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Change, Technically

Change, Technically

By: Dr. Ashley Juavinett and Dr. Cat Hicks
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About this listen

Ashley Juavinett, PhD and Cat Hicks, PhD explore technical skills, the science of innovation, STEM pathways, and our beliefs about who gets to be technical—so you can be a better leader and we can all build a better future.

Ashley, a neuroscientist, and Cat, a psychologist for software teams, tell stories of change from classrooms to workplaces.

Also, they're married.

© 2026 Change, Technically
Science
Episodes
  • You can learn with AI
    Feb 16 2026

    Can people learn in the AI era? Ashley and Cat think so. We talk about Ashley's experiences teaching programming and co-designing WITH students (not against them) to create shared classroom norms around AI, and about the metacognitive skills that Cat is sharing with the software teams and developers she works with to bring a "dynamic textbook" approach to using AI to build understanding, not degrade it.

    Cat's Learning Opportunities Claude Skill, with a scientific reference list to the effects we also talk about in this episode, can be found here: https://github.com/DrCatHicks/learning-opportunities

    Cat also wrote a recent piece about the complexity of measuring the impact of AI in Software Organizations: https://www.fightforthehuman.com/how-not-to-measure-the-roi-from-ai-in-your-software-organization/

    Learn more about Ashley:

    • https://ashleyjuavinett.com/
    • https://mastodon.social/@analog_ashley
    • analog-ashley.bsky.social


    Learn more about Cat:

    • https://www.drcathicks.com/
    • https://mastodon.social/@grimalkina
    • grimalkina.bsky.social
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Know your neighbors
    Feb 9 2026

    This isn't the episode we planned, but it's what is on our minds right now. We talk about the power of knowing your neighbors and a few ways in which we've found solace and meaning in building our local community. Here's a glimpse into our playbook -- tell us about yours in the comments.

    Learn more about Ashley:

    • https://ashleyjuavinett.com/
    • https://mastodon.social/@analog_ashley
    • analog-ashley.bsky.social


    Learn more about Cat:

    • https://www.drcathicks.com/
    • https://mastodon.social/@grimalkina
    • grimalkina.bsky.social
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Math is for girls
    Dec 22 2025

    The story from Janet Hyde about her motivations to get a grant and "fight with data" can be found here:

    https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/janet-shibley-hyde-sinks-stereotypes-with-data

    Cat summarizes a ton of research for this episode. Key citations, most of which contain large literature reviews themselves:

    Adamecz-Völgyi, A., Jerrim, J., Pingault, J. B., & Shure, N. (2023). Overconfident boys: The gender gap in mathematics self-assessment.

    Brescoll, V. L., Dawson, E., & Uhlmann, E. L. (2010). Hard won and easily lost: The fragile status of leaders in gender-stereotype-incongruent occupations. Psychological Science, 21(11), 1640-1642.

    Carr, M., Jessup, D. L., & Fuller, D. (1999). Gender differences in first-grade mathematics strategy use: Parent and teacher contributions. Journal for research in mathematics education, 30(1), 20-46.

    Del Toro, J., Legette, K., Christophe, N. K., Pasco, M., Miller-Cotto, D., & Wang, M. T. (2024). When ethnic–racial discrimination from math teachers spills over and predicts the math adjustment of nondiscriminated adolescents: The mediating role of math classroom climate perceptions. Developmental psychology.

    Else-Quest, N. M., Hyde, J. S., & Linn, M. C. (2010). Cross-national patterns of gender differences in mathematics: a meta-analysis. Psychological bulletin, 136(1), 103.

    Gesuelli, K. A., Miller-Cotto, D., & Barbieri, C. A. (2025). Variability in math achievement growth among students with early math learning difficulties and the role of school supports. Journal of Educational Psychology.

    Hyde, J. S., & Linn, M. C. (2006). Gender similarities in mathematics and science. Science, 314(5799), 599-600.

    Hyde, J. S., Lindberg, S. M., Linn, M. C., Ellis, A. B., & Williams, C. C. (2008). Gender similarities characterize math performance. Science, 321(5888), 494-495.

    Hyde, J. S., & Mertz, J. E. (2009). Gender, culture, and mathematics performance. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 106(22), 8801-8807.

    Hyde, J. S., & Mertz, J. E. (2009). Reply to Crespi: Gender similarities, culture, and mathematics performance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), E103-E103.

    Hyde, J. S., Bigler, R. S., Joel, D., Tate, C. C., & van Anders, S. M. (2019). The future of sex and gender in psychology: Five challenges to the gender binary. American Psychologist, 74(2), 171.

    Kane, J. M., & Mertz, J. E. (2012). Debunking myths about gender and mathematics performance. Notices of the AMS, 59(1), 10-21.

    Lindberg, S. M., Hyde, J. S., Petersen, J. L., & Linn, M. C. (2010). New trends in gender and mathematics performance: a meta-analysis. Psychological b

    Learn more about Ashley:

    • https://ashleyjuavinett.com/
    • https://mastodon.social/@analog_ashley
    • analog-ashley.bsky.social


    Learn more about Cat:

    • https://www.drcathicks.com/
    • https://mastodon.social/@grimalkina
    • grimalkina.bsky.social
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
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