Celebrating Females in STEM

Jessica, an Open Space Aide for the Open Space Authority, studied Wildlife Biology and received a Master's of Science in Natural Resources. “I love being outside and working hands-on with wildlife, collecting data and furthering research findings on different species,” Jessica shared. And, while STEM is not directly involved with her current role, it still has significant meaning for Jessica. “I like to collect data and try to further the understanding of something we know little about. I hope I can contribute more to that field one day and keep asking questions,” she added. In addition, Jessica says that it’s important that more females enter the fields of conservation and wildlife protection because a lot of the data that currently exists is skewed towards male wildlife. “When we start to study the behaviors of females and their way of life, we learn a lot more about the species than we originally thought that can contradict earlier findings and provide more rounded data,” Jessica said.

Mel has spent the majority of her professional career working to connect youth and community members to STEM concepts in nature, including in her current role as the Educational Program Coordinator. “By offering experiences where our community can connect with nature in deeply meaningful and profound ways, we build gateways and bridges for them to have empathy and sincere care for our environment,” Mel shared. Her passion for connecting young people to STEM comes from personal experience; as a young person and student herself, she didn’t always know that STEM fields were a career option. “Once I was informed that this could be my life path, especially with having worked in the field for years, the reality hit me and I committed completely. In doing so, I also committed to making sure youth knew about these paths as soon as possible, so they could make informed decisions regarding STEM-related, environmental career paths and interests early on,” Mel said. Now, Mel uses nature as an entry point for people to get hooked on STEM, and hopes female-identifying people feel empowered to step into male-dominated fields and recognize how valuable and powerful their voices can be.

From a young age, Linda has felt a pull to work in the nature field. Growing up, she wanted to become a veterinarian and eventually went to college where she studied Integrative Biology. But, it was there that she learned that she was more interested in how animals and plants live together and function as an ecosystem. “I realized I wanted to work in conservation to protect these important systems; mainly through restoration. I went back to school and got a Master of Environmental Science and Management, focusing on conservation planning and environmental economics and policy,” Linda shared. After college, she focused her attention on having the rights to land, the first required step to protecting and restoring said land. In her current role as the Deputy Conservation Manager, Linda uses biology, ecology and environmental science as well as technology (through the application of ArcGIS) to assess lands for potential conservation efforts. “I use math and economics to understand land values, appraisals, and the real estate market,” Linda said. “An important part of STEM is the ability to think critically, ask questions, and do research which are invaluable skills to my role but also to any role.” Linda’s background in STEM has provided her with a bigger toolbox to approach her work and obstacles she faces within her work from different angles. “Having a science background has equipped me to think critically and research solutions; it’s hard to imagine doing my work without incorporating STEM,” Linda added.

In college, Setara studied Civil Engineering with the hope that she would find a way to merge her loves for nature, biodiversity, land management and ethnobotany. “Out of school, I worked for a few years in geotechnical engineering, but it lacked the connection to nature and environmental stewardship that I wanted in my career path,” Setara shared. “I decided to switch gears by joining the Open Space Authority and, hopefully, find that sweet spot where my interests and skills can intersect to produce something meaningful.” As a Seasonal Open Space Aide, Setara says she’s proud to use her skills and knowledge to work towards something that she personally values and matters, beyond the individual level, and appreciates the opportunity to contribute her time and skills towards a meaningful mission. Setara is also an advocate for female-identifying people to join STEM fields. “It's important to strive for equality across academia/the work force (regarding gender, race, identity, etc.) in all fields of study to ensure that multiple perspectives are being considered when looking to answer scientific questions,” Setara said. “A person's unique lived experience may give them the perspective to see something that would otherwise be overlooked.”

As the Community Impact & Policy Specialist, Lena relies on science and data to make informed decisions on behalf of the Open Space Authority. “STEM is at the core of how we fulfill our mission; in order to protect natural and working lands for current and future generations, we have to use data to inform our public policy, land use planning, and other important decisions,” Lena shared after explaining how she gathers and analyzes the data others have procured. And while her role heavily depends on STEM, Lena didn’t always think environmental work would be her ultimate path. “I initially studied psychology and studio art which helped lay the foundation for my understanding of people and place. While I have always been passionate about environmental justice, I was intimidated by the field of environmental science work,” Lena said. “I’m so grateful to have had educators and mentors who helped me realize that there is a need for diversity of skillsets within this work.” Lena recognizes that women and girls, especially those of color, have historically been discouraged or boxed out of opportunities within this field and sees the value of diversity of perspectives. “We need to ensure that opportunities are open to all and that women and girls can see their value and importance in this work,” she added.

STEM has played an important role throughout Kat’s professional career. As an undergraduate student, Kat majored in Anthropology and enjoyed taking classes about human physiology, biology, ecology and archaeology. “I love using logic to puzzle out mysteries that can then be shared with others,” Kat shared about why STEM is meaningful to her. “Science offers a perspective that enriches our view of the world and allows us to appreciate its complexity.” While STEM isn’t directly correlated to her current role as the Open Space Authority’s Volunteer Programs Coordinator, she’s found that skills in science communication come in handy when talking to the public and relaying important concepts of conservation to diverse audiences. “Convincing people that playing in the dirt is rewarding and fun, like I did in my archaeological career, is a huge part of my job,” she added. Kat stands in support of people of all backgrounds in STEM fields because diversity in people brings new, fresh ideas that can solve today’s and tomorrow’s questions.

Andrea has felt driven to protect the environment since she was a child. In college, she majored in environmental studies and, after graduating, worked for city and county planning departments, the National Park Service, resource conservation districts and regional and open space districts. Andrea mentioned that working in the STEM field is meaningful to her because these fields “are critical to finding solutions that can work for people and nature and help us live in harmony within the limits of Earth’s natural systems,” she said. In her current role as the General Manager of the Open Space Authority, Andrea notes that having an understanding of ecology and how nature’s natural infrastructure can benefit people is essential to the job. In addition, her work with local government makes it essential that she’s able to communicate effectively about topics such as climate change and resilience. “It is critical to be able to communicate environmental concepts and findings to elected officials, decision-makers and the general public in understandable ways to inform their decision-making as their understanding, respect and appreciation for the natural world will determine the health of the planet and our collective future,” Andrea shared.