Reinvented Magazine Issue No. 4

REINVENTED ISSUE 04

Alyssa Carson Martian in Training

SUMMER 2020

Team Credits EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Caeley Looney

CREATIVE Exec. Director : Avika Patel Alice Liu Caroline Dinh Christine Ao Estrella Popoca Hamida Khatri Hariti Patel Kelsey Woods Lisa Lam Maria Sagastume Megan Jacob Niamh Murphy

FINANCE CFO : Erin Mitchell Manager : Madeline Feigles Amy Zheng Avantika Samanta Nandini Goyal Niyati Patel Palak Mehta Reema Sharma Sonnet Xu

GUEST WRITERS Daphne Fauber Kathy Ceceri

MARKETING CMO : Daniela Markazi CMO : Rachel Weeks Manager : Ria Vora Aashni Patel Abigail Jolteus Armita Hosseini Kaitlyn Davey Karen Velderrain-Lopez Marie Young Paola Zapata Gonzalez Sanjana Yeddula Shamailah Haque Varija Mehta

OPERATIONS COO : Renee Becker-Blau Director : Peyton Paulson Aisha Lawrey Aly Trevino Aneesha Kodati Divya Sharma Erika Torkildsen Jennifer Toso Jolene Lee Olamide Fadahunsi Riya Patel Sandra Bagchi Snigdha Saha

ASK GLORIA

WRITING Exec. Director : Alice Ao Exec. Director : Aparna Rajesh Exec. Director : Vilina Mehta Director : Emily Miller Abigail Johnson Abigayle Peterson Aysia Torres Erin Robinson Grace Pfohl Lavanya Sharma Madeleine Bloomer Madeleine Salem Madeline Day Mandy Hathaway Meghana Krishna Rachel Wu Sona Popat Sydney Kasner Zhao Gu Gammage

Join our community! www.reinvented magazine.com @reinventedmagazine

Reinvented Magazine

Gloria Kimbwala @reinventedmag

PUBLISHING Marta Taulet

page 2 | Team Credits

SPECIAL THANKS Adafruit Grace Klevorn Elizabeth Engele Mary Hadley Wogrammer

info@reinvented magazine.com

Letter from the Dear Reader, Happy Birthday to Reinvented Magazine! That’s right, we are celebrating our One Year Anniversary this issue! On May 20th, 2019, the idea of creating this magazine started coming to life. We officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, kicked off our Women You Should Fund campaign, successfully raised over $8,000, and published our first issue ever. It’s crazy to look back and see how far we’ve come. In the last year, we have published four issues of this first-of-its-kind magazine, reached thousands of readers all over the world, and donated thousands of magazines to girls in need. And I promise you, we aren’t slowing down.

EDITOR

This issue is all about highlighting those making a difference within their communities. You’ll read about organizations like Girls Invent and MakerGirl that are working towards empowering the next generation of young girls to become leaders in STEM. Now, more than ever, we need to stick together and remind ourselves just how important it is to keep gender equality in STEM education in our minds. Over the last few months, our world has endured great tragedy, but instead of succumbing to the challenge, our communities have proven time and time again that they are standing together to keep positivity on our timelines.

Organizations like those showcased in the next few pages have adapted their outreach efforts, gone virtual, and continued advocating for their missions. Reinvented is no different.

The last few months haven’t been easy, but Reinvented is proud to announce some of our newest initiatives to make sure we are providing our readers with as many resources and outlets for positivity as we can.

Free Digital Copy of Issue No. 1 &2: With so many students now learning from home, Reinvented posted an offer for a free digital copy of our first issue to any students, parents, and educators looking for another STEM education resource they can use in their virtual classrooms.

Reinvented’s STEAM Dreamers Virtual Conference: This series will bring real women in STEAM role models into homes, classrooms, and nonprofit programs. The goal is to make it easy for professionals to share their skills and expertise bringing real-world, authentic information to students to inspire the next generation of innovators.

Reinvented’s Annual Awards: These awards are meant to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of some of the women in STEM in your lives while also giving our readers a chance to vote for their Reinvented favorites.

Lastly, we are launching our Letters to the Editor Campaign. Have questions for me or my team about Reinvented Magazine, being a woman in STEM, or my other life as an aerospace engineer? Maybe you have a really funny STEM joke you want to tell me? Write me or my team a letter, and you might just get some stickers in our reply!

Reinvented Inc. P.O. Box 236155 Cocoa, FL 32923

As I wrap up this letter, I want to encourage you all to take some time to celebrate the little things. In moments like these, we tend to lose sight of how far we’ve come. Whether it’s something as small as putting on a pair of jeans or simply getting out of bed or something as big as graduating or starting a new job, give yourself the credit you deserve and go eat some chocolate lava cake (or whatever your snack of choice is)!

To Infinity & Beyond,

Caeley Looney, Editor in Chief

page 3 | Letter from the Editor

content Issue 4 / Summer 2020

31

Alyssa Carson Feature

05

In the Community

15

Everyday Changemakers

47

Fashion Section

51

DIY Project

In the Community

Project Invent: Innovating Education from Test-Taking to Change-Making BY: MADELEINE SALEM Schools have been widely criticized for perpetuating a read-and-regurgitate style of learning — a style that isn’t very effective at all. Project Invent, an organization whose mission is to empower youth to create tech for social good, aims to counter this problem by reinventing the education system in a way that provides students the opportunity to apply what they learn to real-world problems.

Imagine...

Connie Liu, Executive Director of Project Invent, only had her first experience of solving real-world problems as an engineering student at MIT. “Throughout my entire public school education, I was asked to solve problems whose answers could be found in the back of the book,” Liu explains. “And these problems had no purpose, no impact.”

The projects she worked on at MIT, which involved the creation of assistive technology, made her acutely aware of the power there was in designing solutions for problems that people around her dealt with. Interacting with community members face-to-face, learning about the challenges they encountered day-to-day, and seeing that she could create something that could change someone’s life was a truly empowering experience, and she became determined to give students their own opportunities to make a real change in their community by using their own creativity and skills.

She got the chance to do so after graduating college, when she found a passion for education and started working as a high school teacher. Part of her job involved running a new class for students that helped them develop ideas for social good — a class that later evolved into Project Invent. page 6 | In the Community: Project Invent

Integrate...

As of last year, Project Invent has started teams in thirty schools (this year, that number will be growing to fifty schools!) across fourteen states, with 64% of those being public schools and 70% of participating students being from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. Anyone looking to make a change in their community, regardless of their level of STEM skill, is welcome to start a Project Invent team at their school.

Teachers interested in running the program at their school can receive training over the summer on running a Project Invent team. Throughout the school year, they can then guide students as they identify a problem, develop a creative solution, and learn the mechanical engineering and computer science skills needed to bring their proposed solution to life. At the end of the school year, students will be able to pitch their physical product to investors at the Project Invent Demo Days held across the country.

Inspire...

Innovate...

An integral component of Project Invent’s mission is the promotion of innovation within young students. The world is changing rapidly, and with this change comes new and unfamiliar challenges that need to be overcome. It is the young creatives, those with fresh eyes and the daring to discover answers and truth from beyond the pages of a book, that come up with the unique solutions that solve the problems we’ve never seen before. This, Project Invent believes, is the line of thinking the modern education system needs to promote among its students.

“Oftentimes, we think of school as learning happening within four walls, but school has to be something that involves community and empathy,” Liu believes. “It’s so important for students to be exposed to real-world problems, not just problems in textbooks, and the only way they’re going to encounter real world problems is by stepping out of the classroom to find issues they’re truly passionate about. And...

“If you really want to create a product that matters, you need to take that time to understand who you're building for, and why you're building it.”

Since its founding, Project Invent has helped many students develop amazing projects, with some going on to earn funding from innovation challenges held by organizations such as Ashoka Young Changemakers and AT&T. But more than providing students the opportunity to win these prestigious awards, Project Invent aims to provide students the opportunity to grow as people and critical-thinkers.

“It’s not just about creating the next round of engineers, it’s about empowering young students to be problemsolvers,” Liu emphasizes. “Regardless of what awards they’ve won or what product they’ve created, we want our students to see themselves as agents of change in their community.”

Although the opportunity to create Project Invent teams is only available to high schoolers, the skills it teaches are universal — the Digital Curriculum is currently being used in over twenty countries, from 3rd grade classrooms to graduate school lecture halls. Any parent, student, or teacher interested in getting involved can download the Digital Curriculum from the Project Invent website to use in their teachings.

The long-term goal of the Project Invent team is to ensure that every single student is able to graduate high school with an experience in inventing under their belt.

As of right now, they are working towards innovating the modern education system by inspiring more teachers and students to bring Project Invent to their schools.

“Because true learning doesn't come from test-taking — it comes from change-making." page 7 | In the Community: Project Invent

Girls Invent

And the Path to Entrepreneurship Girls Invent, an educational and entrepreneurship program for girls, began out of an innocent question asked by a daughter, Taya, to her father, Mark. It was a question with a simple, yet often complicated, answer.

BY: JENN TOSO

"Dad, why are most inventors men?"

Mark Glazebrook, having a background in business, leadership, and social innovation, founded Girls Invent with his daughter to help change the way society thinks about girls when it comes to invention, and more importantly, change the way girls feel about themselves.

Mark is adamant that girls feeling secure within themselves and having a strong internal belief system can determine whether or not girls succeed in making a splash in entrepreneurship. Girls need to know and believe that they are capable and competent enough to develop their ideas and to carry them to fruition. The idea that self-belief leads to self-employment is a core principle of Girls Invent. The Girls Invent mission statement speaks volumes on how this program defines success: the Girls Invent program aims to empower “Every girl, everywhere to invent their future by believing in their abilities and drawing on them to create their own jobs.”

The bottom line: it's not enough for girls to create a project; they must know what to do with it and how to use it to create a path to their future successes.

page 8 | In the Community: Girls Invent

How They Do It "Starting in 2015, Girls Invent began in Melbourne, Australia with 120 girls in grades seven through twelve. This inaugural class of Girls Invent produced 400 unique inventions.

Each girl goes through six two-hour modules held at partnering schools on-site facilitated by Girls Invent trainers and staff.

In detail, the modules consist of:

1. Ideation - Developing an idea 2. Marketing Research - Is there a market for the idea?

3. Design - Bringing the idea to life 4. Intellectual Property Protecting the idea 5. Business planning and route to the marketplace - Sharing the idea 6. Pitching - Financing the idea

The girls will start with the Ideation module and finish the program pitching their idea to investors during the annual Girls Invent Pitch Night. Pitch Night is the girls’ time to shine! They will take everything they’ve learned and pitch their product idea to actual investors. The winner will have the opportunity to bring their idea to fruition.

Can girls invent?

Since its founding, the program has seen a steady increase both in student and school participation. The numbers are nothing short of amazing.

In 2016, - 42 schools participated - 700 students were involved - 1400 unique inventions were created

In 2017, - 85 schools participated - 2400 students were involved - 5000 unique inventions were created

In 2017, the winners of the annual Girls Invent Pitch Night came up with the idea for Score Buddy, which received quite a bit of attention from the media and the tennis industry in Australia. Students Susannah Lutze, Alice Wilson, and Makayla Lee, all tennis players at their grammar school, developed Score Buddy as a unique way to keep score during a tennis match.

Currently working with investors, the girls hope to see Score Buddy in stores in the near future.

Absolutely!

In 2018, Girls Invent began to explore other opportunities in ways to truly help every girl, everywhere. The program wanted to support girls who found themselves in unfortunate situations in life where higher levels of education were not open to them, such as young mothers in Ballarat, Australia, and underprivileged girls in West Africa. In each situation, the Girls Invent program helped give these groups of girls self-confidence and educational tools by providingworkshops and assistance from within the Girls Invent curriculum. The girls were then able to envision a limitless future regardless of their current circumstances.

The Future of Girls Invent The Girls Invent program is ready to take on the world by giving girls everywhere the power to believe in themselves and equipping them with the entrepreneurial skills needed to secure their successes in their future. Not only does it help instill a strong belief system within each girl so that she is aware of her own internal strength, but it also helps create interest and passion in the world of STEM. Can girls invent?

Absolutely! They can invent products, possibilities, themselves, and their own futures. page 9 | In the Community: Girls Invent

Deaf Kids Code: A Model for Accessibility in STEM Education Shireen’s Story Founder Shireen Hafeez first became involved in the deaf and hard-ofhearing community after her son was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, the most severe level of hearing loss, at the age of four. Hafeez learned that her son’s disability would make it far more challenging for him to succeed in later life. After all, in 2018, only 19.1% of the population with disabilities were employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Similarly, the 2017 Disability Statistics Annual Report found that individuals with disabilities were about 8% more likely to live in poverty.

BY: DAPHNE FAUBER Deaf Kids Code is an organization that works to bolster employment opportunities for students with disabilities, specifically those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, by helping them build technical career skills.

Hafeez joined advocacy groups, informed other parents about the rights students with disabilities had, and lobbied for an Indiana insurance mandate to cover hearing aids for babies and children. She noticed that, while resources for deaf and hard-of-hearing students were increasing, there still remained a significant lack of employment outcomes for these students. As her son grew older, Hafeez found a new sense of urgency to address this problem — and decided to do so through the universal language of coding.

“If I had stopped and made a datadriven decision, it would have said, ‘Don’t do this,’ but I saw it as having nothing to lose,” she said. “What’s to lose if there is already such a high unemployment rate [and] drastic economic disparity — what’s there to lose?"

Hafeez left the other organizations for deaf and hard-of-hearing people she had been participating in and “went rogue,” creating the revolutionary non-profit Deaf Kids Code. She voiced that she wanted to step away from anyone who was a “non-believer” in her organization,

page 10 | In the Community: Deaf Kids Code

as helping deaf and hard-of-hearing students was more important than paying mind to the people who did not believe in her vision. For Hafeez, there was too much on the line to think about failure, as her son and others like him were at risk of becoming just another unemployment statistic after leaving school.

One of Hafeez’s biggest concerns was that, while many companies talked about inclusion and diversity, the actual changes they were making were superficial because they are not willing to “put skin in the game.”

“There has to be a concerted effort to actively recruit and embrace and cultivate [individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing],” she explains.

“We can’t be quiet and gentle and polite about that anymore. We have passed that point.

There are too many people that are left out of the conversation."

Current Programs Hafeez’s current initiatives aim to change the game for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Deaf Kids Code is piloting the Deaf Kids Code Developer's Collective, a program where deaf and hard-of-hearing students at a Philadelphia high school would receive experience with technical skills that could lead to future employment.

Before this program, many deaf and hard-of-hearing students at the school were only taught how to perform janitorial and custodial work for future jobs. Now, they are building websites for local businesses that cannot afford to hire professional website developers. Already, their career prospects have been entirely transformed.

Additionally, Deaf Kids Code is creating a digital toolkit for this program to ensure everyone who needs it has access to these initiatives.

having these immersive experiences are key,” Hafeez explains.

Outside of pilot programs, Deaf Kids Code continues to make an impact through a variety of activities. They host zero-cost workshops at schools for deaf and hard-ofhearing children and facilitate workshops on-site with various tech companies. They have even partnered with the Purdue EPICS Program and Khan Academy to bring American Sign Language accessibility to Khan Academy videos.

Becoming a Part of the Cause People with disabilities have a long history of being mistreated, underfunded, and excluded from the conversation — but Deaf Kids Code is changing that. If you are interested in helping bridge the achievement gap between people with disabilities and those without, you can volunteer your time, donate to organizations helping make a difference, or start your own initiative.

Hafeez believes those with knowledge should share it: “If you are a technologist, donate time to underfunded institutions around you. Anyone can be a renegade to the cause, and you don't have to align yourself to an already existing organization. If you have knowledge, you have something to share.”

Deaf Kids Code is also working on another pilot program, We Power Tech. This initiative launched in November of 2019 and is centered on Amazon Web Services, a globally-used cloud-based software. The ability to use this software is in high demand, but there is a low supply of talent. To help combat this problem, Deaf Kids Code is launching an immersive workplace experience in Detroit, Michigan. Students would be able to learn about coding, team building, and different possible careers over the course of a day.

“It is really important for our kids to be able to visualize themselves in these work environments, so

“It is important to have a believer to advocate for more meaningful outreach and recruitment, and to look at your own company's values and see if they need to make a new value set that aligns better with inclusion and diversity.”

More organizations to help students with disabilities find better career outcomes with technology:

- Genesys Works - nonPareil Institute page 11 | In the Community: Deaf Kids Code

Maker Girl: From Social Entrepreneurship to STEM for Social Good BY: LAVANYA SHARMA

In 2014, when Elizabeth Engele and Julia Haried took a social entrepreneurship class at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), they were asked, “What bothers you?” and were encouraged to find a solution through their newly-acquired skills from the class.

While Engele intended to inspire and empower her female peers at her university’s campus, Haried hoped to implement her past research, which focused on the lack of women holding executive positions, to bridge the gender gap. Their research found that many children shut out new opportunities during adolescence (a concept known as identity foreclosure), so they decided it was essential to create a project that would instill a can-do, "maker mentality" in girls from an early age. A few months later, MakerGirl was born — a female-led organization that strives to inspire young girls to pursue STEM fields, mainly through their interactive, hands-on 3-D printing workshops for girls ages 7 to 10.

Define:

Identity Foreclosure A stage of self-identity discovery in which an individual has an identity but hasn't explored other options or ideas. Most common in young adolescents, in this stage the individual has just adopted the traits and qualities of parents and friends. page 12 | In the Community: MakerGirl

12 | THE MAKING OF STAR WARS

For Haried and Engele, it was important to work directly with young girls in the community, as they found that girls learned best in girl-centric environments where they felt comfortable asking questions. The duo found that introducing ChangeMakers, a group of female collegiate volunteers who led the workshops, was especially empowering, since seeing women studying STEM makes the path more realizable for young girls. Haried and Engele especially found importance in emphasizing in-person experiences, where the magic of a 3-D printed image coming to life would invoke a powerful moment for not only the young girls but for the ChangeMakers as well.

During MakerGirl's workshops, learning through the journey is emphasized above the end goal. At the end of the day, 3-D printers are only machines, and the girls’ prints may not always come out perfectly. To illustrate this, the ChangeMakers celebrate every step of the process and acknowledge the girls’ bright ideas and innovative designs rather than simply praising the finished products alone.

MakerGirl's Own Journey In the six years since its creation, MakerGirl has worked with over 4,000 girls in 22 states. Mary Hadley, the organization’s full-time Executive Director, is leading the organization to educate 10,000 girls by 2023. To expand their impact, MakerGirl started a new initiative, #MakerGirlGoesMobile, where members of the MakerGirl team take road trips to inspire young girls all across the nation, with a specific focus on girls in rural areas.

MakerGirl now aims to share its experience virtually to anyone seeking additional learning materials during this time. With their transition to an online curriculum, the MakerGirl team has been able to make the content accessible to a much wider audience, bringing them closer to their vision of every girl in the United States identifying as a MakerGirl.

After the program’s success at UIUC, MakerGirl found that hosting at universities contributed to the academic environment of the workshops. The organization has been able to spread its wings even further and expand to multiple universities across the nation, including Northwestern University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the University of California San Francisco, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Engele, now a Forbes 30 under 30 recipient along with Haried, emphasizes that “there are so many areas that women are scrutinized upon; it’s important for you to be surrounded by people that lift you up and tell you your true worth.” Through their efforts at MakerGirl, Engele and Haried have fostered a safe and inclusive environment for not only themselves and their colleagues, but for the future changemakers of the world as well.

It’s important for you to be surrounded by people that lift you up and tell you your true worth.

Promoting STEM for Social Good During a Pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it has been especially important for MakerGirl to promote STEM for Social Good. MakerGirl’s 3-D printers have been housed in the University of Illinois TechHub as part of the Health MakerLab initiative to create additional PPE for frontline workers. Despite the pandemic, the organization has also continued to provide its participants with activities they can do at home to continue to build a "maker mindset". page 13 | In the Community: MakerGirl

STEAM DREAMERS Fueling Your Next Steps in STEAM

Reinvented's very own video series featuring real women role models for the next generation of STEAM innovators!

Reinvented Magazine YouTube Channel New Uploads TWICE a week!

Quick glimpse into the lives of female STEAM professionals

Monthly Interactive Pannel

ON

Last Friday of each month!

Livestream Ask questions directly to women who will share their skills and experience in the field

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION 14 |

EVERYDAY

CHANGEMAKERS

tEQuitable

How Lisa Gelobter is Transforming Tech by Celebrating Diversity

CEO and Founder

Impact Through Inclusion: BY: CHARLOTTE KIANG, WOGRAMMER

Lisa Gelobter knows what it’s like to be different. As a black woman with a degree in computer science, she acknowledges that she is sadly “something of a unicorn.”

During her multi-decade career in technology, Lisa has embraced the idea of being different by pioneering many “firsts” for her industry: In the 1990s, she was an engineer and program manager for Macromedia Shockwave, the internet’s first interactive media platform. Later in her career, she was a member of the launch team for Hulu, the video-on-demand streaming service that transformed the way people consume media.

These experiences, which are just a small sample of her many accomplishments, have earned her widespread recognition as an industry-leading innovator at the intersection of media and technology.

As one of the internet’s earliest adopters, Lisa knew early on that she would be forging her own path. While she was a student, the Information Age was only just beginning, so there was no one more experienced than her to serve as her early career mentor or role model.

What she did have early in life were peers, teachers, and family members who believed in her more than she believed in herself.

“In 6th grade, I had a math teacher who told me, ‘Hey, you know you’re really good at math?’ It was one sentence, but it made a huge difference for me.” page 16 | Everyday Changemakers: Lisa Gelobter

One of Lisa’s greatest influences as a child was her father, who in her words “was a feminist before the word existed.” In the 1970s, he served as campaign manager for Shirley Chisholm, the first woman and first black person to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States. Lisa’s father always made it clear to her that there was nothing she could not do because she was a girl. With his encouragement, she enrolled at Brown University in 1987, where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

As a Federal Pell Grant recipient, Lisa notes the importance of socioeconomic background in addition to race and gender in any discussion of diversity. At several points during her undergraduate education, she was forced to drop out of school due to personal financial constraints. She recalls several professors at Brown who went above and beyond to help her overcome these challenges. One professor asked her to be a Teaching Assistant (TA) for his class to earn money, even during a semester where she could not afford to enroll in classes. With support from her professors, she continued to take classes toward her degree long after leaving college to pursue her career.

After 24 years of hard work and perseverance, Lisa became a proud Brown University graduate in 2011.

By the time Lisa completed her degree, she was already a highly accomplished member of industry. Building on her early experience as an engineer and product manager, she was working as Interim Chief Digital Officer and leading Digital Product, Engineering and Operations for Black Entertainment Television (BET). In 2015, she was recruited from this role to work in the Obama Administration as Chief Digital Service Officer within the Department of Education. While serving in the White House, she realized technology could be used to solve what society thought of as intractable problems. One of her main projects was College Scorecard, an online tool to provide open and accessible data to help consumers compare the cost and value of higher education institutions in the United States. Under Lisa’s leadership, the team ensured that the tool displayed metrics that mattered: access, affordability and outcomes. Rather than simply state how much each school would cost to attend, it also factored in the earning potential of graduates, which provided a way to measure their ability to pay back debt. In just three years, the program helped raise the country’s college graduation rates by 1.5%.

“College Scorecard was a great opportunity for me to do impactful work in my career, but more importantly, the opportunity to make a significant impact for people in their lives was pretty amazing. We helped students figure out how to pay off student loans without going into bankruptcy. It’s great to be able to do right in this world for millions of people and really help them out in the most perilous of situations.”

Upon leaving the White House, Lisa knew she wanted to use the transformative and user-centered product development approach she had honed to solve societallevel issues. As a black woman in technology, she was all too aware of the obstacles women and people of color faced during their careers simply because they looked or spoke differently from their coworkers. Wanting to craft a work culture that would work for everyone, she set out to build a third-party, confidential platform to address bias and discrimination in the workplace. Based on this vision, tEQuitable was born in 2017. tEQuitable prides itself in working on “both sides of the equation.” The platform provides employees with a place where they can get safe, neutral advice for workplace

conflict, and in turn provides companies with data on what is happening on the ground culturally. All of tEQuitable’s customers from its first year of operation have renewed their contracts for a second year.

In spite of her many other career successes, Lisa considers tEQuitable to be her proudest achievement to date.

“It’s working. You can see the impact. We've been able to report systemic cultural trends back to companies, so, for example, one company's finance team may be having issues with bullying but their marketing team is having issues with inequitable distribution of work. I love the idea of inventing something new, and figuring out how to solve something that has plagued workplaces since the beginning. I’m really proud of this work.”

Although it may be years before Lisa’s dreams of inclusive and welcoming workplaces become reality, she is encouraged by the progress tEQuitable has made in just a few short years. As society continues to work toward equity, Lisa urges other women and people of color to embrace the different life experiences they bring to their workplaces, rather than try to assimilate.

Differences deserve to be seen, nurtured, and included rather than simply acknowledged, and she has dedicated much of her career to working toward this goal.“ Difference is actually an advantage. Having a different perspective enables you to think differently, to be more creative. On any team, that is actually a real boon.

People should celebrate that more.”

This story was written by Wogrammer Journalism Fellow, Charlotte Kiang, for Reinvented Magazine’s fourth edition.

Wogrammer has been acquired by AnitaB.org, a social enterprise that supports women in technical fields, the organizations that employ them, and the academic institutions training the next generation. We proudly join the AnitaB.org/365 suite of programs which are fueling the movement to achieve intersectional gender equity in the global technical workforce by 2025 and will continue to amplify diverse voices of women in technology around the world.

page 17 | Everyday Changemakers: Lisa Gelobter

A Tale of Two Sisters: An Interview with Gaming YouTubers on the Power of Storytelling Once upon a time...

BY: MADELEINE SALEM

Jenny and Christine started Jenstine, their YouTube channel, as eighth graders, way back in 2016. “It started as a fun little project — we really didn’t expect anyone to watch our videos!” Jenny laughed. “I’d just wanted to create gameplay videos for my sister to watch.”

The sisters originally filmed their videos on Roblox, a popular multiplayer online video game. A little while after launching their channel, Jenstine discovered that Roblox had a video-making option where players could build 3D models of unique worlds and simulate their own stories; this required a bit of coding knowledge, but as young girls who already had a burgeoning interest in computer science, they decided to take on the challenge of combining their passions for programming and storytelling.

As they made the transition from middle school to high school, their approach to video-making made the transition from simply recording themselves playing Roblox to using the game to engineer stories of positivity, self-confidence, and women’s empowerment.

It wasn’t until they began taking their first high school STEM classes that they became inspired to write stories specifically advocating for female representation in STEM. “Taking a lot of STEM courses allowed us to witness the gender gap first-hand. For example, we’re the only girls page 18 | Everyday Changemakers: Jenstine

in our physics class, and there’s only one other girl in our computer science class,” Jenstine remarked. “That CS course requires all students to present their projects to the class, and we noticed that all our male classmates always get a lot of feedback and applause, but it’s completely silent whenever a girl goes up. Also, girls are often ridiculed by the guys whenever they try to ask questions. Us girls have had to form our own community where we support one another and cheer each other on because, otherwise, it’d be super awkward, discouraging, and intimidating!”

The sisters realized that part of the reason why they didn’t see many girls their age pursuing STEM may be the fact that there are very few influencers for young girls in STEM to look up to — so they decided to become those influencers themselves. They figured that Roblox would be the perfect medium for their message, as it is a game accessible and familiar to many girls, especially from the ages of eight to twelve, which is a critical time period for children to explore and delve into their interests. Over the years, the Jenstine channel has grown to have an audience of 143K subscribers.

"A lot of our viewers tell us things like, ‘I really like making apps, but my family tells me not to. Watching your videos, though, helps me realize there's a whole community of young girls out there who are coding apps, so there are no definitive answers in what I can or can’t do,’” Jenstine explained. “So we feel like we can use our

platform to steer these young and impressionable girls in the right direction. Even if our videos simply encourage them to join their school's science or coding club, that one step could potentially change their life — and that’s all that matters to us.”

No Damsel in Distress The video that escalated Jenstine’s popularity was their “Princesses Don’t Cry: Resilience Music Video”. which has currently amassed a whopping 5.7 million views.

The video severs stereotypes — it features a main character who engages in stereotypically "girly-girly" things, such as makeup and modeling, while simultaneously involving herself with “nerdy” or “boyish” activities, such as chemistry and entrepreneurship. It sends a refreshing message to kids: you don't have to be a tomboy to pursue things like STEM. You can have the best of both worlds.

“We don't want girls to believe that there is just one image of what a girl in STEM looks like,” Jenstine explained. “We want to show that having a passion for STEM shouldn't hold girls back from other things they're invested in. Liking makeup and fashion doesn't make someone any less qualified to pursue STEM.” One of the themes heavily incorporated into ‘Princesses Don’t Cry’ and the Jenstine channel’s other videos is resilience, an ability which Jenstine believes is

important to teach young girls.

“One of the biggest things that a young girl needs in her life is a role model. We both grew up as these huge fangirls of a lot of different celebrities but, looking back, the main reason why we loved those people so much was because they promoted messages of confidence that, to this day, really stick with us,” the twins reflected. “In a similar fashion, we wanted to show how all girls face times in their [lives] where they feel discouraged or are told they can't do something.

Showing the process of them overcoming those barriers and achieving success by believing in themselves and pursuing their passions is something that can be more powerful than just showing a girl succeeding without facing any struggles.

And They Lived Happily Ever After At the moment, Jenny and Christine are working with organizations such as The Connectory and the National Girls Collaborative Project to provide their audience with coding resources and opportunities to join STEMrelated extracurricular activities. And as the sisters continue to expand their channel, they aim to produce more online content, reach out to more fans, and connect with more organizations and nonprofits. Their primary goal, however, remains to be role models who inspire girls all over the world.

Their final message to the young girls who may be reading this article is this: you are beautiful, you are strong, you are smart, and you can do anything you put your mind to We believe in you!

The End page 19 | Everyday Changemakers: Jenstine

the girl { who codes; } Making waves in computations is the young and successful Avye from the United Kingdom, who is currently teaching others about computer science.

BY: ABIGAIL JOHNSON

At only 12 years old, Avye leads her community by running workshops that teach girls how to code. She created a program, Girls Into Coding, dedicated to giving girls between the ages of 10 and 14 the opportunity to learn more about the world of computing and STEM. Ayve’s ultimate mission is to bring more girls into coding and to inspire them to pursue STEM careers.

Avye’s journey began when she was just seven years old when she attended her first local coding event. However, she quickly realized that one thing was missing as she looked around the room.

“I noticed that the majority of people were boys,” she told Reinvented. “So that kind of gave me the idea to set up an organization.”

def funFacts(self): self.age = 12 self.favorite_computer_language = "Python" self.favorite_school_subjects = [ "Computing", "E.T. (Entrepreneurial and Technology)", "P.E." ] self.favorite_sports: [ "Swimming", "Tag Rugby", "Football" ] self.website = { "10 to No Limit" : "https://10tonolimit.com/" } self.organization: { "Girls Into Coding": "https://www.girlsintocoding.com/" } page 20 | Everyday Changemakers: Avye

Avye became more involved with community computing events and eventually began to host them herself, hoping to inspire more girls to code. With the help of Wimbletech, an organization that works to help startup businesses and groups, she was able to hold her first event for Girl Into Coding in July of 2018.

Inspired by the women who have accomplished great feats in the STEM community, Avye wanted to help share her love of coding with those who want to learn more about it.

Her workshops help encourage other future coders, teaching them that anybody, no matter what age or gender, can learn how to code and apply their skills to the real-world. Avye also works to give her attendees role models in STEM. “At my events, I have speakers, and

those speakers are people who I am inspired by,” she explains. “An example would be Anne-Marie Imafidon, who is the lead of STEMettes, which is quite a big organization to do with getting girls involved with STEM.” Since founding Girls Into Coding, Avye has already hosted six workshops, which are focused on integrating coding into robotics. She designs the robots prior to the event with other mentors who run different activities during the workshop. The students are taught to code small robots with remote-controlled wheels, and they are each given a take-home tech kit so they can continue working even after the workshop ends.

Outside of running her workshops, Avye also has a passion for robotics. In 2018, she competed in Coolest Projects UK, a contest where young innovators can display their projects and teach others about their work. Avye’s project, a robot that she designed to obey voice commands, won first place in the hardware category of the contest and has been featured in numerous events ever since.

Following this achievement, Avye has won multiple titles in recognition of her work. Most recently, she was jointly awarded the FDM Everywoman in Technology Award. She was also the recipient of the Diana Award in July of 2019 in honor of Princess Diana, and she was one of twenty individuals to win the biennial Diana Legacy Award in November of that same year for her humanitarian work.

She has been named one of the “most inspiring juniors” of 2018 by InspiringJuniors UK. However, Avye’s mission is to promote not her own success but that of other young individuals that share similar goals.

“You don’t have to be perfect at it straight away. As long as you have that passion, and you have that mindset to accomplish something, you can do whatever you want.”

in STEM. “When I run a workshop, I think that sometimes it is a good thing that a girl can see another girl who is around the same age as them. So for me, that has never really been a problem at my age. I’ve never really felt intimidated by that.” She wants to see the number of girls and boys in the STEM industry become equal and uses that idea as a motive for her work. Avye is a true testament to how big dreams can be accomplished by anyone who puts their mind to it, regardless of gender or age!

For all the girls out there looking to get into STEM, Avye encourages them to not be afraid of trying new things.“ You don’t have to be perfect at it straight away. As long as you have that passion, and you have that mindset to accomplish something, you can do whatever you want.”

Avye finds her work rewarding, as she helps others like herself overcome the challenges of being a young woman page 21 | Everyday Changemakers: Avye

Removing Barriers and

Taking Over the World How Linda Kamau and AkiraChix Will Train 10,000 Women in Tech in the Next Decade BY: LAUREL KREMER, WOGRAMMER

As a naturally curious and confident person, Linda Kamau is no stranger to trailblazing.

There were four paths in her all-girls school, and computer science was usually the path least chosen. But for Linda, computers were a passion, and she happily chose computer science to the surprise of her peers. She also had a natural interest in making things better, a talent encouraged by her older brother with whom she would spend time around the house repairing everything from radios to the roof.

At many African universities, it is extremely difficult to switch undergraduate majors after being placed in a program. Linda received placement into the business information technology path, not the computer science program she originally applied for, but still relevant to her goals. She worked at a technology startup to expand her technical skills. There, she learned coding and open source software, allowing her to land a role as a software developer at Ushahidi. At Ushahidi, Linda asked to lead an upgrade to a vital tool for crisis crowdsourcing. She was unsure of herself, but her boss assured her she was more than qualified. Thanks to Linda’s leadership, that tool is now translated into almost every language, and is changing the way information flows during a humanitarian crisis. page 22 | Everyday Changemakers: Linda Kamau

“The people around me knew my skills and that I was more qualified than I thought I was. They knew I needed a push. Since then, I’ve been more assertive in my career.” While attending an “iHub” (“Innovation Hub”)

meeting in Kenya, Linda noticed there were less than 10 women present out of more than 300 attendees.

Afterwards, Linda decided to arrange a meetup for women in tech, creating a safe space for them to show upand support each other. Still, she struggled to get more than 10 women to attend despite the myriad of technical jobs available in Kenya’s now-booming tech industry. To fill this gap, Linda and two coworkers hatched the idea that would become what is now known as AkiraChix.

The plan needed some structure, but the idea was to teach as many women as possible to code. The core focus of AkiraChix is to build tech talent by investing in training for young women who may not otherwise have access to higher education. With the goal to train 10,000 women in the next 10 years, not only will this ensure there are more women in the tech job market, but that these women have the necessary skills to succeed and stand out in the workplace.

“We recognize the things that hinder students from succeeding...financial barriers, gender roles and not feeling believed in, a lack of encouragement to move into technology...and we want to break down as many of those barriers as possible.”

One of the flagship programs under AkiraChix is a residential program. Students from more than 25 regions of Kenya and various parts of Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania come to AkiraChix to complete a coding program. Often, these students don’t just lack the same educational resources as higher income areas, but they may also lack access to the transportation infrastructure required to physically reach any available resources. The residential program mitigates most of these challenges, allowing students to focus on cultivating their technical talent.

Linda’s current focus is working with companies to create a hiring pipeline for the top talent in the AkiraChix community. Tech companies now often come to Linda asking for more diverse talent, of which Linda knows plenty. In November of 2019, AkiraChix graduated 47 women, 33 of whom are now employed. (For those doing the math — that is a 70% success rate, higher than most colleges!) Her students are not only joining the tech industry, but gaining empowerment along the way.

“Happiness stems from my students doing well in life.

You can see it transfer back to their homes, their siblings and their parents...we’re not just getting more women into tech, we’re empowering more women to have rights and take over the world!”

Your Author Attribution: This story was written by Wogrammer Journalism Fellow, Laurel Kremer, for Reinvented Magazine’s fourth edition.

Wogrammer has been acquired by AnitaB.org, a social enterprise that supports women in technical fields, the organizations that employ them, and the academic institutions training the next generation.

We proudly join the AnitaB.org/365 suite of programs which are fueling the movement to achieve intersectional gender equity in the global technical workforce by 2025 and will continue to amplify diverse voices of women in technology around the world.

page 23 | Everyday Changemakers: Linda Kamau

Dr. Carlotta Berry

on purpose and passion

BY: MEGHANA KRISHNA

Dr. Carlotta Berry isn’t your typical engineering professor: she’s bubbly, outgoing, and silly, and she’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind. She’s part of a wave of women shattering stereotypes about STEM and deconstructing barriers to give younger women an easier path forward.

Inspired by her mother and grandmother, both of whom were teachers, the Nashville, Tennessee native always knew her calling was in the classroom. “I just love connecting with people and seeing that light bulb turn on,” she says. page 24 | Everyday Changemakers: Dr. Carlotta Berry

Dr. Berry was introduced to engineering through a professional development program in high school. She chose to pursue a dual degree in mathematics and electrical engineering from Spelman College and Georgia Institute of Technology, respectively, with the intent of one day teaching mathematics. Dr. Berry spent the first two years of her five-year program at Spelman, an allwomen HBCU (historically black college or university), where she fell in love with the close-knit atmosphere and attentive faculty. Transferring to Georgia Tech was a culture shock – she dealt with overflowing lecture halls and sterile, impersonal interactions with professors too mucho

busy to give her the time of day. Many of her professors were caricatures of the “stereotypical” engineer, lacking basic social skills and often uninterested in connecting with their students. Though she originally dreamed of teaching high school, Dr. Berry realized there was a shortage of well-rounded professors in engineering and felt she could bring a new perspective to the field.

“Too often, the ‘people’ element of engineering gets lost, but people skills are actually integral to the profession, and professors need to reflect that,” says Dr. Berry.

"I wanted to change the face of engineering."

Upon graduation, Dr. Berry pursued a master’s in electrical engineering from Wayne State University. She programmed and maintained industrial robots on an assembly line for car windshields at her first full-time job at Ford Motor Company. Once her student loans were paid off, Dr. Berry left Ford to pursue her doctorate in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) from Vanderbilt University with the intent of teaching. After a three-year stint as an Assistant Professor of ECE at Tennessee State University, she was offered a role as an Associate Professor of ECE at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. At Rose-Hulman, she teaches courses in robotics, circuits, and control systems. Her research focuses on human-robot interaction and interface design. “Robotics is fascinating to me because it connects people to engineering,” she explains.

“Applications for robotics are so multidisciplinary – you can connect with the interests of so many groups of people.”

Dr. Berry is well-known across campus not only for her dedication to her students but also for the work she’s done for underrepresented groups in engineering. She is mucho

one of two founders of Rose Building Undergraduate Diversity (ROSE-BUD), a program that offers scholarships and social support programs for women and racial minorities. ROSE-BUD strives to improve student retention and foster professional skills through mentoring and networking opportunities. Traditionally, ECE is among the branches of engineering that attract the fewest women. Eleven years after the founding of ROSE-BUD, however, the percentage of women in ECE at RoseHulman has more than doubled.

“Minority students still have some of the exact same experiences I had at Georgia Tech in 1993,” Dr. Berry notes. “I have students who tell me how isolated they feel, and students who don’t feel like they’re smart enough to deserve being here.

"I want them to know I made it, so they can too."

The professor also touched on the controversy surrounding affirmative action: “I’m a big proponent of it,” she says. “Georgia Tech and The University of Michigan, for example, are some of the highest producers of black engineers because they serve as a pipeline from HBCUs.” Diversity is critical to engineering, Dr. Berry explains, as designing solutions for the range of problems in the world requires experience outside one’s own bubble. As Rose-Hulman’s lone female African-American faculty member, Dr. Berry believes minorities – in a sense beyond race and gender alone – can provide an otherwise overlooked perspective. She believes beughieiiii

page 25 | Everyday Changemakers: Dr. Carlotta Berry

affirmative action is a key tool in leveling the playing field for students who come from unfavorable socioeconomic backgrounds or who may lack relatable role models within a field. Anti-affirmative action activists have misrepresented and oversimplified the justifications behind such policies, she says. “Affirmative action isn’t about taking away opportunities from deserving students,” Dr. Berry argues. “It’s about giving students who wouldn’t normally have had those opportunities a real chance.”

Prior to becoming an advocate, Dr. Berry faced many challenges through her journey to professorship. She suffered a miscarriage during her time at Tennessee State, which she attributes to the stress of working toward tenure. The trauma was a wake-up call: Dr. Berry realized she needed to prioritize her health and work in an environment that promoted balance. Upon receiving an offer from Rose-Hulman, Dr. Berry made it clear she wanted children and needed flexibility. “One of my colleagues at Rose had three kids before getting tenured.

I needed to work somewhere where that would be okay,” she says. Dr. Berry gave birth to her now twelve-year-old daughter during her second year at Rose-Hulman and took off a full quarter for maternity leave. The familyfriendly culture at the institution allowed Dr. Berry’s daughter to tag alongside the professor for campus events, robotics competitions, and office hours.

“It was really, really hard,” Dr. Berry recalls about maintaining work-life balance in the early years of her career. Now a tenured professor, she can scale back a bit.

Even so, she often works 60-80 hours per week: “I do what I have to do to get things done,” she says.

When Dr. Berry isn’t in the classroom, however, she makes an effort to explore her “non-nerdy” side. These days, she’s taken up cross stitching and occasionally indulges in The Real Housewives of Atlanta and romance novels. “I’ve started reading trash, and it’s so relaxing!” she laughs.

At this point in her career, Dr. Berry has numerous publications and awards under her belt. She’s created Rose-Hulman’s first multidisciplinary minor in robotics, has been published in The New York Times, and has given speeches inspiring thousands of young women.

Though she hopes to one day move into a department head role, she never wants to move too far away from the classroom. “Teaching is my first love!” she says. Her advice for little girls with big dreams?

"NEVER THINK YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE." This article was written in partnership with the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Rose-Hulman is consistently recognized nationally as an elite science, engineering and mathematics school that prepares its students (approximately 2,000 undergraduate and nearly 100 graduate) in an environment infused with innovation, intellectual rigor, and individualized attention. The institute also has distinctions for faculty excellence, return on investment, value added, and career services. Learn more at www.rose-hulman.edu.

page 26 | Everyday Changemakers: Dr. Carlotta Berry

Pancake Batter, Extreme DIYs, and a

Few Words to Live By. How Two Sisters from Norway are Changing the Face of STEAM. BY: APARNA RAJESH

Despite being just 10 and 12 (and 3/4!) years old, Maia and Lily Valenzuela have been hard at work breaking barriers in STEAM. For the past few years, the duo has been pursuing a long list of engineering projects with the help of their family members, bringing even their most ambitious ideas to fruition. And after learning to use hand tools, 3D printers, and soldering irons, the two have been finding ways to incorporate their passion for the arts in their work as well.

Automation Meets Pancake Art with the PancakeBot Their story begins with the PancakeBot, which is now a fully automated pancake art machine.

As toddlers, the two had inspired the creation of the PancakeBot after a slight misunderstanding. “When I was three-and-a-half,” Lily explains, “I asked my dad what he was doing, and he told me that he was reading an article about a LEGO pancake stamping machine, and I got excited and said, ‘Dad’s gonna make a pamcake machine page 27 | PancakeBot

‘machine out of LEGOs!’ And then Maia did a little dance.” Although their father originally had no plans of building such a machine, the girls’ excitement was too hard to ignore — the Valenzuela family immediately got to work. They pieced together LEGOs and parts from a LEGO Mindstorms NXT set (a beginner-friendly, programmable LEGO-based robotics kit) with a vision of building a robot that would make pancakes on its own.

Handmade Halloween Costumes Maia and Lily, embracing a Maker spirit, often start projects simply for the joy of creating new things. This is best seen in the consistently elaborate nature of their Halloween costumes each year. “We always sort of take it to the extreme!” Lily exclaims. “Like one year, I was Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. We got bells to glow, and we actually got the wings to go out!”

Every year, the two make design plans for their costumes and then work with their parents to assemble them. “My dad’s an engineer, my mom sews a lot," explains Maia. “It’s the perfect combination!” Whether they are dressed as dragons, chameleons, fauns, or Harry Potter-inspired centaurs, the girls never fail to impress on Halloween night.

After two years of working through a grueling set of design iterations, the family was able to perfect a batter flow system, work with another company to transition from LEGOs to machined parts, and develop a software that converts images to pancake designs.

Now, users can simply upload an image of a design to the PancakeBot software, trace the design, and then fill in the lines. The PancakeBot will seamlessly recreate the user’s designs with pancake batter. “[The machine] uses a vacuum pump for the batter and coordinates for the drawing,” Lily explains. “It prints an outer layer first, and then it uses a bit of time so that the caramelization happens, and then it fills the rest in.”

Even after perfecting the design for the machine and putting it on the market, they didn’t feel that their work with the robot was finished. The team, longing to share their creation with schools and Scouts troops from underrepresented communities, established a partnership with MIT’s Fab Foundations to distribute units of the bot to educators who are looking to share the joys of food and technology. They have created lesson plans and videos that introduce students to engineering concepts, like using G-code (the CNC language), through the PancakeBot. page 28 | PancakeBot

Building a Greenhouse from Scratch Currently, the two are working with their father to design and build a greenhouse for the plants they have been cultivating inside their home. Using scrap parts from an old makerspace, the sisters plan to create a greenhouse that will feature a free-standing, rainwaterdependent irrigation system. “When it rains, these barrels will be filled with rainwater, and we’ll use that water for the plants,” Lily explains. They expect to complete the main structure for the greenhouse after just a few more hours of work.

Until then, the pair will continue to care for their many fruits, vegetables, and legumes in their DIY planters. “As long as you have milk cartons, dirt, and seeds, it’s easy!

You can make this,” Maia declares. They simply removed the tops of milk cartons, filled them with soil, and buried seeds inside. They water the plants occasionally through the circular spout on the side.

Arborlandica: The Coolest Treehouse You’ve Ever Seen Perhaps their most impressive feat thus far is Arborlandica, the treehouse that the sisters built with their father in their backyard. Wanting to have a “funky” hangout spot, the girls decided to build an angular house-shaped structure topped with a jagged tower designed after the Harry Potter sorting hat. The tower is built with a hatch system that allows it to be opened and closed. The house now boasts a decorated interior, complete with a plush purple armchair and fairy lights lining the coving.

The structure is built on a polish plum tree that blossoms every spring.

Every year, the Valenzuelas host a blooming festival, an event where friends and family gather to admire the treehouse and the beautiful white flowers that cover the tree’s branches.

In the future, the sisters plan to add animatronics to the inside of the house.

“One is going to be a witch,” Maia starts. “Yeah!” Lily adds, “And one is going to be a pirate. And the other one...the other one was going to be a guy that’s mad all the time!”

Like most engineers, the girls are constantly finding new ways to innovate the treehouse. They share their updates on a Facebook page; live streams of days dedicated to leak-fixing, and videos of them shooting fireworks from inside the treehouse tower can be found at https://www.facebook.com/arborlandica.

A Note to All the Girls Around the World Maia and Lily’s paths to STEAM started right at home. Their parents are constantly encouraging them to embrace new ideas and develop their own solutions. They made sure to equip the girls with the confidence, tools, and know-how they would need to tackle engineering challenges from a very early age.

The result? Two preteen girls who are unapologetically shattering stereotypes and setting new precedents in STEAM. When asked what advice she had for younger girls who may be apprehensive about starting STEAM projects, Lily, drawing from her experiences acting as a mentor for her youngest sister, Charlotte, has just one thing to say: “Just go for what you want.

Ignore what the others say and just do what you want. You’re never gonna go forward in life if you worry about what other people are going to think about you.”

“Life is a river,” Lily notes, with an air of wisdom beyond her years.

“And the rude comments — they’re rocks. They will try to stop you, but you have to be smart and just sneak your way through. You gotta make a different path.

You’ve got to ignore them.”

Check out their Youtube Channels:

Maker Mig

Lil Pea

youtube.com/makermig

youtube.com/channel/ UCjUyQ2yBv3nCi275Oas MyLw page 29 | PancakeBot

Recognizing Reinventors Reinvented's Virtual Award Ceremony

Awards include: STEM Changemaker of the Year

Help us celebrate inspiring women in STEAM and their influential achievements!

Outstanding Collegiate of the Year Educator of the Year Reinvented Woman of the Year And More...

Scan Me

July 23rd, 2020 Check out our website for more info!

ALYSSA CARSON Martian in Training BY: RACHEL WEEKS

Ever since Neil Armstrong planted the first human footprint on the lunar surface in 1969, the space industry has redirected its efforts to a new mission: sending people to the next planet in our solar system. With recent scientific developments, like the creation of the Perseverance rover, which is scheduled to launch this summer, it’s entirely possible that the United States will send human beings to Mars in the 2030s. But who will be the first person to earn this “Martian” title? The first steps on the Moon may have been taken by a man, but these next small steps on Mars might be taken by a young woman named Alyssa Carson.

Upon first glance, Carson seems like a typical college student. She enjoys hanging out at the beach with her friends and binge-watching Netflix (she highly recommends the show Atypical), just like the rest of us. But this Louisiana native has had her sight set on the stars since she was a little girl—and now, she's training to be one of the first astronauts on Mars.

“Mission to Mars” When she was three years old, Carson saw an episode of The Backyardigans where the main characters departed on a mission to Mars. This is what initially sparked her fascination with the Red Planet. She asked her father if anyone had actually been to Mars, and when he said no, she replied with, “Daddy, I want to be an astronaut and be one of the people that go to Mars.” From that point forward, everything Carson did was linked to this ultimate goal.

Today, Carson is working towards earning her degree in astrobiology from the Florida Institute of Technology.

“When on a mission to Mars, there are going to be things that we don’t expect. I felt like astrobiology would prepare me for this,” she explains. As an astrobiology major, Carson can tie subjects like biology, chemistry, math, and physics into space-related scenarios.

Future Mars Walker At just nineteen years old, Carson has already built an impressive list of accomplishments in preparation to be the first astronaut to go to Mars. She started her space education at the age of eight by attending her first Space Camp, a prestigious program that was the start for many astronaut alumni like Christina Koch, one of the first women to participate in an all-female spacewalk. After returning to this Space Camp seven times (and attending two of its other locations in Canada and Turkey), Carson learned space and flight history, worked on teams, trained on simulators, completed simulated space missions, and learned what it really meant to be an astronaut. Carson, who considers the camp to be a second home, went on to become a “Junior Crew Trainer” and currently serves as an Alumni Event Volunteer.

In 2014, NASA hand-selected Carson as one of the members of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) 10 panel in Washington, D.C. The panel, which was composed of leading scientists and professors in the field, discussed the rover’s scientific successes and what it meant for the future of robotic and human missions to Mars.

page 32 | Alyssa Carson

At the age of fifteen, Carson became the youngest person to be accepted into the Advanced PoSSUM Academy and after two years received her certification in Applied Astronautics. This program is a 26-credit immersive professional educational program that enables scientific research in the fields of aeronomy, bioastronautics, EVA operations, space flight operations, and science education. The completion of this certification officially granted Carson the title of “Astronaut in Training” and made her certified to go to space.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Astronauts Carson aims to use the knowledge she acquired through her training to inspire the younger generation to accomplish their dreams. Through her speaking engagements, Carson, who can speak seven different languages and has traveled to 26 countries across the globe, has inspired people all over the world from Girl Scouts at the University of Louisiana to astronaut trainees in Chile to professionals at the Dublin Tech Summit. Perhaps her greatest speaking accomplishment is one that is closest to her heart—a school project she completed in her home state of Louisiana. Carson had visited all 64 of Louisiana’s parishes to speak to children about STEM education and encourage them to pursue their dreams. Over the course of a year, she spoke to over 10,000 children.

Another way Carson gives back to the community is through her non-profit organization, the Blueberry Foundation (which is named after her NASA callsign, “Blueberry”). According to Carson, the organization was started to help raise funds to send more children to Space Camp. The foundation has since evolved to partnering with different organizations to promote hands-on

learning to foster curiosity in STEM. “I started the Blueberry Foundation to give kids an opportunity they may not otherwise have,” Carson says. “I want to inspire kids to fulfill their dreams and have fun while learning.”

The Blueberry Foundation also offers scholarship opportunities to those who need financial support to accomplish their dreams — all they have to do is apply on her website!

When Carson is not working on her astronaut training or speaking to the younger generation about traveling to Mars, she is often volunteering her time to Project PoSSUM, the organization that hosts the Advanced PoSSUM Academy. PoSSUM, or the Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to studying the upper atmosphere and its role in our changing global climate. The organization also prepares astronaut hopefuls, just like Carson, through its various training programs. Carson was a member of PoSSUM 13, a subgroup of Project PoSSUM composed of 13 female ambassadors for the program. This talented group of ladies, which was created to honor the legacy of the Mercury 13, aim to inspire the next generation of women in STEM through mentorship and educational outreach programs. page 33 | Alyssa Carson

So You Want to Be An Astronaut?

When Carson attends speaking events, she is always greeted by the same question: “How did you do it, and how can I do it too?” A true woman of action, she decided to write a book to fully answer the question. So You Want to Be An Astronaut? encourages aspiring astronauts along their paths and motivates people to accomplish their dreams, even if they aren’t space-related. Carson says, “Anyone can do exactly what I’ve done;” it’s just a matter of figuring out what you want to do and never losing sight of your goal. She offers more advice, specifically for girls who are interested in STEM. According to Carson, it is important to “talk about your dreams and share what you’re interested in doing because you never know where opportunities will come from!” She also encourages girls to start seeking out events in their community to gain as much knowledge as possible, which can be as simple as attending local conferences or visiting museums.

Pushing Age Barriers Despite all of her accomplishments, Carson admits that her undertakings haven’t always been a walk in the park.

There have been times when she faced adversity due to her young age and had to break down age barriers in different organizations. “I have tried doing so many crazy things [while I’m] a little [too] young for some people’s liking,” she laughs. When she first started her journey in astronaut training with Project PoSSUM, Carson was just fifteen. The organization had been wary of her age and had to give her special permission to participate in their academy. She says this was her first real challenge because she had to prove that, despite her age, she could be a substantial contributor to the program. Carson says that despite the initial hardship, persuading organizations to rethink their age restrictions has been a rewarding experience since it allows people her age to experience the same opportunities that she has.

page 34 | Alyssa Carson

23 | EVERYDAY CHANGEMAKERS: CASSIDY WILLIAMS

Life on Mars?

So what’s the next move for Alyssa Carson, the astronaut trainee who seems to have already done it all? Focusing on her education and earning her astrobiology degree is her number one priority right now. Once she graduates, Carson would like to start her career studying how plants and soil act in microgravity and contribute that research to a manned mission to Mars. When the time comes for astronauts to be recruited, Carson will be fully trained and prepared for the experience. According to NASA, astronaut candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or math; three years of professional experience; or 1,000 hours of pilot-incommand time in jet aircraft. They must also pass NASA’s long-duration spaceflight physical. Carson will have met all of these requirements, and her current astronaut training might even give her a leg up on the competition. And even if she’s not selected, Carson says she’ll be happy to contribute to the mission in any form, whether she’s on Earth or Mars.

Alyssa Carson is just a normal girl with a dream to do something that’s out of this world. Through her work as both a global speaker and an astronaut trainee, Carson shows that age does not define your success; if you work hard enough, you can make your dreams a reality.

To learn more about Alyssa Carson and how to train like an astronaut, check out her website nasablueberry.com or follow her on social media! @NasaBlueberry @NasaBlueberry page 35 | Alyssa Carson

Historical Figures:

Marie Curie

1867 - 1934

BY: ERIN ROBINSON

When she arrived in the United States in May 1921, Marie Curie had already discovered two radioactive elements and won the Nobel Prize twice. But how did she achieve such success, and what was her remarkable journey from a student to a scientist?

Marie Curie was born in 1867 in what is now Poland. Her early childhood certainly wasn’t easy; growing up in a proPolish household forced her father to lose his job and caused them to live in poverty. Despite this hardship, Marie excelled in school and got her first taste of her future when her father managed to bring home lab equipment after Russian authorities eliminated in-school lab instruction. Regardless of her intelligence, because she and her family were poor, she had to take a job as a governess (a combination of a babysitter and tutor) while studying at a secret university run by pro-Polish individuals.

PC: Wikimedia Commons

page 36 | Historical Figures: Marie Curie

PC: Wikimedia Commons

In 1890, Marie’s sister, Bronislawa, invited Marie to join her and her husband in Paris to study at an actual university. At first, she declined because she didn’t have enough money for tuition, but after continuing to work and receiving financial assistance from her father, who was able to find a new job, she moved to France to study at the University of Paris. She earned a degree in physics in 1893 and began to work in an industrial laboratory while working on a second degree, which she completed in 1894.

While Marie was working, she was introduced to her husband, Pierre Curie, because one of her colleagues thought Pierre could grant her access to a larger laboratory space. Their mutual passion for science brought them close to each other, and they fell in love. When Pierre proposed, Marie, at first, did not accept because she wanted to move back to Poland, but Pierre said he would move with her even if he couldn’t work as a scientist. Once Marie returned to Poland, she applied for a job at Krakow University, but was denied because she was a woman. A letter from Pierre convinced her to come back to Paris and pursue a Ph.D. In 1895, scientists proved the existence of x-rays, and in 1896, it was discovered that uranium salts emitted rays that were similar to x-rays. The uranium rays didn’t depend on external energy but seemed to come from uranium itself. Curie decided to further explore these recent discoveries in her thesis. She investigated samples with an electrometer, a device that measures electric charge, which her husband and his brother invented. She discovered that uranium rays caused the air around the sample to conduct electricity and the activity of the uranium only depended on how much of it was in the sample. In 1897, Marie’s daughter was born, so to support her family she began teaching at the École normale supérieure (ENS), a prestigious graduate school. Marie and Pierre didn’t have a dedicated laboratory, so they worked

out of a converted medical school dissecting room. ENS didn’t sponsor their research, but they received money from various mining and metal companies and governments. Marie’s studies of two uranium-rich ores showed that they were many times more active than uranium itself, and if her previous hypothesis about the quantity of uranium being related to its activity were correct, the ores must contain something even more powerful than uranium. By 1898, she discovered that the element thorium was also radioactive, and Pierre was so interested that he dropped his research to help her.

Continuing to work with the radioactive ores, Marie and Pierre published two papers in 1898, announcing the discovery of two new elements: polonium and radium.

They also invented the word “radioactivity.” Between 1898 and 1902, as they worked on isolating pure samples of polonium and radium, the two published 32 papers. In 1900, Marie became the first female faculty member at ENS and Pierre joined the faculty of the University of Paris.

PC: Science Photo Library

create a world-class lab in honor of Pierre.

In 1910, Marie succeeded in isolating radium and defined a standard for radioactivity: the curie. A year later Marie was awarded her second Nobel Prize, in chemistry this time, for “services to the advancement of chemistry by the discovery of the elements radium and polonium, by the isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of this remarkable element." She was the first person to win or share two Nobel Prizes. Curie’s second Nobel Prize convinced the French government to build the Radium Institute for chemistry and physics research.

World War I started in 1914, and that understandably put a damper on the development of the Radium Institute as most researchers were drafted into the army. During the war, Curie recognized the need to treat wounded soldiers as soon as possible, so she created mobile x-ray trucks that were used by the army and Red Cross Radiology Service, which she became the director of. She also attempted to donate her gold Nobel Prize medals to the French government, but they refused to accept them.

Marie and Pierre Curie's Diploma of Nobel Prize in Physics, PC: Wikimedia Commons

Three years later, they and the man who discovered radiation were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics “in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint research on the radiation phenomena discovered by Professor Henri Becquerel.” At first, Marie was not intended to be included in the award, but after a Nobel committee member and advocate for women in science alerted Pierre, his complaint convinced the Nobel committee to include her, making her the first woman to have been awarded a Nobel Prize.

Tragically, in 1906 Pierre Curie was struck by a horsedrawn vehicle and died. The University of Paris decided to offer Pierre’s job to Marie, who accepted, hoping to

After World War I, Marie continued her advocacy for research into radioactive materials. The US President gifted her a gram of radium and she later became a member of the League of Nations International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.

On July 4th, 1934, Marie Curie died of aplastic anemia, a disease where blood cells are not produced in the numbers needed for a body to function. This was believed to have been caused by her constant exposure to radioactive material without the safety measures developed later.

Marie Curie was one of the most influential women in modern chemistry and physics.

Without her work, we would not have radiation therapy for cancer or the inspiration for much recent research on radioactive material and its practical uses. page 37 | Historical Figures: Marie Curie

Breaking Barriers with Biotechnology BY: ABIGAYLE PETERSON

to generate innovative, customized, and diverse applications seems endless. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology serves as a catalyst for change in this cutting-edge technology. Dr. Mrunalini V. Pattarkine, program director of biotechnology and nanobiotechnology at Harrisburg University, aspires to bring this innovation into the classroom, connect it to diverse career pathways, and to conduct biotechnology research that impacts many fields worldwide.

Pathways to Success in STEM Education

The Center of Cutting-Edge Technologies Biotechnology focuses on the manipulation of foundational biological structures such as DNA and proteins for engineering new technologies and tools.

Because of biotechnology’s interdisciplinary nature, research in this field applies to a broad range of industries, such as the medical, pharmaceutical, chemical, food and agricultural, environmental, and forensics sectors. Industry professionals within those fields use concepts in biotechnology to significantly improve daily life. The The potential of biotechnology page 38 | Breaking Barriers with Biotechnology

After joining Harrisburg University in 2006 as a professor, Pattarkine began directing the nanotechnology concentration for the undergraduate biotechnology program. Additionally, she realized the lack of STEM education resources in central Pennsylvanian for low-income, underrepresented students. “The university wanted to create a pathway for opportunities in STEM resources for students from underprivileged backgrounds,” stated Pattarkine.

Enabled by government funding, to break barriers in STEM access, she used the Capital Area Biotechnology partnership which grants high-quality education to both high school and college students that intend to enter the biotech workforce. This partnership works with educators and leaders throughout Central Pennsylvania’s various biotech firms and school districts. “Courses taught through the program grant hands-on, practical skills in biotechnology with a focus on underprivileged communities,” Pattarkine adds.

Biotechnology Research Advancements Beyond providing educational opportunities for lowincome students, Pattarkine uses her extensive research knowledge in creating biotechnology devices for the improvement of molecular and regenerative medicine.

Pattarkine is currently in the process of creating a paper-based biosensor, a device that uses a living organism or biological component to detect the presence of certain chemicals in the produce wash water. Using the unique properties of target biomolecules attached to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), the biosensor can effectively detect the pesticides in the produce washes. “This ensures an efficient and faster way of testing performing a trial and error on the new and various different candidate drugs for cancer treatment,” states Pattarkine.

Due to such advances in biotechnology that facilitate affordable and convenient resources, the agricultural industry is able to drive a globally successful market.

As for her work in regenerative medicine, Pattarkine desires to revolutionize the way doctors treat patients with different types of cancers. She is developing a microfluidic [direct manipulation of fluids] device that exploits identifying the most efficient drugs for cancer.

In this case, the microfluidic is the controlled drug used to test the efficiency of a response against cancer. By using the microfluidic device, cells and biomolecules are precisely positioned for high-throughput analysis, a type of analysis that involves examining massive amounts of drug molecules all at once.

Additionally, Pattarkine’s lab is researching ways of developing methods to use more affordable materials for artificial skin grafts. One innovation she is targeting uses a modified 3D printer that uses affordable bio-materials for skin grafts — one that is almost 15 times cheaper than other solutions currently on the market.

Pattarkine says. For example, creating affordable and accessible skin grafts leads to a transformative healthcare industry that improves the lives of many.

Research in biotechnology progressively breaks down barriers in all industries.

We need to use biotechnology for accessibility to people who really need its innovations.

For the Greater Good of Humanity The innovative biotechnology research Pattarkine and her staff-students conduct expand beyond the limits of a classroom. Physicians, farmers, scientists, and others can reap the benefits of such research in their daily lives.

From biosensors that detect pesticides in food products to affordable 3D-printed artificial skin grafts, Pattarkine accelerates her research towards a global, cost-effective industry. “With these kinds of portable and ‘point-of-care’ devices, you can use them whenever you need,” conveys Pattarkine. “It is convenient and removes the need for big and costly machines.” Overall, her research can impact both, molecular and regenerative medicine in biotech for a globally successful market that benefits humanity as a whole.

Through creating accessible STEM education and advancing effective biotech that empowers the healthcare industry, Pattarkine hopes to harness the power of biotechnology research to drive the world toward an accessible and sustainable future.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is a private, non-profit STEM university offering degree programs to more than 6000 students representing 110 countries. More info at www.HarrisburgU.edu. page 39 | Breaking Barriers with Biotechnology

Wearable Technology

101

BY: JENN TOSO

Wearable technology isn't new; in fact, it's been around a lot longer than most people realize. Long before people slapped a device on their wrist to track their steps, wearables have been making innovative strides in people’s daily lives for centuries.

History The history of wearable technology starts with what is now thought of as commonplace: eyeglasses. Not earthshattering or astonishing by today's standards of new technology, but in the 13th century, eyeglasses were revolutionary. Before this first foray into wearable technology, people would simply tolerate poor vision.

Following the invention of the eyeglasses, the Nuremberg Egg arrived on time promptly in the 15th century. It hung around the neck, and although not very accurate and somewhat awkward, it was the first attempt at mechanical timekeeping. In the 19th century, the Electric Girl Lighting Company boasted a future where girls would light up houses with lightbulbs and batteries in their dresses instead of traditional lighting. During the same time, a patent was issued for an air-conditioned top hat to keep men cool in the Victorian era heat. For

obvious reasons, these wearable technology innovations didn’t stand the test of time.

The 20th century brought wearable tech to a form that is more recognizable, but still a ways off from the wearable tech you may see on the street today. In 1907, the pigeon camera was introduced, and, yes, it involved an actual pigeon. This tech was not very useful to the everyday person, but it found significant use during the First World War. Later in the century, Hugo Gernsback brought the television-lover TV Glasses in 1963. The device was simply a smaller screen that strapped directly onto the face of the viewer to make television portable, looking much like today's virtual reality glasses. The Pulsar calculator watch debuted in 1975, followed by the Nelsonic Space Attacker gaming watch in 1984.

Although short-lived, both were very sophisticated devices for the time. The 1990s rounded out this page 41 | Wearable Technology

century with the Sneaker Phone. Originally intended as a unique promotional item for Sports Illustrated magazine, the device was functional and evolved into a unique piece of wearable technology.

The 21st century has been witness to an immense influx of wearable tech and has paved the way for the familiar wearable tech of today. In 2002, the first Bluetooth headset was introduced, followed by the Nike and Apple fitness tracking kit collaboration in 2006. Fitbit joined the fitness tracking game in 2009, and the 10,000 step movement forever transformed the world. By 2013, fitness trackers were not only tracking steps and activity, but had advanced to monitoring heart rate, sleep patterns, and even UV exposure from the sun. In 2015, the world took a collective breath as Apple upped the wearable technology game with the Apple Watch. Not only could this watch track steps, indicate fitness level, text, take phone calls, and provide the most accurate EKG reading outside of the doctor's office, it could indeed tell the time. The Apple Watch is a long way from the Nuremberg Egg, yet it is strikingly similar in two ways: both tell time and became status symbols of their day.

Types of Wearable Technology Today, there are roughly four main types of wearable technology:

1. Smart Watches 2. Smart Clothing 3. Fitness Trackers 4. Wearable Medical Devices Smartwatches are everywhere and worn by everyone these days. A person can find a smartwatch with many functions above and beyond telling the time. It all depends on what the wearer is looking for in terms of technology. Top names in the smartwatch industry include Apple, Samsung, and Garmin. Smart clothing ranges from skirts with built-in LEDs to jackets with heaters installed directly into the fabric. Wearable tech page 42 | Wearable Technology

is a massive part of the maker movement, and you can see many examples on display at local maker faires. Easy access to electronic components, boards, kits, and education have made wearable tech very attainable for individuals with no traditional training in electronics or computer programming.

Fitness trackers have been around for well over a decade and are a straightforward piece of the wearable landscape at this point. Fitness trackers have varying degrees in technology from basic steps tracker to heart rate monitoring. Wearable medical devices take the Healthcare aspect of the fitness trackers up a level.

Wearable EKG monitors, blood pressure monitors, and biosensors all fall into this category. Wearable tech in medicine has brought convenience and saved both patients and medical facilities money. Traditionally, if a patient needed a heart monitor, that would include being tethered to a machine in the hospital. Adding wearable technology to this process allows the patient to get the monitoring they need in the comfort of their own home.

Wearable Technology has come a long way from those

As the Internet of Things continues to expand, smart technology will push wearable tech to new levels very first pairs of glasses. What was mere fantasy centuries ago is now commonplace. The future of wearable technology will continue to embrace convenience, adaptability, affordability, health, and

service. Smartwatches and medical devices will continue to advance and become smaller and more invisible.

Devices will become more integrated with the body rather than worn on the body. As the Internet of Things continues to expand, smart technology will push wearable tech to new levels.

Make a Wearable Project Wearable technology is a fun way to be introduced to electronics and STEM. Education resources addressing all skill levels can be found in various forms on company websites such as Adafruit, Sparkfun, Make Magazine, Raspberry Pi, and Digi-Key Electronics.

The project in the DIY section of this magazine is a great introduction to creating your own wearable tech! It can be found in its entirety in the Adafruit Learning System on Adafruit.com, along with 200+ fantastic wearable tech projects - from beginner to advanced - that can all be done at home.Â

BY: ASYIA TORRES

page 43 | Wearable Technology

ien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Sh

ng Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu

Chien-Shiung Wu

-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiun Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chie

iung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung W

ien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Sh

ng Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu

Historical Figure

ien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Sh

Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu

BY: ABIGAIL JOHNSON

To this day, scientists around the world admire and respect Chien-Shiung Wu, a brilliant physicist dubbed “the Queen of Nuclear Research.” Born in 1912 in Liuhe, China, Wu was likely one of only a few girls in her small town who had the opportunity to pursue higher education. With the support of her parents, Wu excelled in school and earned a physics degree from National Central University in Nanking. After working as a research assistant in China, Wu moved to the United States, where she would go on to earn her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. However, after Japan invaded China in the leadup to World War II, Wu learned that she would be unable to return to China, and she sadly never got to see her parents again.

PC: Wikimedia Commons

page 44 | Historical Figures: Chien-Shiung Wu

Due to the racist and discriminatory attitudes towards Asian Americans in the 1940s, it became difficult for Wu to find a position in academia in California, even though she’d built up a reputation for herself as an expert in nuclear physics. She and her husband moved to the East Coast, where Wu was able to secure a teaching position at Smith College in Massachusetts and another position later at Princeton University in New Jersey.

However, Wu was unsatisfied with her career in teaching, knowing that she had a passion for research. She yearned to discover more about beta decay and the physics of nuclear particles. In 1944, Columbia University offered her a research position, and Wu agreed to take on the project that would become her highest career achievement.

Wu was a brilliant scientist who made great strides for women interested in physics. As a woman in a STEM field, she was able to conquer obstacles and take positions in academia that women had never acquired before. Wu never let her gender or nationality hold her back from getting the education she wanted and following her dreams. On the topic of how her gender affected her work, Wu declared, “I wonder whether the tiny atoms and nuclei, or the mathematical symbols, or the DNA molecules have any preference for either masculine or feminine treatment.” Wu’s story has not only enabled more women to pursue education and careers in STEM but has also shown that it’s possible to achieve the largest of dreams, even when working with the smallest of particles.

PC: Picryl

She was assigned to work within the Substitute Alloy Materials Laboratories under the Manhattan Project.

Here, she worked on separating uranium metals into isotopes uranium-235 and uranium-238, the dangerous atoms that made up the atomic bombs used in World War II. Wu’s specialization in the decay of beta particles is what led to her position at Columbia University. Not much was known about particle decay at this time, so many physicists approached her asking if she would conduct various types of experiments on these particles.

One of Wu’s significant achievements was helping disprove the Law of Parity, the idea that all particles behaved the same way. The two physicists she worked with, Lee and Yang, would go on to win the Nobel Prize for this achievement in 1957 but, they did not mention her contributions in their success.

While Wu was not acknowledged with the Nobel Prize, she would go on to win the National Medal of Science and many other awards. In 1958, she became the first woman at Princeton University to achieve an honorary doctorate.

In 1978, Wu also was awarded the Wolf Prize in Physics, one of the most prestigious honors in the field, for her work.

PC: Wikimedia Commons

page 45 | Historical Figures: Chien-Shiung Wu

AMAZON SMILE ENIZAGAM RUO YUB

SUPPORT REINVENTED MAGAZINE GIFT MATCH

GIVE BACK TODAY

Reinvented Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Visit our website www.reinventedmagazine.com to learn more.

DONATE TODAY

FASHION

REINVENTEDx alpha FASHION AND FUNDRAISING

BY: AYSIA TORRES

WHO IS ALPHA? Alpha, a social-impact driven and environmentally conscious STEMinist and maker fashion brand, is unique, both because of their edgy and fun 3-D printed designs and because of their propensity to give back to the STEM community. Founder Karina Popovich created Alpha to break down gender stereotypes and diversify science and technology fields. She wanted to redefine what it means to be a woman in STEM, which is traditionally considered to be a more “masculine” field. In their latest clothing line, Karina was inspired to celebrate different types of makers: engineers, inventors, techies, artists, and more.

“Right now, we’re Wear Alpha, but initially we were alphabrand.co, and at that point, our mission was to empower women in STEM by creating clothing that allowed them to embrace their femininity. I realized there were a lot of things that were missing. That I could be doing better. First off was giving back to the very organizations that have cultivated the STEM movement,” Karina said.

THE MAKER COLLECTION Wanting to do more to promote diversity and fundraising, Karina created the Maker Collection. This 3D printed streetwear line is minimalist in its design—each article of clothing from the collection features only the word “Maker” with an intersecting wrench and screwdriver. The collection includes tees, crop tops, and hoodies in nude and black. The Maker Collection is not only fashionable, it’s also charitable. Alpha uses the revenue from this line to give back to their partners. $7 from every Maker hoodie purchased is donated to likeminded STEM organizations as part of Alpha’s Female Founders initiative. page 48 | Reinvented x Alpha: Fashion and Fundraising

FEMALE FOUNDERS The Female Founders initiative helps fund small femalerun organizations that, like Alpha, want to diversify STEM fields and empower young women. Currently, Alpha partners not only with Reinvented, but also GirlTechBoss and Girl Genius Magazine. When Alpha chooses an organization to partner with as part of this initiative, they do not check whether the organization is a nonprofit or what their legal and financial statuses are.

Alpha doesn’t believe that such statuses should prevent an organization from receiving needed funding.

“In March, Reinvented Magazine partnered with Alpha to support Alpha’s Female Founders Initiative and Reinvented’s One-for-One Program, through which Reinvented sends print issues of the magazine to girls in low-income and underserved areas. The partnership will now allow Reinvented to donate 75 “STEMinist” shirts along with print issues of the magazine to girls through the One-for-One program.

be a steminist.

What is STEMinism?

Playing off the word feminism, STEMinism is a social movement that advocates for breaking gender barriers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. page 49 | Reinvented x Alpha: Fashion and Fundraising

Alpha’s Female Founders Initiative is all about giving back, and one of the ways they accomplish this is through an apparel line. Each organization that partners with Alpha through this initiative is given the opportunity to work with Alpha to design their very own STEM-inspired clothing to raise funds for their causes. Currently, Reinvented’s Creative staff and Alpha are collaborating on a STEM-oriented streetwear fashion line that consists of two tees and a hoodie. All of the profits will go toward helping Reinvented advance our mission of empowering women to pursue their STEM-related aspirations. Alpha and Reinvented’s creative staff have come together to form a group of talented women collaborating to inspire other women to innovate.

“I am looking forward to these awesome designs being worn by women all around the world who identify with our empowering messages and get motivated to be curious, creative, innovative, and brave” — Maria Fernanda Sagastume

Reinvented is expecting to launch our new clothing line in late July, so be sure to keep an eye on our social media pages and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to order when they become available. In the meantime, you can check out Alpha’s Maker collection on their website at https://www.wearalpha.shop/.

Reinvented Magazine Creative Team:

page 50 | Reinvented x Alpha: Fashion and Fundraising

DIY: BY: KATHY CECERI @kathyceceri

No-Sew LED Wristband The classic light-up LED felt wristband project is a great way for beginners to learn about switches. To turn it on, you connect the ends into a loop that closes the circuit.

Traditionally, the fastener is a metal snap connected to the battery and LED with conductive thread. But learning to work with conductive thread can take time, even for those who already know how to sew. Peel-andstick conductive fabric tape to the rescue! This no-sew version is quick and kid-friendly. It's also inexpensive enough to do with an entire class, because the battery holder is part of the fabric closure.

Playing Playing with with LED LED Options Options Since this project is so simple, you might want to try it with different types of LEDs for different effects.

You can even add more than one light to the parallel circuit — as long as they are all the same kind of LED. Included directions are for standard LEDs. You can find instructions to add Chibitronics Circuit Stickers and Adafruit Sequins to add some flare to the wrist band, as well as the full project in detail, on the Adafruit website at the link below. https://learn.adafruit.com/Learn-SoftCircuits-No-Sew-LED-Wristband. page 51 | DIY: No-Sew LED Wristband

Here are a few more things to keep in mind: If you want to use different color standard LEDs together, give them the "throwie" test first. (A throwie is the simplest kind of LED circuit -- just a light and a battery.) Take the LEDs and slide them over the edge of the coin battery. Make sure the positive lead (usually the longer one) for each LED is on the positive side of the battery (marked with a "+"). If they all light up, you're good. In some color combinations, a few LEDs may look a bit dimmer, but still work. With other combinations, one or more LEDs may not work at all. For the example here, I used flashing LEDs for extra pizzazz.

Suggested Parts List Electronics 1 x Conductive Nylon Fabric Tape - 5mm Wide x 10 meters long 1 x Diffused 5mm Fast Flashing RGB LED 1 x Diffused 5mm Slow Fade Flashing RGB LED 1 x CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Battery 1 x 3M Z-Axis Conductive

Household and Crafts Supplies Adhesive dots Electrical tape Extra scraps of felt for decoration Strip of felt about 2 inches wide and long enough to fit loosely around your wrist, adding about 1.5 in of overlap A strip of peel-and-stick felt the same size

For each wristband, you'll need some conductive fabric tape, a 3-volt coin battery like the CR2032, and one or more LEDs (all of the same variety). I also recommend Z-axis conductive tape for holding the battery on when the wristband is open and for attaching Adafruit LED Sequins.

Step 1: Make the Felt Wristband

The felt is doubled (making two layers) by attaching another layer of felt, using peel-and-stick felt or iron-on adhesive. page 52 | DIY: No-Sew LED Wristband

Step 2: Make the Battery Holder Slits in the felt will hold the battery in place.

Position the battery Draw lines across the top and about 0.5 inch from one bottom of the circle. You will end and trace around it. cut along these lines to make slits to hold the battery.

To cut the lines, fold the end of the felt band down so the circle is folded in half.

Carefully cut each line.

Insert the battery into the slits to make sure it fits.

Adjust the slits if needed.

Then remove the battery

Step 3: Cut Tabs to Close the Wristband Two tabs fit into the slots over the battery to close the circuit and hold the ends of the wristband together.

About 1/2 inch in from the other end of the wristband, draw a line about 1/2 inch long. Do the same on the other side You have just made tabs that fit into the slits that hold the battery.

Re-insert the battery into the slits.

Pull the tabs tight. This is how Curve the ends of the wristband together you will close the wristband when so the tabs overlap the slits. Slide each it is done. For now, remove the tab into the slit on the corresponding battery again so you can add the side — right over the battery. circuit lines, known as traces.

Build the Soft Circuit Some Quick LED and Circuit Basics Time to build the circuit and add the LED(s)! Keep these things in mind as you go: A circuit is a path for electricity to travel along. The current will only flow when the circuit is closed, meaning the path goes all the way from the positive side of the battery (marked with a "+") to the negative side without a break.

That's why the LED will only turn on when the wristband circuit is closed. Since you will insert the battery with the positive side facing up, the top piece of tape — which wraps around to connect to the top of the battery -- is the positive trace. The bottom piece of tape — which is touching the negative side of the battery -- is the negative trace. By running the positive and negative traces in parallel lines next to each other, you can create a parallel circuit. In a parallel circuit, every LED is connected directly to the battery.

This allows you to run several LEDs off of one 3- volt battery. Like other kinds of components, LEDs have a positive and negative side. In addition, LEDs have polarity, which means they only work when the positive side is connected to the positive side of the battery, and the negative side is connected to the negative side. Make sure you connect your LEDs in the right direction! Avoid creating a short circuit, an accidental connection between two parts of the circuit. Make sure the positive and negative traces cannot touch unless you close the circuit Never close the circuit with only a battery connected to it. If there is no LED, you will short-circuit the battery, causing it to heat up and burn out quickly. A hot battery can be a fire hazard. To protect the battery from a short circuit, cover the ends with electrical tape as shown on the Add the Battery page. page 53 | DIY: No-Sew LED Wristband

Step 4: Create the Traces with Tape

Tip: To attach the tape neatly, peel off just a little of the backing paper to start. Press the adhesive securely onto the felt. Then keep peeling the paper off slowly you press the rest of the tape onto the felt.

For the first trace, take a strip of conductive tape at least half as long as the felt band. Lay it out above the bottom slit so it goes across the spot where the battery fits and ends past the middle of the felt.

For the second trace, take another strip of conductive tape long enough to go from about the middle of the band to the other end and over onto the back for about 1 inch.

Be sure to leave a gap of about 1/4 inch between the two pieces of tape!

Connect the LEDs Each type of LED gets attached a little differently, and some need a bit of advance prep.

Here's how to connect each type to the circuit: You can test your LEDs by inserting the battery and BRIEFLY touching the other end of the band to the top, just long enough to see if the LEDs light up. Don't close the wristband for more than a second or two until you protect the battery as described on the Add the Battery page

Step 5: Standard LEDs

As you saw if you performed the throwie test, the longer wire on a standard LED is usually the positive lead. The side of the LED bulb near the negative lead also usually has a flat spot.

Bend the legs of the LED out to either side. (A pair of needle nose pliers can help.) Then bend one lead facing front and one facing back. If they are very long, you can bend them in half again.

Place the LED so the positive lead is sitting on the positive trace and the negative lead is sitting on the negative trace. Attach each lead to the trace using additional pieces of conductive tape, pressing firmly.

With the LED(s) connected to your circuit, your wristband is almost finished! There are just a couple more steps to go: protect the battery from an accidental short circuit make sure the battery makes a good connection with the leads. As I discovered when creating this guide, the felt of the wristband is soft enough to sometimes allow the conductive fabric tape to bend around the battery enough for the positive and negative sides to connect -- causing a short circuit that can make the battery heat up, burn out, and possible start a fire. Here's how to make sure that doesn't happen. page 54 | DIY: No-Sew LED Wristband

Step 6: Protect the Battery To make sure the battery makes good contact with the conductive fabric tape, and to keep the battery in place even when the wristband and the circuit are open, use a piece of the Z-axis tape.

Cut a short strip of electrical tape and fold it over one end of the battery. Make sure it covers both the front and the back.

Pinch the excess tape tightly around the edge of the battery. Then trim the extra off. Repeat with the opposite end of the battery. Make sure to leave the middle of the battery uncovered so it can touch the conductive fabric tape traces.

Step 7: Connect the Battery Cut a piece of Z-axis tape to fit on the battery between the slits. Peel the paper off one side and press it firmly onto the felt. Then insert the battery into the slits, pressing it firmly onto the adhesive.

Make sure to orient the battery so that the electrical tape is on the left and right sides.

Step 8: Dress It Up!

To make your wristband even more awesome, decorate it with additional shapes cut out of felt. Create a cool design that draws attention to your lights!

You can also add decorative felt pieces to a standard LED. Just cut a small hole in the center of the felt piece and slip it right over the LED bulb. If the bulb is tall enough, you can layer two or more felt shapes over it.

Troubleshooting and Maintenance Here are some tips for wearing your wristband:

If the LEDs don't light, make sure the lights and the battery are making good connections with the conductive fabric tape traces. If you accidentally put the LEDs wrong side up, just flip the battery over in the holder. (But remember none of the LEDs will light up unless they are all facing the same way!) You may find it easier to close the wristband first and then slip it over your hand. Tighten the tabs again after you put it on to make sure the traces are still touching the battery. Open the wristband to turn off the lights when you are not wearing it. Leaving the LEDs on overnight may drain the battery. When you need to replace the battery, just prepare a new battery as described on the Add the Battery page. Peel the old battery off the Z-axis tape and attach the new battery the same way.

Now wear your wristband with pride. It's proof you know how to make an electrical circuit! page 55 | DIY: No-Sew LED Wristband

building the

FUTURE BY: ABIGAIL JOHNSON

page 56 | Building The Future

P.S. HI MOM!

One of the goals of Reinvented Magazine is to help build a future where young women feel empowered and confident to pursue their interests in STEM — so why not literally build the future with some LEGO® pieces?

On March 7th, to celebrate International Women’s Day, Reinvented hosted its first annual LEGO® Minifigure Build-A-Thon in Melbourne, Florida! About 300 people stopped by to celebrate STEM and support Reinvented’s cause of inspiring more young women to become involved with STEM. The main event was a contest of five teams, each tasked with creating a display of a future city of women working together to succeed in STEM. Each team built 1000 female LEGO® minifigures on a city platform, created a plan for how their city would operate, and developed an explanation of why it was important for women to continue pursuing STEM fields. Participants at the event could help the teams by assembling female minifigures of their choice, ranging from doctors to explorers or astronauts, and then incorporating the figures into the team’s homemade displays. At the stop time of the competition, a panel of judges evaluated each display based on its creativity, presentation, theme, design, and execution. The Eau Gallie STEM Girls took the win of the competition with a display complete with a moving train built out of LEGO® pieces that carried mini-figures throughout the city on 3-D-printed train tracks. Overall, the participants assembled and displayed 5,000 mini-figures on their platforms, a testament to the dedication and successful teamwork of all involved with the Build-AThon. The Build-A-Thon also hosted many exhibits that provided activities, mini-experiments, and even merchandise for participants to bring home. Using basic materials, attendants were able to learn concepts such as propulsion, energy, electronics, and physics. At the different booths, attendees could learn how to build a balloon-powered vehicle and get it to move farther using different materials and physics principles, build complete circuits using batteries, weave together bracelets based on computer binary code, and more.Reinvented Magazine would like to thank all of its sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, and participants for making the event a success and supporting our goal of promoting women in STEM. page 57 | Building The Future

OPPORTUNITY n o C l r i G k e Ge k 2020 WEHac

attle, WA Where: Se s vat1Dsatll, a2s020 xao TeN f o y it rs t e s 1 iv 3 n U t : ren: Oc male Whhee W a0t gives fe th o5n 2 ti 0 2 n , e v n o to 4 c l y ri Ap portunity s Woh-dean: su What: Tw ers the op nization rt o p p their ctsh aonrgdafandom, and te n e v geeks and male-d c ri fa re a femunity, sh ro,le ery tha 24o-f om o-te a c’s Whbaut:ildUTD m in ro b p n lp o e n h , n le a cll fema ups in ety a thrs wfi heoir sented gro n atrnth re le p e rr e n d e pres omen and other un goal ispetoopcle reatotegeather w ng ir ri e b Th o . ls n a o e redater gn ea ure. W th in hougrehekacckualtth nts e ts v e h g d li n h a edeia lom cvia nt tha alotthoigf fun doing this, so nm gh ir rosuiv n th e e a lu h c ntsme e in Seattle area. W ve n-binalsary leeso stu ckd o ta to o n id d a n fr a a n n’t ere ea uality. emapltohwoeursghwwom geyn.der eq to d te la re g s nolo topic seriousth rough techg om/ ono.c lc ir k e m e g / .c httkp: sh:/ ehackutd Lin ttp://w

2020 Tap ia Conferen ce

Where: V irtual When: Se p t ember 16 What: Th th - 19th, e goal of the Tapia 2020 togethe Con

r underg ferences raduate is to brin faculty, re a n g d graduate searchers s , tu a n dents, d profess from all b ionals in ackgroun computi ds and e diversity ng thnicitie , connect s to celebrate with oth make ne e rs , obtain a w contac dvice an ts, and b presenta d e inspire tions and d b y great conversa tions wit http://tap h leaders . iaco

nference .org/

2020 Gr ace Hop per Celebra tion

Where: Virtual When: E n d of Septe What: G mber, 2 race Ho p per Cele 020 largest b

ration is gatherin the wor g of wom produce ld’s e n technolo d by An gists. It partners itaB.org is and pre hip with sented in ACM. G HC 20 w end of S ill be he eptemb ld at the er 2020 . https

://ghc.an itab.org /

on GenZ Girl C

tual Where: Vir - 12th, 2020 h t 1 1 ly u J : When d from a was forme

e Z Girl Con and Girl, th What: Gen enZ Writes G n e g e in tw im e b ns a partnership organizatio n ru tn e f d o es oth stu share stori Podcast: b voices and th u o his y T r . e e lob to empow cross the g a m o ll fr rs e a k lists, s we changema dent pane u st re tu . a e will fe ss the glob conference s, from acro e v ti u c e x e as women ixsite.com/

zgirlcon.w https://gen website

BOARD ls DreamGir y Dream Da

wton, NJ Where: Ne 6th, 2020 2 r e b m e t s When: Sepays are interactive workshaonpts to a

ip am D hool partic What: Dre middle sc e c u y, up to six d a o D tr to in Dream h c a e t designed A . ers nds-on STEM care onduct ha c s p u ro variety of g ity s used or univers or activitie s le ip c n ri corporate g the p ighlightin their job. activities h everyday in /

iative.com it in ls ir g m a https://dre ys dream-da

WE20 Where: New O rleans, LA When: Novem ber 5th - 7th, 2 What: WE20 is 020 the Society of

Women Engine (SWE) annual ers’ event, one of th e largest gather of women in ST ings EM worldwide.

Attendees w the opportuni ill have ty to attend un iq ue speaker se network with ssions, other incredib le female engi and executives neers , and attend th eir career fair. htt

ps://we20.swe .org/

The Cod eHers Collecti ve

Where: Virtual When: J une - Au What: W gust 20 ant to le arn how 20 Co

llective to code is offerin ? The Co g free co deHers by girls! ding les Lessons s o n s w fo il l cover a includin r girls, g Pytho variety o n, HTML f t o will be t p ics, /CSS, an aught th d Scratc r o u g h h live vid student , and s aged 1 eo confe 3 to 18 a r e n c e s. All re welco https://t me to a t tend! inyurl.c

om/cod ehers

en m o W er W ond ts n e v E l ua t r i V h Tec ual

: Virt Where 2020 r t u o h g ne : Throu OVID-19, our paortsting n e h W h oC onse t will be

T) der In resp emain h (WW r c e e T h What: t n e out nts er Wom nts through on eve s r Wond e e p v e l e the in heir website l virtua replac severa o t out t r a e y Check . e of the v a h e. / sually n mor they u to lear h.com

entec m o w r e /wond / : s p t t h

Ask Gloria Gloria Kimbwala is CEO and founder of Shule, a startup that tokenizes international experiential learning systems in decentralized education. Previously to venturing out on her own, she was Square's University Tech Evangelist where she focused on helping connect people to the tools, programs, and support they need to enter the technology industry. This includes leading programs such as Square's Code Camps, an immersion program that supports college women in pursuing careers in technology. She was recently named on the Top Ten Women in Fintech by Fintech Ranking. Her non-traditional path into technology includes a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and a Master's degree in Computer Science. Gloria is the Technical Advisor on the Society of Women Coder's (SOWCoder's) Board which brings technical skills to women across the globe. In her spare time, you can find her coding with her sons, doing yoga, and playing the drums.

How do I navigate romance and relationships while in a gender-biased field? I'm a woman engineering student and I've been having difficulty recently regarding this topic. As a college student I am looking for a relationship but it's so hard to separate my dating life and my academic with the men on my project teams. Even more difficult, is when the men I work with can't separate this either. Too often, as a way of flirting, men on my teams will give me favoritism over the men on our team. This isn't ideal, because I feel like I didn't earn my success in our project and worse, because sometimes it feels like they expect something in return for their priority treatment.

This is a great question! In every relationship it is important to have clear boundaries, especially for yourself. When needed I like to reestablish those boundaries with the people who need a reminder. Sometimes I need to use a statement like, “Just so we are all clear,...”, or “Why was I chosen for this role?” Your success or failure on a project is usually a reflection of the hard work you put into a project. If you ever feel like someone wants something from you in return in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable make sure to tell someone either your lead, your boss, a work ally, or HR. You should not feel like you need to accept harassment in order to do your job. I would also advocate for clear transparent guidelines on project assignments, promotions, and job levels. That way everyone is clear on what it takes to advance and peoples advancements are clearly tied to their accomplishments. If you are in an environment where someone accuses you of only advancing based on your gender I would remind them about the work you put into the project and that assignments are based on work and ability to complete the job. As far as dating in the workplace, I would check with HR to see what their rules are. I usually like to not date someone on my team because I don’t like my personal business to bleed into my workspace. I worked at the same employer with my partner for many years and it does come with its own set of pros and cons. Mainly keep in mind that if the company has layoffs or volatility it will affect both of you. It can also be tricky if there is a breakup. But on the positive side, it is nice to have someone to share lunch with or has the same work events. At the end of the day the boundaries at work come down to personal preference and what is ethically allowed by HR.

How do you balance your career and your social life?

This question comes up a lot. One thing to remember about balance is that it is very rarely 50/50. In fact it's less of a question of balance and more of an understanding of the importance of prioritization. There are some days that career is the number one priority and other moments that socialization is the priority. It’s also important to have a healthy dose of both, a career helps you to be able to finance a social life and a social life allows you to decompress and be more productive in your career.

Remember, a social life doesn’t necessarily mean going out to a bar, it can also be a phone call with a friend, time in a gym, a meal together, playing a game with friends or going to a religious meeting. If you do get to a point where your social engagements start to impact your professional life it might be beneficial to scale back a little and reevaluate which engagements are a priority for you. page 60 | Ask Gloria

I’m a rising freshman who is planning on studying computer science in college. I have some experience with coding but have not had a formal internship position yet. Do you have any advice on what I can do in college to prepare myself for future jobs/ internships?

The internship landscape can be difficult but I have some tips that might help. If you don't have an internship this summer you can use the time to get ahead in classes, master a tool, or work on a passion project. Next I would encourage you to participate in a hackathon, you can build a project or just go to the workshops. There is a lot of learning that happens at hackathons and it will give you additional projects to put on your resume. I would also suggest familiarizing yourself with the intern recruitment timeline. Most intern postings go up in July or August for positions the following summer. It would be beneficial to use the down time to brush up your resume and Github. You should also use that time to work on mock interviews and interview questions. There’s lots of great mock interview questions and step by step strategies to answer them on Youtube. Lastly, I would apply to the internships that are specifically designed for freshman and sophmores like Google’s Summer of Code, Twitter University and Facebook University. These are specifically designed for students that don’t have a lot of experience with coding and have not had formal internships yet.

What are some STEM programs that you would recommend for young women to take advantage of?

During this time of quarantine there are alot of discounts on learning platforms and I would encourage young women to take some of the intro courses on topics that have always interest them. If you enjoy it take another one and if you absolutely love it see if you can include it into your career or pivot into a new career. For really young girls I recommend joining Lego’s Robotic Clubs, Scouts, 4-H, Candy stripers ,Rails Girls, Black Girls Code, Girls Who Code or volunteering at your local hospital. Take advantage of the books about women in STEM careers, take tours of local companies in the field that you want to work in or reach out to a woman in the role you want to do and ask them questions about the position. You can also take courses at the local community college or watch channels on youtube that you are interested in. Join a meetup locally to learn more about specific topics. There are a lot of resources out there and you might have to try a couple until you find something that you like and enjoy but always follow your passion. You might be the only woman in the room but you definitely belong in the room. Your perspective and insight will help with advancements in the field of study that might not be recognized if someone from your background had not showed up. Show up, do your best, follow your heart and be a trailblazer!

I’m going to be studying computer science in a university that’s notorious for having a student body that’s predominantly male, especially in the computer science department. I’m nervous about not fitting in and not being taken seriously because some of my male peers are more experienced than me. What should I do?

This is unfortunately very common in the computer science world, my advice to you whether you are in a male dominated classroom, workplace, or meeting is generally the same. First, know your worth. You belong in the space and earn it just as much as the person next to you and don’t allow anyone to make you feel any different. Everyone is in the same class and they are there to learn, you are exactly where you need to be to grow. Always ask questions, most of the time others have the same question but are scared to ask. Asking questions shows a growth mindset and it is not a reflection of your intelligence. Second, find an ally!Don’t take on the fight alone. Join a tech club for minority groups like Society of Women Engineers (SWE), National Center for Women & Information Technology(NCWIT), SHE++, Women Who Code, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Ladies Storm Hackathons, Out in Tech, Lesbians in Tech, etc. If there is not a group at your school or workplace talk to the dean or HR about starting one. One of the advantages majority groups have is they can study in like groups and have a network to reach out to. This is not necessarily readily available in communities where they are the only so reaching out to a great like minded audience can be helpful in growing a network and growing your career is STEM. Lastly, advocate for a code of conduct so that standards are clear and violation of those standards are also clear for everyone who is participating. Don’t feel like you are in this alone! There is a greater community here to help.

Want to ask Gloria a question?

Head to: www.reinventedmagazine.com/advice-column to submit your question today!

page 61 | Ask Gloria

Thank You Partners

To our partners who helped to make this magazine possible through their generosity and dedication to encouraging more women in stem.

page 62 | Partners

One-for-One Program Participants

These participating organizations and institutions will receive free copies of Reinvented magazine to encourage more girls to pursue and love stem.

page 63 | One-For-One Program Participants

63 | ONE-FOR-ONE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

Reinvented Inc. PO Box #236155 Cocoa, FL 32923

Issue No. 4