Exploring STEM Careers

“I’m too girly to be an engineer” Gender stereotypes are still so ingrained in young people’s perceptions of career opportunities. It was a throw-away comment from one of this group, who then went on to win their STEMAZING Structures Challenge where we were looking for #creativity and #collaboration in design. In this workshop we kicked off by asking the groups what they thought an Engineer was. The usual ideas are - someone who fixes things - someone who works with metal - some who works on cars But you can see the lightbulb moments when we show them examples of diverse engineers doing things like medical devices, performance technology in sport, film set design, sustainable food production, humanitarian aid, sound equipment for music concerts, building wildlife bridges. The Royal Academy of Engineering #ThisIsEngineering campaign is fantastic for eye catching content to showcase the exciting diversity in engineering. This is a brilliant way to start and end a workshop. But showing them videos and talking to them is not enough. You need to get them involved. Get them practicing skills that show them they have what it takes to be an engineer if they want to. Hands-on #STEM challenges connect and engage your audience. Young kids thrive on them and it keeps their attention, but I’ve seen even the most disinterested of teenagers get totally engrossed and engaged once they start experimenting hands-on themselves. This team pictured here (with their permission to share) blew me away as they worked so well together exploring different design options with iterative experimentation to work out what would fail and what would work. That is creativity and collaboration and courage in action! #innovation and #problemsolving. Key attributes for #engineers. Turns out you can be girly AND be an engineer. We’re not trying to say everyone MUST do engineering. We’re opening their eyes to the possibility it could be for them. We’re helping them appreciate the everyday engineering in the world around them that is so easy to take for granted. We’re showing them how awesome it is to be curious about the wondrous world around us. We’re showing them ways they can be part of solutions to problems they care about. We need more #rolemodels running workshops like this so we can reach more young people. For support on how to do this effectively you can get involved in our STEMAZING #community open to ALL 🎉 #diversity #inclusion #inspiration #impact

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned during my PhD, it’s to stay open-minded about future career paths and take the time to explore them for myself. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking there’s only one “right” path, that mentorship and meaningful research only exist in academia, or that industry work is always rigid, product-focused, and uninspiring. But the truth is far more nuanced and often hidden behind individual biases, incomplete context, or a limited sample of experiences. There are academic labs building real-world systems in collaboration with industry. And there are teams in industry doing world-class research with the resources and urgency to bring those ideas to life at scale. Let’s stop eliminating options based on generic assumptions or secondhand opinions. If you're exploring industry research roles, talk to the people doing them today. If you're considering academia, ask newer faculty, postdocs, and PhD students about their actual day-to-day. Their perspectives are often more grounded and current than the sweeping generalizations you might hear online. That said, there are always outliers, people who love or hate their jobs for reasons that might not apply to you. So gather a range of perspectives, but interpret them in the context of your own values, goals, and working style. Your path doesn’t have to follow tradition, it just has to work for you ! #PhDCareer #CareerExploration #AcademicVsIndustry #IndustryResearch #LifeAfterPhD #STEMCareers #ResearchCareers #CareerAdvice #RoboticsCareers

Strategies For Increasing STEM Career Exposure For Female Students: "YouScience and Ford NGL propose several strategies for improving STEM exposure. They begin by stressing the importance of early aptitude testing. The sooner a child can be identified as having potential in an area, the sooner she can be afforded the opportunities to develop that potential.   Such tests can also help students reduce the noise of received opinions and peer pressure. One of the biggest challenges confronting any student is differentiating between what they are good at and what they are interested in. They may not have a good understanding of the possible areas of interest. They may also lack self-knowledge to discern between what they think they are interested in (often reflecting the preferences of peers or family members) and what they are interested in, as revealed by how they choose to spend their time. Ford Next Generation Learning (NGL) provides one approach to integrating broad exposure to possibilities into the high school experience. Over the last two decades, Ford NGL has developed a 'transformation model dedicated to reshaping K-12 education to better align with the demands of the modern workforce.' One way they accomplish this is through the creation of Career Academies. These high school programs focused on career-specific fields frequently draw upon resources from local businesses and the greater community to integrate career perspectives into the broader high school curriculum. Such academies do not require students to make binding decisions about their future but allow them to explore whether they might interested in specific careers. Essential features of such an approach include improved counseling, career planning tools, access to industry-recognized certifications, and positive career-connected learning opportunities. Work-based learning opportunities, such as internships, apprenticeships, and projects that connect students with business and industry partners, are also crucial to improving exposure. Amy Miller-Weiland from YouScience said that an ideal model would be one where students have the opportunity to discover their aptitudes, explore where they can lead, and connect with businesses that are interested in seeing those aptitudes developed and who can provide students with the experiences that will make such development possible." Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/gpvZMMii #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #STEMGems #GiveGirlsRoleModels

Here are 7 STEM careers that are in stealth mode (seriously, you never hear about them). Bioinformatics Specialist → A fusion of biology and computer science. ↳ Bioinformatics specialists are the detectives of the genomic world. They analyze complex biological data like DNA sequences. You can find opportunities in personalized medicine and drug discovery. Climate Modeller → With climate change at the forefront, this role is crucial. ↳ Climate modellers use sophisticated software to predict future climate scenarios. Their work informs policy decisions and helps us understand our planet’s future. Quantum Computing Researcher → Still in its infancy, but promising considerable leaps in computing power. ↳ Quantum researchers study ways to harness quantum mechanics for computations that could revolutionize industries from cryptography to pharmaceuticals. Robotics Process Automation Developer → Automation is no longer a buzzword; it’s a necessity. ↳ These developers design software bots to automate routine tasks, boosting productivity and efficiency in various sectors. Synthetic Biologist → Reimagining the biological world. ↳ Synthetic biologists engineer organisms to produce valuable substances like biofuels or new materials. Cheminformatics Scientist → Develops models and algorithms to predict molecular behaviour. ↳Cheminformatics combines computer science, data science, and chemistry to analyze chemical data. It is essential for drug discovery, materials design, toxicology predictions, and data mining. Energy Advisor → Assesses energy use, recommends efficiency upgrades and supports sustainability efforts. They work with homeowners, businesses, and governments to reduce costs and emissions. ↳Careers are growing in consulting, utilities, and environmental programs. STEM is evolving, and so should we. If you know anyone with the mentioned job titles, tag them below, they're a rare gem. What hidden gems in STEM have you discovered? Share your thoughts below!

Three unconventional majors I wish more students knew about 👇🏽 When we talk about career paths in STEM and tech, we often default to Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical Engineering. But there are so many powerful, lesser-known majors that open just as many (and sometimes even more diverse) doors. Here are three I highly recommend more students consider: 1. Industrial Engineering (IE) Industrial Engineering is all about systems optimization. It blends math, business, and engineering to improve how we design processes, manage people, and use resources. What makes it so exciting is that IE isn’t locked to one industry — you can apply it to healthcare, supply chains, manufacturing, tech, and more. 📌 You’ll learn: operations research, human factors, logistics, quality control, and systems thinking. 💼 Careers: product manager, UX researcher, operations analyst, supply chain manager, data scientist, process engineer. 2. Optical Engineering You hear a lot about MechE, EE, or CE — but optical engineering deserves way more attention. It’s the study of how light interacts with systems, and it’s crucial to emerging technologies. 📌 You’ll learn: laser design, imaging systems, fiber optics, spectroscopy, photonics. 🔬 Applications: AR/VR headsets, medical imaging devices, satellites, quantum hardware, camera systems, LIDAR. 💼 Careers: optical systems engineer, photonics engineer, R&D scientist, biomedical optics specialist, optical test engineer. 3. Electronic Design & Multimedia (or Integrated Design & Media) Perfect for creatives interested in bridging art and tech, this major blends design, media, code, and hardware. It’s ideal for those who want to explore interactive media, creative coding, physical computing, or emerging tech like XR and AI art. 📌 You’ll learn: user interface design, creative coding, fabrication, digital storytelling, audio/visual production. 💼 Careers: UX/UI designer, creative technologist, interaction designer, multimedia producer, front-end developer, product designer. If you're a student from one of these majors, share your experience in the comments! it'd be great to hear your perspective. #CollegeMajors #STEM