Ignite Your Spark

“Today, I encourage my teams to not focus on failures, but embrace the unexpected results and focus on the lessons learned.”

Time is one of our most valuable resources, so we need to be wise investors. Start leading by example and invest in activities that not only bring value to your organization, but value to YOU. You are in the driver’s seat. Focus on the construction zones that continually polish your big rocks, and spend less time taking those detours that end up being a distraction. Different situations call for diverse leadership approaches, be ready to pivot and step outside your comfort zone. Let’s grow together!

Magan Lewis, Ph.D., serves as the Bayer Crop Science Equipment & Automated Field Sensing Lead. In her role, she oversees the development, validation, global deployment, and logistics optimization of high-impact digital tools and sensors. Magan is an award-winning scientific leader and STEM advocate. She has received multiple recognitions, including being named an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN Ambassador, Des Moines Business Record’s Forty under 40, Seed World’s 2022 Future Leader of the Seed Industry, and was recently appointed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to serve on the South Central Regional STEM Advisory Board. Magan is a STEM education outreach fanatic, ID&E (Inclusion, Diversity & Equity) advocate, serves as a board member for the Science Center of Iowa, and is a co-leader of her local 4-H Clover Kids Chapter.

Magan holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from North Dakota State University and M.S. and B.S. degrees from the University of Minnesota. She resides in Des Moines, Iowa with her husband and two daughters. The Lewis family enjoys competitive swimming, hiking, identifying insects, tumbling rocks, traveling, playing piano, and NDSU Football. 

This event was recorded and will be available for two weeks on the Lectures website at https://www.lectures.iastate.edu/recordings/available-recordings