so who here like science yes awesome yeah yes oh my gosh okay when people
yeah yes oh my gosh okay when people
yeah yes oh my gosh okay when people when people tell me they love science I
when people tell me they love science I
when people tell me they love science I always get really excited because I
always get really excited because I
always get really excited because I absolutely love science especially the
absolutely love science especially the
absolutely love science especially the life sciences and I’m on my school I’m
life sciences and I’m on my school I’m
life sciences and I’m on my school I’m very involved in STEM science technology
very involved in STEM science technology
very involved in STEM science technology engineering and mathematics and so last
engineering and mathematics and so last
engineering and mathematics and so last year I decided to challenge myself to
year I decided to challenge myself to
year I decided to challenge myself to kind of step out of the comfort zone of
kind of step out of the comfort zone of
kind of step out of the comfort zone of the life sciences and I signed up to
the life sciences and I signed up to
the life sciences and I signed up to take Advanced Placement physics at my
take Advanced Placement physics at my
take Advanced Placement physics at my school ap physics and not gonna lie that
school ap physics and not gonna lie that
school ap physics and not gonna lie that was a really tough class but there were
was a really tough class but there were
was a really tough class but there were a couple of girlfriends in the class and
a couple of girlfriends in the class and
a couple of girlfriends in the class and together we worked together and all I
together we worked together and all I
together we worked together and all I had to do was just take the exam in May
had to do was just take the exam in May
had to do was just take the exam in May and I remember walking into the test
and I remember walking into the test
and I remember walking into the test kind of all nervous and shaky it kind of
kind of all nervous and shaky it kind of
kind of all nervous and shaky it kind of like I am now and I walk into the room
like I am now and I walk into the room
like I am now and I walk into the room and I’m doing that little awkward scan
and I’m doing that little awkward scan
and I’m doing that little awkward scan where I’m trying to find someone who can
where I’m trying to find someone who can
where I’m trying to find someone who can I talk to and I remember oh my gosh I’m
I talk to and I remember oh my gosh I’m
I talk to and I remember oh my gosh I’m the only girl in here right now and I
the only girl in here right now and I
the only girl in here right now and I tried to kind of insert myself into a
tried to kind of insert myself into a
tried to kind of insert myself into a couple of the guys conversation but it’s
couple of the guys conversation but it’s
couple of the guys conversation but it’s like high school it’s awkward I’m kind
like high school it’s awkward I’m kind
like high school it’s awkward I’m kind of on the outside and so I just sat at
of on the outside and so I just sat at
of on the outside and so I just sat at my own desk and just kind of waiting to
my own desk and just kind of waiting to
my own desk and just kind of waiting to take the test another girl came in a
take the test another girl came in a
take the test another girl came in a little bit late and I never got the
little bit late and I never got the
little bit late and I never got the chance to talk to her but that
chance to talk to her but that
chance to talk to her but that experience really got me thinking about
experience really got me thinking about
experience really got me thinking about all the other times when I’m trying to
all the other times when I’m trying to
all the other times when I’m trying to explore stem and I’m kind of feeling
explore stem and I’m kind of feeling
explore stem and I’m kind of feeling left on the outside even just looking at
left on the outside even just looking at
left on the outside even just looking at my girlfriend’s closest girlfriends
my girlfriend’s closest girlfriends
my girlfriend’s closest girlfriends they’re all interested in history
they’re all interested in history
they’re all interested in history business and teaching and there’s
business and teaching and there’s
business and teaching and there’s nothing wrong with that but it’s just
nothing wrong with that but it’s just
nothing wrong with that but it’s just such a clear difference from my closest
such a clear difference from my closest
such a clear difference from my closest guy friends who all know they want to go
guy friends who all know they want to go
guy friends who all know they want to go into biotechnology engineering and
into biotechnology engineering and
into biotechnology engineering and computer science and so thinking about
computer science and so thinking about
computer science and so thinking about all of that I started doing a little
all of that I started doing a little
all of that I started doing a little research about women in stem and I found
research about women in stem and I found
research about women in stem and I found that for I was not alone it was not just
that for I was not alone it was not just
that for I was not alone it was not just me it was not just my school and it
me it was not just my school and it
me it was not just my school and it wasn’t just my age group this is a
wasn’t just my age group this is a
wasn’t just my age group this is a problem that extends into the stem
problem that extends into the stem
problem that extends into the stem workforce as well for every seven stem
workforce as well for every seven stem
workforce as well for every seven stem workers only one of them is female in
workers only one of them is female in
workers only one of them is female in the United States
the United States
the United States that’s one woman and one woman and six
that’s one woman and one woman and six
that’s one woman and one woman and six six men and so that kind of creates that
six men and so that kind of creates that
six men and so that kind of creates that sort of environment that I was in at my
sort of environment that I was in at my
sort of environment that I was in at my physics exam where the women might feel
physics exam where the women might feel
physics exam where the women might feel awkward and a little bit isolated and so
awkward and a little bit isolated and so
awkward and a little bit isolated and so going along with that want one in three
going along with that want one in three
going along with that want one in three women that are already working in stem
women that are already working in stem
women that are already working in stem plans to leave their stem job by next
plans to leave their stem job by next
plans to leave their stem job by next year and so I’m a senior in college and
year and so I’m a senior in college and
year and so I’m a senior in college and I also wanted to take it a step further
I also wanted to take it a step further
I also wanted to take it a step further and see if college programs are also
and see if college programs are also
and see if college programs are also working to solve this problem and it
working to solve this problem and it
working to solve this problem and it turns out that because a lot of colleges
turns out that because a lot of colleges
turns out that because a lot of colleges practice affirmative action and try to
practice affirmative action and try to
practice affirmative action and try to keep their gender balance pretty even
keep their gender balance pretty even
keep their gender balance pretty even that about half of the stem degrees
that about half of the stem degrees
that about half of the stem degrees earned in the United States are owned by
earned in the United States are owned by
earned in the United States are owned by women and I was like oh this is awesome
women and I was like oh this is awesome
women and I was like oh this is awesome so women are progressing in stem but
so women are progressing in stem but
so women are progressing in stem but then I thought back to that sits the one
then I thought back to that sits the one
then I thought back to that sits the one in seven statistics so half the women
in seven statistics so half the women
in seven statistics so half the women are getting their degrees but less than
are getting their degrees but less than
are getting their degrees but less than half of those women are actually working
half of those women are actually working
half of those women are actually working in stem and so we’re not following
in stem and so we’re not following
in stem and so we’re not following through they’re getting educated but
through they’re getting educated but
through they’re getting educated but they’re not staying or actually have a
they’re not staying or actually have a
they’re not staying or actually have a chance to work in a chemistry lab or in
chance to work in a chemistry lab or in
chance to work in a chemistry lab or in biology research facility like they were
biology research facility like they were
biology research facility like they were hoping how can we solve this problem
hoping how can we solve this problem
hoping how can we solve this problem well Microsoft is very interested and
well Microsoft is very interested and
well Microsoft is very interested and they were doing some research and they
they were doing some research and they
they were doing some research and they found that young girls at around 11
found that young girls at around 11
found that young girls at around 11 their interests in the humanities and
their interests in the humanities and
their interests in the humanities and stem plummets when they get into high
stem plummets when they get into high
stem plummets when they get into high school humanities recover the many women
school humanities recover the many women
school humanities recover the many women start to gain their interest back in
start to gain their interest back in
start to gain their interest back in humanities stem never really does and so
humanities stem never really does and so
humanities stem never really does and so we I want I’m thinking that we need to
we I want I’m thinking that we need to
we I want I’m thinking that we need to catch these young girls before that
catch these young girls before that
catch these young girls before that interest plummets and engage them in
interest plummets and engage them in
interest plummets and engage them in stem and show them that this is this is
stem and show them that this is this is
stem and show them that this is this is a possibility you you you can go into
a possibility you you you can go into
a possibility you you you can go into stem and so I was like okay well what
stem and so I was like okay well what
stem and so I was like okay well what can I do about this what can you a
can I do about this what can you a
can I do about this what can you a person a part of society what can you do
person a part of society what can you do
person a part of society what can you do to help us solve this problem well the
to help us solve this problem well the
to help us solve this problem well the first step is to eliminate any bias that
first step is to eliminate any bias that
first step is to eliminate any bias that you might have and when I talk to people
you might have and when I talk to people
you might have and when I talk to people about there’s like oh my gosh Lydia no I
about there’s like oh my gosh Lydia no I
about there’s like oh my gosh Lydia no I don’t have any
don’t have any
don’t have any of course women in stem yes let’s go but
of course women in stem yes let’s go but
of course women in stem yes let’s go but sometimes those little things just slip
sometimes those little things just slip
sometimes those little things just slip out I remember I came home one time a
out I remember I came home one time a
out I remember I came home one time a little bit upset because I had done
little bit upset because I had done
little bit upset because I had done poorly on a physics test
poorly on a physics test
poorly on a physics test and my mother she was very she was doing
and my mother she was very she was doing
and my mother she was very she was doing the mother thing she was telling me
the mother thing she was telling me
the mother thing she was telling me everyone was everything was gonna be
everyone was everything was gonna be
everyone was everything was gonna be okay you make mistakes you can recover
okay you make mistakes you can recover
okay you make mistakes you can recover from it and with the best intention she
from it and with the best intention she
from it and with the best intention she smiles at me and says you know what it’s
smiles at me and says you know what it’s
smiles at me and says you know what it’s okay if you don’t understand it physics
okay if you don’t understand it physics
okay if you don’t understand it physics is a boy subject so getting kind of
is a boy subject so getting kind of
is a boy subject so getting kind of getting rid of that thinking is very
getting rid of that thinking is very
getting rid of that thinking is very important subjects don’t have genders
important subjects don’t have genders
important subjects don’t have genders and just because women not as many women
and just because women not as many women
and just because women not as many women go into stem doesn’t mean that they
go into stem doesn’t mean that they
go into stem doesn’t mean that they don’t have the ability and smarts to do
don’t have the ability and smarts to do
don’t have the ability and smarts to do so and if you’re a parent if you have
so and if you’re a parent if you have
so and if you’re a parent if you have children you can take that step further
children you can take that step further
children you can take that step further you can engage your children your own
you can engage your children your own
you can engage your children your own children encourage them to excel in
children encourage them to excel in
children encourage them to excel in science and math so that they don’t grow
science and math so that they don’t grow
science and math so that they don’t grow up resenting it for the rest of their
up resenting it for the rest of their
up resenting it for the rest of their lives as some of us do hate math and you
lives as some of us do hate math and you
lives as some of us do hate math and you could you could show them shows with
could you could show them shows with
could you could show them shows with stem role models like project M
stem role models like project M
stem role models like project M c-squared
c-squared
c-squared even cyberchase and when your children
even cyberchase and when your children
even cyberchase and when your children mature maybe you can show them bones
mature maybe you can show them bones
mature maybe you can show them bones it’s excellent TV show Star Trek that
it’s excellent TV show Star Trek that
it’s excellent TV show Star Trek that has women in stem
has women in stem
has women in stem Jurassic Park at least Adler she’s
Jurassic Park at least Adler she’s
Jurassic Park at least Adler she’s awesome she’s a great archaeologist I
awesome she’s a great archaeologist I
awesome she’s a great archaeologist I love I always look up to her and even
love I always look up to her and even
love I always look up to her and even Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter
Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter
Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series I always look up to her very much
series I always look up to her very much
series I always look up to her very much because she might not need science she
because she might not need science she
because she might not need science she has a magic wand but she I always
has a magic wand but she I always
has a magic wand but she I always admired her work ethic and how she
admired her work ethic and how she
admired her work ethic and how she always wanted to challenge herself and
always wanted to challenge herself and
always wanted to challenge herself and Excel and go above and beyond and so I
Excel and go above and beyond and so I
Excel and go above and beyond and so I always wanted to be like her when I was
always wanted to be like her when I was
always wanted to be like her when I was growing up
growing up
growing up another thing that parents can do is to
another thing that parents can do is to
another thing that parents can do is to introduce introduce the stem to their
introduce introduce the stem to their
introduce introduce the stem to their kids because when I was young
kids because when I was young
kids because when I was young much younger adults would always ask me
much younger adults would always ask me
much younger adults would always ask me so what do you want to do and off the
so what do you want to do and off the
so what do you want to do and off the top of my I don’t know seven-year-old
top of my I don’t know seven-year-old
top of my I don’t know seven-year-old head I was like okay it’s teacher doctor
head I was like okay it’s teacher doctor
head I was like okay it’s teacher doctor nurse actress right that’s pretty much
nurse actress right that’s pretty much
nurse actress right that’s pretty much it I and okay this is kind of
it I and okay this is kind of
it I and okay this is kind of embarrassing but up until eighth grade I
embarrassing but up until eighth grade I
embarrassing but up until eighth grade I had no idea what engineers did
had no idea what engineers did
had no idea what engineers did I knew they built stuff but I never
I knew they built stuff but I never
I knew they built stuff but I never really learned no-one ever sat me down
really learned no-one ever sat me down
really learned no-one ever sat me down and was like here you know what’s the
and was like here you know what’s the
and was like here you know what’s the cool career opportunity engineering and
cool career opportunity engineering and
cool career opportunity engineering and so that’s the difference
so that’s the difference
so that’s the difference um I I’m going into high school just
um I I’m going into high school just
um I I’m going into high school just starting to discover this profession but
starting to discover this profession but
starting to discover this profession but all my guy friends have been dreaming
all my guy friends have been dreaming
all my guy friends have been dreaming about being an engineer since first
about being an engineer since first
about being an engineer since first grade and if you’re not a parent
grade and if you’re not a parent
grade and if you’re not a parent you could you could be a role model for
you could you could be a role model for
you could you could be a role model for other kids for example I have a
other kids for example I have a
other kids for example I have a fantastic teacher she taught me calculus
fantastic teacher she taught me calculus
fantastic teacher she taught me calculus and physics miss Miller she was a
and physics miss Miller she was a
and physics miss Miller she was a mechanical engineer prior to teaching
mechanical engineer prior to teaching
mechanical engineer prior to teaching and she’s so knowledgeable and she she
and she’s so knowledgeable and she she
and she’s so knowledgeable and she she always explains everything so well and I
always explains everything so well and I
always explains everything so well and I honestly admire her and out of the 16
honestly admire her and out of the 16
honestly admire her and out of the 16 years that I’ve been living on this
years that I’ve been living on this
years that I’ve been living on this planet she’s the first and only
planet she’s the first and only
planet she’s the first and only mechanical engineer I’ve ever met
mechanical engineer I’ve ever met
mechanical engineer I’ve ever met female mechanical engineer and if you
female mechanical engineer and if you
female mechanical engineer and if you don’t have kids I’m not a parent I mean
you can still be you could be a role
you can still be you could be a role model and even take it a step further
model and even take it a step further
model and even take it a step further like I did one day after doing all this
like I did one day after doing all this
like I did one day after doing all this research and be like oh my gosh I
research and be like oh my gosh I
research and be like oh my gosh I gathered up a couple of my friends and
gathered up a couple of my friends and
gathered up a couple of my friends and we decided that we want to go around our
we decided that we want to go around our
we decided that we want to go around our and to local communities and giving
and to local communities and giving
and to local communities and giving presentations to young kids about STEM
presentations to young kids about STEM
presentations to young kids about STEM careers or any interesting STEM topic
careers or any interesting STEM topic
careers or any interesting STEM topic and we don’t have to just go to
and we don’t have to just go to
and we don’t have to just go to elementary schools or middle schools we
elementary schools or middle schools we
elementary schools or middle schools we like to go to we want to go to places
like to go to we want to go to places
like to go to we want to go to places like libraries or tutoring spots or Boys
like libraries or tutoring spots or Boys
like libraries or tutoring spots or Boys and Girls Club anywhere we could reach
and Girls Club anywhere we could reach
and Girls Club anywhere we could reach young kids before that interest in stem
young kids before that interest in stem
young kids before that interest in stem dives down and so we found the key is
dives down and so we found the key is
dives down and so we found the key is being very hands-on because we want to
being very hands-on because we want to
being very hands-on because we want to engage kids we want them to be excited
engage kids we want them to be excited
engage kids we want them to be excited about stem and so for example my
about stem and so for example my
about stem and so for example my favorite one presentation we do is
favorite one presentation we do is
favorite one presentation we do is astronomy and we made these
astronomy and we made these
astronomy and we made these constellation goggles where when you put
constellation goggles where when you put
constellation goggles where when you put them on you can see the Big Dipper or
them on you can see the Big Dipper or
them on you can see the Big Dipper or Connie’s major and we have this little
Connie’s major and we have this little
Connie’s major and we have this little activity where we have the kids but
activity where we have the kids but
activity where we have the kids but pretend to be the solar system and line
pretend to be the solar system and line
pretend to be the solar system and line up and arrange themselves and we really
up and arrange themselves and we really
up and arrange themselves and we really have a good time
have a good time
have a good time and a lot of the times I love engaging
and a lot of the times I love engaging
and a lot of the times I love engaging with kids and getting them interested
with kids and getting them interested
with kids and getting them interested but a lot of times I kind of doubt
but a lot of times I kind of doubt
but a lot of times I kind of doubt myself like am I really am I really
myself like am I really am I really
myself like am I really am I really making a long-term change am I really
making a long-term change am I really
making a long-term change am I really inspiring anybody but at the end of all
inspiring anybody but at the end of all
inspiring anybody but at the end of all our presentations we always ask kids to
our presentations we always ask kids to
our presentations we always ask kids to write down one thing that they learned
write down one thing that they learned
write down one thing that they learned that was the most interesting to them
that was the most interesting to them
that was the most interesting to them and after the astronomy one a
and after the astronomy one a
and after the astronomy one a fourth-grader girl wrote I learned that
fourth-grader girl wrote I learned that
fourth-grader girl wrote I learned that I want to work for NASA when I grow up
that was that felt I felt like I was
that was that felt I felt like I was actually being a part of the change and
actually being a part of the change and
actually being a part of the change and that was great and though she’s young
that was great and though she’s young
that was great and though she’s young and she might change her career
and she might change her career
and she might change her career aspirations it was really nice to know
aspirations it was really nice to know
aspirations it was really nice to know that all I could ever ask for was just
that all I could ever ask for was just
that all I could ever ask for was just planting the idea in her head and when
planting the idea in her head and when
planting the idea in her head and when we make these presentations we we never
we make these presentations we we never
we make these presentations we we never tell all the boys to leave more like
tell all the boys to leave more like
tell all the boys to leave more like okay let’s talk about women in STEM part
okay let’s talk about women in STEM part
okay let’s talk about women in STEM part of our goal is about equality so all
of our goal is about equality so all
of our goal is about equality so all genders all races all ethnicity is
genders all races all ethnicity is
genders all races all ethnicity is identities everyone is welcome but we
identities everyone is welcome but we
identities everyone is welcome but we just make sure that we don’t forget
just make sure that we don’t forget
just make sure that we don’t forget about the girls
about the girls
about the girls [Applause]
”
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