When did your love of STEM begin?

My love of STEM began when I learned to use HTML and CSS on neopets.com in elementary school. When I entered High School, there were IT classes available so I took them every year and I had an amazing teacher. He made a big difference in my life and with his encouragement, I was confident enough to choose to study computer sciences. I wrote a complete blog post about how my love for STEM began so if you're interested to learn more details, it's here: https://girlknowstech.com/beginning-coding-career-neopets/

What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?

I am in technology as I just graduated from software engineering. I love that I can work on my computer anywhere in the world. I don't have to be in the office to get work done, and I love the flexibility to work from home. I was just really interested in tech from an early age so I've always been passionate and loved being in front of the computer, it's part of who I am.

What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?

I remember when I was in high school and I had to start choosing my career path, I was very scared. I was scared that I wasn't good enough to work in tech, and that working in a male-dominated field would be too hard. It turned out that both of these fears were false. Everyone is good enough to work in tech. If we're in school, then the school will teach us what we need to do when it's required! My second fear, of being surrounded by men, well we get used to it and it goes well. We shouldn't let our fears win over our interest in STEM.

My best advice is, if you're also facing some fears, then try to reach out to someone of the profession you're interested in and discuss your fears with them. Find a mentor that can help you navigate through the obstacles you face.