine years of scientific training, having earned her B.S and M.Sc in Chemistry. As she learned, Stephanie was insistent on using her identity to help her learn about the sciences. She made videos about science completely centered around representation and belonging, especially for high school and college students.
It was this desire that allowed Stephanie to switch her career to become a full-time video producer, using her science communication skills to help her digital storytelling. It was her dream to make films that are important and meaningful. She “knows the frustration of delayed dreams and unpursued passions.” So what did she do? Stephanie went out to pursue them and made her first documentary — which went on to win an Emmy award.
Her advice for every other smart girl out there? “I believe detours can be part of God’s divine plan. That has been true in my life. One of my first jobs was at an all-news radio station, and it gave me skills for writing on deadline. My job as a newspaper reporter honed my writing skills for my first documentary. My job as a telephone solicitor gave me confidence to “cold call,” which I needed later for raising money. My work with InterVarsity’s 2100 Productions sharpened my skills to think biblically. These were my “divine detours” on the way to my passion of making films.”
3 Things We Love About Stephanie Castillo:
- She was a Jackson Wild Media Lab Fellow!
- Stephanie Castillo was thirty when she went to film school! It’s never too late.
- Stephanie is originally from Venezuela, and was raised in Florida.
Work Cited
https://www.aaas.org/programs/mass-media-fellowship/stephanie-castillo