Mirrors: Jenna Matthews, Principal Data Architect
The AdaMarie Mirrors reflect back to us the many roads (often winding, never smooth) to success! Real stories to see yourself reflected in. At first, you’ll see Jenna in this mirror, but eventually, we hope you’ll see yourself.
Welcome, Jenna Matthews!
Getting to Know You:
Field of Work: Data Governance; Higher Education
Expertise In: Learning & Data Science; Collective Intelligence
Current Company: Columbia Southern University
Job Title: Principal Data Architect
One-liner About What You’re Working On: I’m collecting definitions and explanations so that people across the university can speak about data in a common language.
Currently geeking out over: The impact of outsiders/amateurs on scientific fields
STEM Hero: Reshma Saujani (founded Girls Who Code and then/since advocates for working moms)
Tell us about your professional journey – how did you get where you are now?
Because I was a mom ... I couldn't travel for an internship so I volunteered at my local community college.
Because the dean was swamped ... I got to teach his programming and web design courses.
Because I loved teaching adults ... I enrolled in grad school.
Because I understood data ... I was the one on the research team to set up and study clickstream data for student activity.
Because I knew both data and education ... I was on advisory boards, consulted as a subject-matter expert, and got a chance to join a new learning analytics team at an online university.
Because I jump in with both feet ... I got to build a team and present at conferences and guide the development of models for personalizing education.
Because of that reputation ... I got recruited to Pearson and then to Columbia Southern University where I get to do this work all the time!
We’re also curious to know your personal story and upbringing. What has made you “you”?
I grew up in an extremely conservative and religious environment. I was so focused on being good that I ignored what I really enjoyed and knew about myself in order to fit what I thought I needed to be. I didn't pursue what I really enjoyed (especially STEM fields) because I was *supposed* to do something else to be a proper wife/mother/woman within that religious environment.
Once I finally stepped away from that (in my thirties) it's been so liberating to admit and pursue things that I actually like or want. I even scheduled my own (40th) birthday party at a dinosaur museum because I was finally admitting that it was me, and not my kids, that liked dinosaurs.
We know that real life isn’t a smooth and linear journey. What was your initiating moment that led you to your calling - can you tell us about that moment, what helped you move forward, what you learned/discovered?
Rejection or failure has been the most powerful part of my journey.
I failed college algebra three times ... and then discovered a special case of l'Hopital's rule in calculus. I got rejected two years in a row for the PhD program I'm currently finishing. And - after a surprise layoff from a job I loved - I got over 280 rejections before getting offered the most amazing job I've ever had.
Those rejections all sucked. And I wouldn't want to do them again. But I'm so glad I kept taking math courses, because I love calculus. And I'm so glad I kept applying, because I love the PhD research I'm doing. And I'm so glad that I kept looking for a good job, because I love what I'm doing now.
Because I jump in with both feet ... I got to build a team and present at conferences and guide the development of models for personalizing education.
You’re a working woman in a performance-driven industry. Where do you find balance?
I make freezer pizzas for Christmas dinner.
I used to spend so much time and energy doing what I thought I should do or needed to do without paying attention to what I (and my kids) actually needed or wanted. One year, after spending hours on Christmas day in the kitchen, I heard nothing but complaints about the 'weird' food we were eating. At the time I was angry and told the kids "fine, I'm just doing freezer pizzas next year."
But then I did that. And we all liked the food (freezer pizzas are yummy). And I didn't spend all day in the kitchen just to hear complaints. Now it's a tradition.
And the idea behind that tradition - to pay attention to what was actually wanted and not spend extra time or energy on something that 'should' be done - has helped me find balance in so many ways.
If you were a scientific process or phenomenon, what would you be?
I would be a phenomenon. I'm obsessed with murmurations and flocking patterns - and how those happen. I'd love to be in the middle of one and see all of those changes close up.
Any recommendations for the AdaMarie community?
Remember that there are less rules than you think - go for what you actually want, and ask yourself if you are doing something just because you think it’s a rule.
And remember that failing isn’t just an unavoidable problem - it’s a necessary stepping stone. Experts have failed more than novices have tried - and each of those failures is worth something.
We would love to feature your work. How can we spread the word about what you’re doing?
Check out Nobel Learning - it’s an awesome, worldwide, self-organizing learning group that I’ve worked with for over a year.
If you feel like some academic speech, read this paper: The Pivot: Identifying Emergent Tactics in Distributed Epistemic Games in which I introduced my theory of 'distributed epistemic games' to the broader learning science community.
