When did your love of STEM begin?

I don't remember not loving STEM. But I distinctly remember reading a profile of Dr. Flossie Wong-Staal in my high-school biology textbook and deciding that I wanted to be a molecular biologist just like her.

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

I have a start-up that makes biomaterials for wound healing applications. We are trying to bring biomaterials-assisted regenerative medicine to people around the world. I really enjoy having a job where no two days are similar. One day we're designing delivery devices and working on regulatory strategy, another day I'm planning healthcare economics studies, and on another I'm in the lab helping our Chief Scientific Officer make polymers. We use science and engineering to solve global health problems and it takes a lot of creativity and innovation to get it done.

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

You can do it! Don't let your future career prospects be limited by the STEM jobs that are easy to understand. When I applied to university to study molecular biology, I had no idea that regenerative medicine even existed, let alone that I would one day have a company that made medical devices in the space. The STEM jobs of tomorrow often haven't even been conceptualized today. Also, learn to code. It's my greatest regret that I didn't learn early and these days almost all STEM jobs are enhanced by coding skills.