Meet Diana Jeong
Diana Jeong earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology from the University of Guelph. She is currently a Masters student and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. In her free time she enjoys playing music, doing aerial hoop art and travelling.
When did your love of STEM begin?
My love of STEM began when I was in high school - I loved learning about what living things are made of and how they function. I fell deeper into STEM when I was placed in a team of women researching feral horse behaviour in the wild rangelands of the Pryor Mountains. I felt powerful when learning that science was meaningful, political, and necessary. I felt proud to be a part of it.
What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?
Doing what you love to do! In my experience, working in the field of STEM allows me to travel to beautiful remote places and work with wonderful people and animals. As well, I found that one of the best parts of working in STEM is that it allows me to challenge myself to be creative in my own way. Science isn't just black and white, and I love trying to find/create colours I've never seen before. Not the best analogy, but it's the one I've got!
What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?
There will be times in a STEM career when you feel that there is a glass obstacle looming in your way. An unseen, unexpected hurdle that is solid all the same when you hit it. These obstacles are made just for you and women like you, and it can be an incredibly shameful experience when you trip or run headfirst into them. It can also be very isolating once you're on the ground - you can feel as if no one has been there before, laying on your stomach and tasting the bitter taste of asphalt. My advice is, if you're ever in that unfortunate situation, to do everything you can to get back up. Lay on your side at first. Or get up. Try walking, or running again. Be aware of those obstacles that may come up again but don't be afraid of them. And never let anyone tell you that you don't belong in this marathon. You got here because you belong here and are capable of staying here.