Ashleigh Jessica Chandra’s career is focused on neuroscience, an area of science that focuses on the brain and nervous system. Ashleigh earned her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, her Graduate Diploma in Science, and Masters in Medicine from the University of Sydney (Australia). Her research has also been published in the Journal of Comparative Neurology. Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Neuroscience. How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I study how the eyes connect to the brain. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Interest in how people see or why people are blind. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? As a young child I always saw the world in full light, colour and acuity. When I was 16 I got my first pair of glasses for vision, and it made me wonder. My mother always pushed me to feed my curiosity, so I went into science because I was looking for answers. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I wanted to be like Fred Hollows. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? I use a microscope to look at cells under bright fluorescent light. When I turn the light on sometimes the cells light up for me, just like a firework! What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Never ever ever give up. Thank you for contributing, Ashleigh!
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Ashley Stenzel’s career is focused on cancer epidemiology (a branch of medicine that deals with detection of the source and cause of disease). Ashley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from St. Catherine University, her Master’s in Science/Clinical Research from St. Cloud State University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in cancer research from the University at Buffalo (SUNY). A STEM advocate, Ashley is also author of the book, The ABCs of Women in STEM. Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Cancer science, cancer prevention and control. How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I study different risk factors for developing cancer, or things that might improve how somebody survives after being diagnosed with cancer. I like to look at parts of the immune system and I really love working with global health. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Curious about why things are a certain way, wonder if more than one variable could play a role in certain outcomes. If you care about people's health this may be a good field for you! What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I knew nothing about it. I never heard about epidemiology or the study of controlling and preventing diseases. I started learning about it as an adult, after I had already gotten a degree in biology and a masters degree in clinical research. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I have worked in health care in various roles for 10 years. If there is one thing I know, it's how scary it can be when you feel like you have no control over your own health. I saw many patients with all different diseases feel sad and really upset, and I wanted to change this for the future. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on?
What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Nobody in this world can tell you what you are and are not capable of except yourself. If you ever hear somebody else try to put you down, remember that you know your own self-worth. You are smart enough and capable enough to join any field in STEM, and you are equally as deserving to be in these fields as anybody else. Follow your curiosities. Thank you for contributing, Ashley! Alison Tidy is a research scientist, specializing in the field of plant science. She earned her PhD degree from the University of Nottingham (UK). Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? I specialise in Plant Molecular Biology in the School of Biosciences, focusing on flower development. How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I research how flowers develop, produce pollen and seed. I look at the effects of single genes on pollen development through using mutants and transgenic plants to increase our understanding and aid in breeding. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? An interest in nature and discovering things around them. Asking lots of why's and discovering the beauty in everything around them. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I had a few science and chemistry sets as a child, and I just had a general inquisitive nature and liked to know how things worked. By the time I entered A level in school, my focus was on genetics which sparked my career. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I was inspired by a single book, The Selfish Gene. This was when I choose to be a genetist. I studied Biotechnology as an undergrad and then focused on plants throughout my studies and PhD. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Using mutant plants we see all ranges of interesting things, to plants roots that don't know to grow down, or plants stems that can't grow up. We do a lot of microscopy work, in particular I look at glowing plants which cause some spectacular images. And we have used X-ray CT to see inside plants and watch plant root grow in the soil. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Follow your heart, do what you enjoy and you can do whatever you want to do. You can learn more about plant science, and see images contributed by Alison, at https://www.botany.one/. Thank you for contributing, Alison! Being immersed in the exciting opportunities of STEM doesn’t always require a full-time career commitment. Wednesday Batchelor is a museum volunteer in Cambridge, UK where she combines her artistic talent with a passion for museums and earth sciences into a rewarding opportunity to share knowledge with the diverse people she interacts with every day. Below she shares a little about her experiences and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Museums (Earth science) How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I am very passionate about museums and passing the knowledge and enthusiasm of earth science to visitors of all ages. I am a volunteer, so I see all aspects of the museums that I work in, with the aim of getting enough experience alongside my Masters degree to earn a career full time within the industry. My roles include creating artwork for displays, running activities and events as well as working in the museum collections and working on encouraging young people to visit by thinking of ideas to attract guests, such as events, talks and crafts. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Perhaps a passion for animals or history or science, a love of museums or learning and passing knowledge to others. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I adored museums from a very young age and was a huge fan of dinosaurs and animals; my parents took me to the natural History Museum in London and encouraged me with dinosaur toys. I first started volunteering at 16 in a small museum, and it was the best fun. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? It’s a role I feel passion for, in buildings I adore, with people equally enthusiastic about the field. My role model was the curator of the first museum I volunteered with, who gave me lots of opportunities to gain experience, and with whom I’m still in touch now. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? I’m currently helping to prepare an Iguanodon dinosaur for display. I get to study and draw/paint lots of incredible animals such as smilodon and anomalocaris! Being behind the scenes in a museum and seeing all of the collections is an incredible feeling! What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Don’t hold back! Volunteering is a fantastic way to start in museums and gives you invaluable experience to support you in your future career! You don’t have to give up a lot of your time, but you’ll have loads of fun and gain so much! Thank you for contributing, Wednesday! Franziska Sattler is a science educator, evolutionary biologist and vertebrate paleontologist. In other words, Franziska has achieved her childhood dream of becoming a “Dino Woman” and has traveled throughout USA and Germany discovering dinosaur bones. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Geology, and Master’s Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Freie Universität Berlin. Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Vertebrate Paleontology How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I currently study the head anatomy and dentation of Tyrannosaurus rex, to see how fast their teeth have been replaced during their lifetime. I use the same software as doctors in the hospital to look at CT images of the jaw. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? I strongly believe that anybody can become a scientist! I am a first generation academic and all you need is curiosity, passion and the willingness to learn new things every day. Sometimes it is hard being a scientist, but you get to do a lot of super cool stuff and travel the world. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I always knew I wanted to be a paleontologist. Actually, when I was a little girl, I told everybody I wanted to be a "dino woman" and no one knew what that meant until I got older. My grandpa always got me little dinosaur toys and we watched A Land Before Time when I was really little and when I was five years old I watched Jurassic Park with my parents and knew I found my dream job, minus the being eaten by dinosaurs of course! Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I did not really have a mentor as a young kid, but before I started university in 2009, I applied for an internship at the natural history museum in Berlin and was accepted! My boss, and later supervisor, was a young woman and that greatly shaped my career. I finally had another female scientist to look up to, learn from and work with. We are still close today and are currently writing a paper together. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? What I always loved most about paleontology is that you get to do fieldwork! I went on several digs in the USA and Germany and there is nothing cooler than discovering your first bone that no one has ever seen or touched before. Those fossils are usually over 66 million years old! What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Don't ever worry about being the only girl interested in what you love! There might be a lot of boys, and later men, around you and you might doubt your place in the world sometimes - but DON'T GIVE UP. If you love what you do, and if you have passion for science and research, you will succeed! And you might even be the next generation of female scientists that will inspire future little girls to follow in your footsteps. Thank you for contributing, Franziska! STEM Girls Books shares stories of accomplished women in STEM for the purpose of inspiring young girls to dream big. Every once in a while we discover a young girl who is already on her way to accomplishing those dreams…girls like Chandni Kumari (Astronaut Chandni) who, at just 15 years of age, is working toward her goal of becoming an astronaut. Read her story below and we think you’ll agree that the mysterious Blackhole is about to meet its match! What is your specific area of STEM? Aerospace Engineering How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I study aircraft and learn about sending spacecraft to space. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Curious about nature. Always asking question, interested in learning, loves learning, excited about the space. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I was always fascinated by outer space and the Blackhole as a young child and I knew I wanted to go there. My family fed my curiosity about Blackhole and STEM and encouraged me to pursue my interest. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I have been taking college level science courses since 9th grade and have always been fascinated by science and math, and loved learning about it. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Getting to explore Aircraft and spacecraft is a lot of fun. It’s fascinating and the opportunities are endless. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? I encourage girls to pursue what they are excited and passionate about. And not to be afraid because 'NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE'. Thank you for contributing, Chandni! We’ll be rooting for you! Daisy Rosas Vargas is pursuing her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Indiana University and earned her B.S. degree in Chemistry from UC San Diego. Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Chemistry, Organic Chemistry How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? Chemistry, especially organic chemistry, is like a puzzle. Each piece of information is a puzzle piece. Putting together the puzzle will reveal a larger puzzle piece that will help understand how chemistry works and how chemistry can help the world in new and better ways. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? I think one of the major traits is curiosity. Curiosity about how the world works. Curiosity about how we can help solve big world problems. Asking questions about everything. Activities like going to museums also spark the seed of interest. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I was always interested in the sciences. I wanted to be a veterinarian as a young child. That then evolved into a marine biologist, followed by a forensic researcher, to a chemist in high school. I was first introduced to chemistry at a 7th grade science summer camp for girls called Tech Trek. After one week taking mystery powders I knew I wanted to be some type of chemist. My interest was encouraged by my parents and my high school chemistry teacher. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I could say that I chose chemistry, but I think chemistry chose me. I was lucky enough to grow up in a community that supports children's interest in science, especially that of underrepresented minorities. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? There are so many cool things chemists can do. Chemists are innovators. They work with other professionals in the STEM field to find solutions to the world's urgent problems. Chemists can help save art, make perfumes, make new materials to help doctors and astronauts, build machines that can detect things. Chemists can also become professors and mentors. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Do not be afraid to try something that is hard. Some people will say that STEM is hard. It could be that they have not tried. But that should not stop you from trying to learn about it and understand it. Thank you for contributing, Daisy! Tamara Robertson is a chemical and biomolecular engineer. She is passionate about sharing her love of science and engineering, especially in ways that inspire young girls to pursue STEM. Tamara is the host of The Feeding Tube, a web video series bringing real facts behind popular food myths. She was also a finalist on the Science Channel’s “Mythbusters: The Search”, a series featuring the next generation of fearless contenders with killer build skills, science smarts and nerves of steel. Tamara earned her BS degree in Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University. Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? Engineers in my field get to work on lots of different cool items, designing new ways to make products. We work on fun household items, like toys for kids or lotions, life saving medicines like vaccines, and even future-focused technologies like biofuels. The sky is the limit when it comes to ways to utilize a Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering degree! :) What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? STEM is all about imagination and curiosity. If you like to tinker with real life products and figure out how they work, or maybe even rebuild them in a cooler way, then you would love the STEM field! STEM is like an adventure with lots of different paths that lead to cool discoveries so if you enjoy learning new things, this is the place to be! What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? When I was a child I had never heard about STEM. I didn't know any engineers outside of Scotty on Star Trek and he was very different from me. Yet from a young age I loved to tinker! I enjoyed working with tools and watching my dad build things and often times I got to help, which made me love it even more! Even in school I really liked my math and science classes but didn't know that people other than my teachers were in these fields. It wasn't until I was in college that a teacher talked to me about engineering and for the first time I felt challenged and excited about school work! Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? My decision to pursue Chemical & Biomolecular engineering was spurred by a few items:
What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? There are so many cool things you can do in this field. One of my first jobs was making biofuel that smelled like popcorn when used in a car engine! I got to set up a way for our local restaurants to donate their old oil to us so we could make fuel for our college’s farm equipment! :) Then when I graduated I got to help design and build a vaccines facility, and even work in conjunction with the WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) on making vaccine for the Swine Flu pandemic that was making a lot of people sick around the world! After that I got to work with cool companies like Burts Bees, Nestle, Target, General Mills, 3M, McDonalds and so many more designing packaging for awesome products like cereal, toys, and candy. Other people in my field get to design awesome things like makeup, lotion, fuel for cars and rockets, and even yummy food like pizza! What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Always remember that where your journey begins doesn't define where it ends - you do! You can be anything you want to be as long as you're willing to work for it. Also there's no such thing as failure in Science as long as you learn something. Thank you for contributing, Tamara! Sian Proctor, Ph.D., is a geology and sustainability professor who not only teaches but also designs curriculum, science materials, and educational games. She was a finalist for the 2009 NASA Astronaut Program, was on the Discovery Channel reality TV show called The Colony, was the Education Outreach Officer on the 4-month NASA funded Mars simulation, and a PolarTREC teacher studying climate change research in Barrow, Alaska. Last year Sian was featured in a new PBS series called Genius with Stephen Hawking. Sian is in Episode 3, “Are We Alone?”, where she learns how to search for intelligent life in the universe. This summer Sian will be hitting the high seas as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2017 Teacher at Sea. Dr. Proctor is also a motivational speaker, specializing in women and minority leadership, and encouraging girls to pursue STEM. She earned her degrees from Arizona State University and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Below she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Geology, Planetary Science, & Sustainability How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I teach people about ways in which the Earth creates resources and hazards, but also about human’s impact on the Earth. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Independence, curiosity, adventurous, spatial intelligence. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? My father was a scientist and he encouraged me to be inquisitive. I loved aviation and astronomy and he told me I could be anything I wanted to be. So from an early age I knew I would study science but I didn't have any particular focus. I was curious about everything. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I wanted to move out west and I applied to a variety of schools. Arizona State University gave me the best financial package which included being a teaching assistant (TA). Becoming a TA changed my life because I realized my passion for teaching science. After getting my MS in Geology, I became a full-time geology professor and, over time, got my Ph.D. in Science Education. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? As a geoscience professor, I have traveled, conducted research, and taught around the world. The Earth is my living laboratory. I have learned about astronomy in Chile, investigated climate change in Barrow, Alaska, and lived in a NASA Mars Simulation in Hawaii. This summer I'm going to Kodiak, Alaska to learn about fish habitats. Geoscientists are modern day explorers of the Earth. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Be a GeoExplorer. That means always be inquisitive about the world around you from your backyard to the moon - STEM is all around you. Thank you for contributing, Dr. Proctor! Rumman Chowdhury is a data scientist specializing in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In addition to her own cutting edge work, Rumman serves as an advisor for several technology (AI) startups and is a global speaker. She holds degrees from MIT, Columbia University and the University of California, San Diego. Here she shares a little about her career in technology and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Data Science, Artificial Intelligence How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I find the coolest technology to figure out the best way to improve people's lives. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Creativity, curiosity, desire to learn, ability to work well in teams and alone, thinks ‘big picture’ about the results of a project. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I didn't know anything about it! In fact, it didn't exist when I was a kid. All I knew was that I liked doing research and figuring things out. I read a lot of books. A lot. In everything, not just science. I would wander the library and pick up books that looked interesting to me. I also had teachers who encouraged me to learn and explore. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I came here on my own. I've always liked data and numbers and explaining human behavior using this data. I was in graduate school when the field I'm in - data science - became popular. It was scary, but I left my grad program early to become a data scientist AND finish my PhD at the same time. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Oh man, what don't we do? Data scientists use data to make things that customize to your life. We are the people who show you the next movie you'll like, or pick out the songs you might want to listen to. We help make self-driving cars and build the world of the future! What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Work your hardest, be your best, and support other girls around you. Thank you for contributing, Rumman! Jacqueline Musiov is pursuing her degree in physics from Swinburne University of Technology (Australia). Here she shares a little about her career in technology and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Physics, with a minor in Chemistry How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? Entering into any STEM field is a marathon, not a sprint. Physics explains how the world works, and when you learn more and more about the universe, you begin to realise just how much is out there, and how much more there is to learn! What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? When a child stares up at the sky every night, chances are they are wondering what is out there. I believe curiosity in a child is a good sign, as the children who try to understand their questions will do that later on in life. Children who are naturally gifted in maths and problem solving also develop good STEM skills. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I knew the bare minimum of any STEM field as a child. The schools I went to did not provide adequate teaching and/or tools. It was not until after high school when I started to explore my hobbies and interests that I found my passion in life - Science. As a huge science fiction fan, that also gave me the courage and confidence to go into the STEM field. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I have always been an inquisitive person, asking 20 questions a day, asking how things work, why they work. The turning point in my life came when I was with my sister one day and we saw a cafe that had the sign of the caffeine element, my sister said that she wished she knew what that meant. For a moment I thought she was joking, but she was serious. From then on, I made it my mission to pursue my dreams of studying science (in particular Physics & Astronomy), in hopes of one day teaching young children the importance and joy of learning science! What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Since my chosen field is Physics, many of my tutors and professors are Astrophysicists and Astronomers. Each year they send two or three students to Hawaii where they have the chance to look at the world’s biggest telescope and do some research. Many students also get the chance to visit major astronomy centres such as NASA. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Never give up, and do not let your fear control you. Entering into a STEM field can be very scary most of the time, but it is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. You gain more than just a qualification if you choose to study a STEM degree, you gain an understanding of the world! Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths are all universal topics, so no matter where you end up, your skill can be used anywhere. When you enter the STEM field it's not just for the money, it's for the passion you have. If you love something, pursue it. Thank you for contributing, Jacqueline! Sara Goldstein is a passionate veterinarian and scientist. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Purdue University and her Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Connecticut. Here she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Molecular and Cell Biology, and Veterinary Medicine. How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? A child must first possess compassion towards animals and a desire to take care of them! Many children may have hobbies related to animals such as horseback riding or being a part of a 4-H club. They also need to show an interest in science and anatomy early on. This field requires many hours of dedicated training and studying; without the true passion from childhood few would make it through. Other critical traits of a successful veterinarian that will develop overtime are: communication skills, technical skills, and surgical skills. The desire that children have to constantly be learning need to stay with you throughout your career. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I knew very little about veterinary medicine as a child. I knew we took our cats to the "vet" to get their vaccinations and to keep them healthy. I always loved animals and grew up with cats and horses. I started horseback riding and working at the stables when I was 8 years old. No one in my family had a career in the science field. All throughout middle school, high school, and college I always loved all the chemistry and biology classes. I started thinking more about a career in the medical field; human or animal. After working in a small animal veterinary clinic I knew this career was the right one for me. With the support of my family, I made up my mind to apply to veterinary school no matter how competitive it appeared to be. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? Veterinary medicine is a large and ever changing field. No matter what your specific interests are there is a career within veterinary medicine for you. These positions can range from being a veterinarian in a private practice to a state veterinarian, all the way to a veterinarian working for a research or pharmaceutical company. The sky is really the limit for veterinarians! What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Our best visits are the healthy puppy and kitten visits!! They are always so playful and want to lick you. I also love to watch them grow as we see them every few weeks! Sometimes we have kitties or puppies come in so small we get to bottle feed them! Another cool thing we get to do is take xrays (radiographs) and see bones and organs if a pet isn't feeling well or has a hurt leg. Hopefully it is not anything too serious! Lastly, we get to diagnose and treat diseases based on these xrays, bloodwork, and other testing. It is like a big puzzle where we have to make all the pieces fit. Early diagnosis and treatment of any disease helps pets live longer and happier lives! What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? Follow your passion. Thank you for contributing, Dr. Sara! Abigail Harrison is pursuing her degrees in Astrobiology and Russian at Wellesley College and aspires to be a scientist and NASA astronaut. Abigail has also built a strong online and national speaking presence as Astronaut Abby, sharing her passion for promoting STEM education and space exploration. She is the founder of The Mars Generation, a nonprofit focused on exciting kids and adults about space and STEM. Here she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Astrobiology How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I study whether or not life exists on other planets. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Curious, inquisitive, always asking questions and trying to figure out how things work, taking apart things, interested in learning, logical in thinking, love learning, excited about the world around them. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I was always fascinated by the stars and space as a young child and knew I wanted to go there. My parents and others fed my curiosity about STEM and space and encouraged me to pursue my interests. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I have been taking college level science courses since high school and have always been fascinated by science and loved learning about it. After taking all kinds of science courses, I knew biology was my preferred field and astrobiology is an interest because of my love for space. It was a natural fit. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Getting to explore how organisms respond to different stimulus is a lot of fun. Exploring whether life exists on other planets is fascinating and the opportunities are endless. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? I encourage girls to pursue what they are excited and passionate about. And not to be afraid to Dream Big. Act Big. And Inspire Others. Thank you for contributing, Abigail (Astronaut Abby)! Sue Pearson earned her PhD in molecular biology and microbiology from Cranfield University (UK), and her BSc degree in biochemistry from Brunel University (London). Here she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Life Sciences (the study of living organisms, including biology, microbiology and biochemistry) How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I write articles and present TV programmes about diseases, new drugs and machines that automate laboratory tasks. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Being interested in how living things do what they do. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I didn't know much about my stem field when I was a child but I was encouraged at school and my parents bought me a chemistry set and a microscope when I was 11 so I had my own mini lab to play in. When my goldfish died I pickled it in vinegar and examined parts of it under the microscope. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? I wanted to be a forensic scientist when I was 11 as I was fascinated by the character of Sam in the TV show Quincy. I wrote to the forensic service and they told me what I needed to become a forensic scientist so I did my first degree in biochemistry with this in mind. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? They work on drugs to cure cancer and rare disease. (View Sue’s programme for Cambridge TV on rare diseases). What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? You can work in an area that helps cure people of terrible diseases and do something great for mankind. Thank you for contributing, Sue! Johanna Rhodes is a scientist and earned her degree from the University of Warwick (UK). Here she shares a little about her career and the inspiration behind it. What is your specific area of STEM? Infectious Disease and Genetic Epidemiology How would you explain your STEM field to young girls? I look at the genetic code that makes up all living things - particularly the things that cause illnesses in people. This code holds clues about where it has come from, how old it is, and what drugs can be used to treat people who are ill. What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field? Interest in documentaries, asking lots of questions, extracurricular reading. What did you know about your STEM field when you were a child? I was given a book by my GCSE teacher (so I was age 15) about genetics because I was asking lots of questions. That's how I became interested in genetic epidemiology and diseases. Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone? It just really seemed to interest me, even back at school when we weren't going too far in depth. I liked that the DNA code, made up of only 4 bases, could explain everything. What are some really cool things that people in your profession work on? Lots of travelling - next month, I get to travel to America, Brazil and Israel, all to see people I work with. We normally communicate via email or phone calls, but we will occasionally catch up in person. And there is, of course, time for exploring! I also get invited to give lots of talks all over the world. What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM? The days of STEM subjects being seen as a 'boys only' career option are over. This job can be what you make it - as creative as your imagination allows, and as analytical as you like. There are endless questions to answer, and if you have a curious mind, STEM will make you very happy. Thank you for contributing, Johanna! |
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