SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, BMT
How I Came To STEM
I had strong role models in STEM from a young age, so it was an easy choice to continue this into my studies. I was constantly asking my parents “Why” or “How” things worked, and although I’m sure it was annoying at the time, they nurtured my curiosity and helped me apply it. At school I was first exposed to the stigma surrounding women passionate about STEM Subjects, not only from my peers but school itself.
University was the first time I felt like there were other women as passionate about STEM as I was. Even with only ~15% of the course identifying as female there was a sense of community. This provided a peer support network I didn’t know I had needed up until that point. It’s where my passion to get women into technology grew as I knew what amazing things women were achieving.
Now Graduated, with a BSc in Computer Science and working as a Software Developer with BMT I want to continue working to build gender equality in both school and the workplace.
Why I Love What I Do
Software development is one of the fastest adapting industries out there. The way I can take a single idea and create a working tangible thing from it Is incredible. I have always thought I wasn’t a very creative person as I was drawn more towards sciences from a young age. Now I see that I take an idea in my head and use my creativity to form it into an innovative product or tool.
Working as part of a team to develop software solutions for clients is very rewarding. Watching a product you helped to create be used to solve real world solutions, looking at ways to optimise and future proof software to achieve the best possible outcome. There are continuous opportunities to learn, each new project has a new set of challenges as well as constant technological advancements.
What I’m Proud Of, & What I’m Hoping To Achieve Through The WYPB
I’m proud of the work I have done to empower women and aid gender equality both at university and my professional career. I am especially honoured to have had the opportunity to teach programming and development skills through Code First Girls, I am thrilled that some of those women have progressed to begin a career in technology that they may not have otherwise pursued.
I hope to use my position on the board to act as a role model for young women in STEM and help to remove any barriers that may stand in their way. I aim to do this by shifting the perspective of STEM roles in young children and schools. I believe removing the stigma many woman face in classrooms from an early age will allow the future generation of Women in STEM to flourish.
I also want to focus on combatting barriers that face women returning to work after maternity leave, women who have built amazing careers for themselves struggle when returning to work after starting a family. I hope to contribute to the research and initiatives that the WYPB have already done surrounding this topic.