Reinvented Magazine Issue No. 15

Susan Martinez's TheUpsandDowns

JOURNEYINSTEM

TeamCredits

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Caeley Looney

MARKETING

CMO: Varija Mehta

Manager: Anika Garg

Manager: Samhita Mattipalli

Amelie Tran

Chantelle Faria

Shakaani Nasankar

Leah Marie Baluyot

Shamailah Haque

Anvi Kumar

DEVELOPMENT

Director: Palak Mehta

Ankita Sundar

Avantika Samanta

Qiongran Dong

Risha Bhat

Sarasi Rout

Siya Goyal

ISSN 2770-6672

CREATIVE WRITING

Officer: Aparna Rajesh

Director: Miranda Mogan

Manager: Madeline Day

Andrea Gajic

Emily Zakkak

Hanna Gabrielle Bidon

Grace Pfohl

Isabel Powell

JoCee Porter

Lavanya Sharma

Luyang Zhang

Madeleine Bloomer

Rachel Lynn Mason

Seher Allahbachayo

Selena Cao

Sophia Tang

Yashvi Patel

VOLUNTEERS

Manager: Allison Maurice

Avika Patel

Chantelle Faria

Jessica Paul

Nithya Parepally

Sindhu Sivasankar

FINANCE

Manager: Niyati Patel

PUBLISHING

Officer: Laura Peckyno

OPERATIONS

COO: Yessenia Lopez

Director: Crystal Huynh

Director: Divya Sharma

Director: Kendall Hoes

Aly Trevino

Amanda Sherman

Erika Torkildsen

Erin Mitchell

Jacleen Nardiello

Sharafa Mohammed

Shayna Weinstein

ASK GLORIA

Gloria Kimbwala

GUEST WRITERS

Courtney Thurston

Jennifer Toso

Kathy Ceceri

Sydney Kasner

CCO: Niamh Murphy

Director: Abigail Muth

Director: Megan Jacob

Manager: Abhirami Rajesh

Amy Loveless

Anna Below

Anoushka Shrivastava

Daniela Freire

Faith Lam

Jolie Miller

Maria Fernanda Sagastume

Reyna Morales Lumagui

Rimi Chakravarti

Sydney Bowler

Letter The Editor FROM

Dear Reader,

This issue is kind of different. There really isn’t any set theme this time around, but I promise that the stories we are helping share in these pages are incredible. This issue features such a diversity of individuals, perspectives, and careers, and I truly hope that each and every one of you is able to find at least one interview you can relate to.

My ultimate goal here was to overload you with empowering content because, let’s be honest, I’m not convinced that 2023 is off to a great start Over the past couple of months, I’ve watched some of my friends struggle with burnout and mental health. I haven’t been immune to whatever curse this year seems to be bringing either, since I’m currently writing this a week before an emergency surgery

Amongst these pages you’ll find interviews, sure, but you’ll also see articles that provide some advice on how to create professional and personal boundaries (and stick to them), some tips on salary negotiation so you can earn what you ’ re worth, and some thoughts on the labels and biases that individuals of marginalized genders hear and face everyday in college and into their careers.

You’ll also see that our usual ‘Everyday Changemakers’ section is a little bit different Rather than highlighting only professional women in this issue, our writers wanted to interview some really incredible students who are making waves in research – from biochemistry to robotics to oncology.

On another note, since I’m always a huge proponent of positive mental health and taking breaks when you her than when it’s convenient, I’m going at this issue is best read when: 1) you ’ ve f a warm bath, 2) tossed in your favorite bath bomb, 3) have put on a facial mask, ady to lay back and relax Once you ’ ve break out this magazine and be ready to empowering information. After the bath, p, because I can almost guarantee you eyond, - @caeleySTEMs

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Avoid

Setting Boundaries to Burnout

BY JOCEE HOLLADAY

“Burnout” may not be a new concept, but it is a new word to our vocabulary Coined just 50 years ago, the word was first used to describe how overwhelmed and overburdened healthcare workers were feeling at work. In the decades since, many people, from students to stay-at-home parents to STEM professionals, have experienced burnout.

The Mayo Clinic describes burnout as “ a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” This definition is one you likely relate to since over 89% of people have experienced burnout this past year. In a survey done by 360Learning, burnout is the number one reason women either have or are planning to quit their jobs and 25% of burnt out women are actively thinking about quitting

Burnout is a big deal, and avoiding it is essential. Causes of burnout can include a lack of control over your schedule and environment, unclear job/school expectations, a dysfunctional work environment, overworking, insufficient work-life balance, and inadequate social support. One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to set boundaries

What boundaries should you set?

We asked over 500 women in STEM to tell us about their boundaries that have helped them avoid burnout and improve their lives. The responses are summed up in these six suggestions:

If you ’ re working or attending class online, separating your relaxing time from your working time can be challenging. One trick is to physically separate these two spaces by having a designated workspace. This way, both your body and brain know to stop working (and stressing) when in bed and to focus on work when at your desk. While doing homework in bed may be tempting for a night, you should try to avoid this pattern! Your future self will thank you for the physical separation of your activities

Make time for what’s most important.

Schedule the important things first. For example, if going to the gym is important to you, schedule that event first and then fill in the remaining time with the rest of your work/school obligations. Numerous studies have shown that happy people are the most effective employees and successful students. Use this knowledge as your permission to make your happiness a priority and an essential part of your day

If working from home, always work at your desk or designated workspace.

Improve your day by time blocking.

Time blocking is the process of scheduling your day to improve productivity and keep you on task. Most methods of time blocking involve picking your most essential tasks, blocking out time to accomplish these tasks, and then blocking out dedicated time to relax throughout the day. Many successful women in STEM have used time blocking to help them improve productivity while also keeping them from overworking. You can accomplish much more during a workday with structure than a workday without structure. While simple in theory, preplanning your entire day can be challenging to get right You can start small batching related tasks together or dedicating specific work to specific days For example, Mondays could be dedicated to studying math and Thursdays to science Eventually, you can further focus your time: on Mondays you spend 1 hour studying the current topic, and 1 hour reviewing a previous topic

Stick to a schedule.

Make it clear to your coworkers, classmates, and yourself that you will only work during a set schedule For many working women, this is 9 am to 5 pm You can install software that can help you stick to your schedule by auto-declining meetings that are not in your set working/studying hours.

If you ’ re a student, keep in mind that sticking to a dedicated sleep schedule can help you get higher grades. While you may be tempted to stay up all night studying for final exams, studies show that students who got 8+ hours of sleep the night before an exam performed better on tests than those who chose to stay up studying instead.

Use your vacation time and weekends for yourself.

It can be hard to “turn off” school or work during weekends or vacations. Here are some tricks to help you leave work behind during your off hours. When on vacation, log out of your school or work email accounts and uninstall Slack and any other work-related messaging platforms. If an emergency is important enough, someone will find your phone number and call you. Take time to reset and relax away from the expectations of school and work.

Just say “no.”

Opportunities are all around us, and it’s important to take on the things that will benefit your life. But just as important as saying yes is saying no. Before you accept an “amazing opportunity”, and risk over burdening yourself, check to make sure it is the right thing (and the right time) for you Ask yourself, “Does this help me accomplish my next goal? Is this worth the work and stress? Do I have time to fully commit to it?” If you answer no to any of those questions, that might be a sign to say “ no ” to the request as well Opportunities will always be available, so be selective about any additional opportunities (aka work) you take on

While setting boundaries is a very personal process, having boundaries set ahead of time can improve your life Think of boundaries as a tool

Boundaries are:

A tool to protect yourself from overworking

A tool to improve your work-life balance.

A tool to increase productivity

Ultimately, boundaries are a tool to fight against burnout and provide you with a better, happier, and healthier life

LILYTSO-PAGES14-15

DR.NICOLECALLOWAYRANKINS-PAGES12-13

TEERUBIHANI-PAGES18-19

EVERY CHANGE DAY MAKERS

TESLAWELLS-PAGES16-17

DR. NICOLE DR. NICOLE CALLOWAY CALLOWAY RANKINS: RANKINS: Creating Change in Obstetrics

BY SYDNEY KASNER

Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins is creating waves of change within her field of medicine as an OB/GYN. She recognized that women are not being given enough of a voice throughout their pregnancy and childbirth journey and has established several unique approaches to combat this issue. She works in person with her patients at the hospital, virtually through her online childbirth class, and via streaming services in her pregnancy and birth podcast. She says, “I put the birthing person at the center of their birth experience in a way that's not done enough in our birth culture.” Along with supporting all pregnant and birthing people, she also spends time combating the particularly overwhelming disparities that exist for Black women. For Dr. Calloway Rankins, work has become synonymous with women ’ s health advocacy.

Amplifying and Empowering the Voices of Pregnant Women

To improve pregnancy experiences for all birthing people, Dr Calloway Rankins works tirelessly to educate women with evidence-based, unbiased information She says, “I’m really passionate about empowering women with information and education so that they can advocate for themselves, understand that they have a voice, and know how to use that voice when it comes to pregnancy and birth ”

Dr Calloway Rankins reaches many women through her podcast All About Pregnancy & Birth, her virtual birth education class, and in-person when working at the hospital The podcast may be the first of its kind, hosted by an OB/GYN and oriented towards pregnant women

Currently, the All About Pregnancy & Birth podcast has been downloaded over 250,000 times In order to provide resources to as many women as possible, Dr Calloway Rankins made sure to provide many free options alongside the paid services she offers For example, there are free resources available on her website www ncrcoaching com, including a birth plan course, over 80 podcast episodes, and special quick reference guides For a small fee, interested women are able to access the birth education class as well That class includes about eight hours of education modules, a closed Facebook support group, downloadable tip sheets, and more

Tuning in to All About Pregnancy & Birth will introduce the listener to all topics relating to maternal health The podcast episodes include evidence-based information presented by Dr Calloway Rankins, powerful childbirth stories, and featured special interviews Topics covered include general pregnancy topics such as managing pain in labor (episode 28), breastfeeding (episode 69), and nutrition while pregnant (episode 42) In addition to straightforward content, Dr Calloway Rankins is renowned for her pleasant voice and non-judgmental approach to discussing occasionally controversial topics

The birth education class produced by Dr. Calloway Rankins empowers women to make their own decisions about their birth and then advocate for themselves. Empowering components of her birth class include guidance on how to choose the right facility and delivery team, information about doulas, questions to ask before any intervention, and warning signs to monitor in the postpartum period.

Combating Disparities in Maternal Healthcare

Existing literature documenting disparities for Black women ’ s maternal health is well-known, and yet Black women continue to suffer significantly compared to their white counterparts. According to the peer-reviewed medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women suffer pregnancy-related deaths three to four times more frequently than white women. Black women are not protected from these complications by accomplishments like education, income, or fame. Data from the CDC shows that a Black woman with a college degree is almost twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related mortality than a white woman without a high school diploma. There are many factors contributing to these increased Black maternal health risks; however, systemic racism is the primary reason

cited within academic and medical literature.

Dr. Rankins advocates for eliminating these disparities, including via podcast episodes such as “Episode 10: Staying Safe & Alive During Pregnancy & The Postpartum Period” and “Episode 72: How Structural Racism & Implicit Bias Create Disparities in Maternal Care for Black Families.” The podcast includes coverage of medical issues that are more common in Black women and methods to prevent them if possible, such as pre-eclampsia (episode 36), gestational diabetes (episode 56), or COVID-19 (episode 58). She also stresses the importance of self-advocacy for pregnant Black women, considering their increased risk for pregnancyrelated mortality. According to Dr. Calloway Rankins, for these women, “If you don’t advocate for yourself, it can literally be life or death.”

Becoming a Healthcare Changemaker

Considering the heartbreaking prevalence of racial disparities in maternal health, it is incredibly important for all healthcare providers to work together on these issues Anyone who already works in healthcare or is interested in the field can be part of this change The biggest piece of advice from Dr Nicole Calloway Rankins is, “Be open to recognizing that you probably have some biases in place, and then change them ” It is normal to have these biases, but, if left unchecked, they can lead to negative assumptions and dangerous results She also recommends truly listening to women and encouraging them to ask questions Even if you do not work in healthcare, you are still able to tackle systemic racism by addressing your own biases

If you are passionate about making a difference in maternal health safety for Black women, consider reaching out to organizations such as the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. For those interested in following experts in the field of maternal health disparities, Dr. Calloway Rankins recommends Dr. Karen Scott at the University of California, San Francisco or Dr. Joia Crear Perry from the National Birth Equity Collaborative. Stay up-to-date on all topics related to maternal health by following Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins!

LILY TSO RisingbyLiftingOthers

BY RACHEL LYNN MASON

College is a time for growth and exploration: a time to face challenges, find interests, and gain both leadership skills and technical experience Lily Tso, mechanical engineering student at the Georgia Institute of Technology, is taking full advantage of the opportunities to learn and to help others do the same.

Tso first fell in love with engineering at an elementary school STEM Outreach Program . One particularly thrilling memory of launching a plastic straw rocket stands out to her: “[it] flew to a height of about 10 feet –not impressive – but impressive to me, who was 3 feet tall at the time” As time went on and college neared, Tso became increasingly interested in engineering, enrolling in engineering electives and even getting accepted into NASA’s Virginia Aerospace Scholars program. Getting the opportunity to engage with the applications of engineering and experience different kinds of projects she could contribute to helped Tso make thedecision to study mechanical engineering in college During high school, Tso helped design a mock NASA mission to measure the electrical composition of the Van Allen Belts: large belts of solar radiation located in the magnetosphere. When the project ended, she was inspired, wondering, “what can I do once I have a college degree?”. Inspired by the innovation at NASA and the myriad of directions her projects could take, she realized, “I was able to contribute to the aerospace community, even as a high schooler ” Her mentors helped her understand all that she could accomplish on her own, and all that she could contribute through her innovation.

These moments helped show Tso the importance of experiential learning, and she strove to continue to participate in these experiences in college, while also facilitating them for others As the President of the Invention Studio, Chair and Mentor for Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and Horizontal Caving Instructor at Outdoor Recreation Georgia Tech, Tso has centered her involvement on campus around facilitating positive growth experiences for others and contributing to positive initiatives

One of Tso’s most significant contributions is her service as President of the Georgia Tech Invention Studio. The university is well known for its experiential learning

approach, prioritizing hands-on experience through classes, research, and undergraduate internships – and one of the biggest supports to the student experience is its makerspaces, environments with trained staff and state-of-the-art technology that allow students access to the tools they need to learn to be engineers, creators, and innovators. The Invention Studio is the largest studentrun makerspace in the country. With Tso at the helm, the Invention Studio continues to provide support to students’ personal creative projects, as well as courseassociated learning experiences

When reflecting upon what forces have pushed her toward success in her own journey, Tso remembers the mentors who have guided her along the way, saying, “the biggest impact for my journey is leaders in my community giving me a hand to move up to the next rung”. Understanding the value of her own experiences as a mentee, she seeks ways to share the benefits she has received with others In every leadership role she has occupied, Tso has emphasized mentorship, “asking

people directly to connect them with ways to grow and going for the individual person ”

Despite her impressive profile, Tso, like many, has encountered imposter syndrome When Tso was selected as a Brooke Owens Fellow, a prestigious honor that recognizes outstanding young women and other gender minorities in the Aerospace Industry, she felt “intimidated by being among 50 of the best undergraduates in aerospace together in one room ” . Despite this, she has learned to see others (and herself) as more than the accomplishments plainly visible from the outside “Don’t compare yourself to others because there’s always someone doing something better,” she says, “but, despite this, everyone has something to bring to the table, even you!” It seems that this belief is what pushes her to create space and opportunities for others, while pursuing her own growth. In a world that highlights individual success, Lily Tso is a refreshing reminder of just how much we can accomplish when focused on growth over perfection, and service over competition

BRAVING NEW FRONTIERS:

Tesla Wells’ educational journey began at Ar first dipped their toes in the field of compu while discovering their true aspirations. W passion lay in the skies, so they transferred t Technology (MIT) and obtained a Bac Engineering, which further fueled their desir of robotics Currently, they are a graduate exploring the ultra-modern territories of A candidate.

In addition to their studies, Wells is a compe first moments in fencing, “I am upsettingly people and I had a crush on a human that wa of emphasis on gender in fencing made i refreshing activity for Wells, as they were added pressure of gender sorting

Fencing, it turns out, wasn’t the only in recognized their crush’s involvement in e decided to try their hand at the two subjects to get closer to their romantic interest, a exploring how to get started in these fields. B had the potential to equip them with the engineering, Wells pursued this field of stud thrived in the field and were able to lan opportunities, where they put their knowledg world problems Through those internships, understanding of the possibilities within robotics, and discovered a natural inclinatio of being challenged to solve complex problem to switch their major from Computer Scienc transfer schools.

After changing schools to pursue their passio Wells found themself moving into a dormitor at MIT would group individuals with similar i so they were not surprised to find themselves housing with a large number of intelligent qu Wells was inspired by the character of Naom The Expanse, who displayed both technical ex and strong interpersonal skills.

Similar to Wells, their identity had been hig and queer identity Despite the underrep scientists in the media, Wells was pleasantly like-minded individuals in this space They so

TESLA WELLS' PH.D. EXPEDITION IN AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS

individual in the dormitory brought unique values and made it a vibrant community As someone who enjoyed building intrapersonal connections,Wells found that this environment complemented their need to collaborate and work with others to make a positive impact on the community.

Due to their clear concern for their community's well being, Wells was elected and served as the president of their dormitory during their sophomore year at MIT

When thinking about their time at MIT, they realize that,”so much of what [they] learned came through advocacy, student government, as opposed to being in classroom.” They took their role as president , and made a consistent effort to ensure that nd concerns of all members were heard.

Currently, Wells is participating in a co-op, a cooperative community that combines the advantages of home ownership along with community loving While living in this cooperative community, Wells continues to balance between classroom learning and real-world industry experience in addition to living with adults with similar goals and aspirations as themself. Wells mentions that the co-op program aligns well with their personal learning style. They have a genuine affinity for acquiring knowledge through practical experiences and collaborating in team-oriented settings. From this experience, Wells learned how to “structure a group of people, how to mediate between different people, and the organic social norms and trust that come from it” This understanding was only made possible by their willingness to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with new opportunities

Wells also ponders their time in high school and seeing many opportunities offered to young “self starter” students who have “potential”. To Wells, the word ”potential” translates to “passion”. However, they want you to know that “it is okay to seek out opportunities simply because you ' re curious and think that curiosity could grow into something more ” They encourage individuals to not be afraid of trying new things and follow their interests, as they may lead to unexpected and fulfilling passions

Teeru Bihani Cancer’sWorst Enemy:

BY ISABEL POWELL

Teeru Bihani, most recently the Vice President of Translational Medicine at a startup oncology biotech company, is a passionate, comedic, ambitious, and empathetic cancer drug developer with an unbelievable talent for jewelry making. When she’s not designing and crafting beautiful necklaces or earrings, Bihani works in translational medicine, the intersection of preclinical and clinical research This area of research investigates the underlying mechanisms of treatment effects in relevant biological model systems and applies these learnings to treat human disease. Bihani specifically researches the molecular drivers of disease and uses these findings to inform oncology drug development.

Bihani was interested in oncology research and drug development at an early age. As soon as she learned of the word “ cancer ” and saw how it affected the lives of those close to her, she was driven to fight it, referring to her work as “the biggest honor and passion of [her] life ” Cancer and chemotherapy treatments can be both physically and emotionally taxing to patients, and Bihani works to develop new targeted treatment options that are aimed at both extending life and increasing quality of life. Impressively, she was a part of the team that worked on the development of a breast cancer drug that demonstrated positive results in a Phase 3 clinical trial and was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Reaching this professional stage, a stage in which Bihani could feel the impact her work might have on breast cancer patients, was worth all of the hard work and difficulties along the way.

Throughout her journey, Bihani was no stranger to feelings of imposter syndrome She rose quickly in the biotechnology industry, leaving her occasionally feeling unqualified or undeserving of her progress. However, she was not alone in these feelings – many in positions above and below her experienced similar feelings of inadequacy or uncertainty. Bihani attributes these nearly universal feelings to psychological tendencies: we often fixate on the small number of skills we don’t have or facts we don’t know rather than admiring the high quantity and quality of skills and knowledge we do have. By reminding ourselves of our talents and worth, along with our consistent ability to learn and grow, Bihani believes

anyone can overcome imposter syndrome and other anxieties: “There will always be things I do not know or more years of experience that I do not yet have, but I have to remember that this doesn’t make me an imposter. It makes me a forever student, ready, willing, and able to learn There is a difference between not knowing something and not being able to know something ”

Even prior to entering the biotechnology industry, Bihani faced similar difficulties. Like many students, Bihani found undergraduate and graduate education in a STEM field to be overwhelming and intellectually challenging. Reminding herself of her purpose and personal dedication to the field helped push Bihani through her challenges She advises students to “remember that it is okay to take a break when things are tough Sometimes stepping back, refreshing, and recharging can help you more in the long run than going full speed with no breaks. Taking time can often save you time.” Additionally, turning to a mentor or a trusted colleague can make a huge difference. In Bihani’s case, her principal investigator (PI) in graduate school served as a mentor for her, helping to build up her confidence while supporting her in her journey to become a research scientist A successful mentor will “foster your career, understand your aspirations, and help support getting you there.”

In the midst of her professional development, Bihani turns to creative outlets as well. Growing up, Bihani was

only allowed to watch television if she was doing something productive, so she helped her mother make jewelry for her store. Years later, Bihani transformed this skill into a side hustle and began teaching evening jewelry classes and selling her artwork at craft fairs She now donates a portion of her proceeds to a different cancer organization each month Bihani’s passion for supporting cancer patients is present in all aspects of her life. Check out her amazing jewelry here:

A vibrant combination of creativity, strength, and determination, Bihani demonstrates the true power of hard work and resilience. Bihani reminds us to accept every part of ourselves, from our proudest achievements to our most pervasive doubts. Only by acknowledging our weaknesses and believing in our strengths can we expect to grow and change the world for the better.

Labels

and Biases

BY

“If you want to insult a woman, call her a prostitute. If you want to insult a man, call him a woman.”

- Amanda Montell, Wordslut

JOCEE HOLLADAY

WHEN YOU READ THE PHRASE: "THEY WERE ACTING HYSTERICAL"

what image comes to mind? You likely pictured an emotional woman. Don’t worry, you ’ re not alone – studies of how modern language is spoken found that people use the word “hysterical” to describe women 3.5 times more often than they use it to describe men. Today, the official definition for “hysterical” is “deriving from or affected by uncontrolled extreme emotion ” Used in the wild, it is often a descriptor of someone (likely a girl or woman) who is acting extremely emotional or crazy This is not a coincidence The history of the word “hysterical”, like many words, is a misogynistic one

Beginning in Ancient Greece, “hysterical” wasn’t just a descriptor, but an actual medical diagnosis. Physicians believed that a woman ’ s uterus could literally wander throughout her body. When the uterus wasn’t in its proper spot, it caused medical issues – “hysteria” The term is derived from the Greek word “hystericus”, which directly translates to “of the womb” This belief in a “wandering uterus” lasted for centuries, following us into the early

1900s, where many women with various different symptoms were diagnosed as “hysterical” In 1880, American physician George Miller Beard compiled a list of “hysteria” symptoms that was over 75 pages long (and deemed incomplete) The symptoms of “hysteria” included normal medical symptoms like headaches, back pain, and loss of appetite, as well as more outlandish (and slightly sexist) symptoms such as writing cramps (from writing too much), aging, hot flashes, and even being a suffragette Since hysteria was caused by a “wandering uterus”, one of the “ cures ” was to remove the uterus entirely

a procedure that is still called a hysterectomy to this day

Physicians now understand that a uterus doesn’t cause extreme emotions, and hysterectomies are not a cure for craziness Yet the word “hysterical” is still common in people’s vocabularies and is disproportionately used to

describe women. This is just one example of how the biases against women are manifested through the labels we use.

It is hard to overstate just how rooted gender is within our language. Even though English is unlike other Romantic languages in that all of its nouns are not gendered, there are still implicit genders in many English words.

Many languages have gendered words. For example, in Spanish la felicidad – happiness is feminine. el rojo – red is a masculine word. Some words even change meaning all together depending on the “gender” of the word – Like the word cura. el cura is male priest while la cura is cure. More contraversaly, some languages have gendered professions. In French, the word doctor is always masculine, even if the doctor is a woman – Le docteur but the word nurse is feminine – infirmière. It’s pretty obvious how this could contribute to gender bias in the workplace.

For example, take the word “bossy”. A 2015 survey by the Centre for Creative Leadership found that women are twice as likely as men to be labeled bossy – a descriptor that is intended to be an insult. Or, you may have noticed, if there is a group of women talking together is called gossiping, while a group of men talking together is referred to as bantering or discussing. A woman is considered aggressive, while a man doing the same thing is assertive. Unlike the labels used to describe men, the labels used to describe women are often unfavorable or even insulting, and are often used to negatively shift the way women are perceived.

Not only do frequent labels for women have negative connotations, but many words that describe women have also evolved over time to have negative definitions. Take the words buddy and sissy, for example. Both words started as abbreviations for brother and sister respectively. Now, buddy means your best friend, and sissy is an insult. Specifically, sissy is used to insult men. The same pattern appears in mistress and master. Both words started as gendered titles but in today’s age, the label mistress describes a woman having relations with a married man, and master is someone who has become very skilled at something – an expert

These biased labels we provide women have many real-life implications Not only is the nagging woman unable to have the same respect in the workplace as the critiquing man, but there are also funding disparities too In 2016, only 12% of funding from the National Science Foundation went to soft sciences, while the remaining 88% went to hard sciences

One of the reasons for the large disparity? Gender bias

The difference between hard and soft sciences has to do with how repeatable experiments are Hard sciences are able to isolate variables, and experiments can be repeated with high precision Soft sciences have variables that can’t be isolated, and therefore, experiments can’t be perfectly repeated Despite what the names imply, both types of sciences are difficult and important So why do soft sciences receive so little funding compared to hard sciences?

A 2022 study by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and Indiana University found that as more women enter a STEM field, that field is more likely to be perceived as a soft science As a result, the study concluded that “labeling disciplines as soft sciences led to the fields being devalued, deemed less rigorous, and less worthy of federal funding ”

Labeling is an important and useful tool to help us understand and explain the world But, living in a patriarchal society, the language we use to label people is often biased against women This results in women being given negative labels, which is yet another uphill battle that women face when trying to compete with men who automatically receive more respect by simply having more positive labels associated with them (and their collective gender) The good news is we can fight against this bias (and other patriarchal ideals) by changing how we label people We can label both men and women exactly the same Or we can come up with new labels all together Language isn’t concrete it is constantly changing so we can redefine words, add new words to the dictionary, or remove the words with the more misogynistic histories, like “hysterical”. The next time you see a woman taking charge of a room, don’t call her aggressive; instead, call her assertive. Or maybe even give it a new label all together, something positive and encouraging.

A new word to use in replace of aggressive/assertive is styling. “She was styling the room like a real powerful boss.”

Intro to

BY GUEST AUTHOR JENNIFER TOSO

First and foremost, electronics can be dangerous. Safety should always come first. Research should be done and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken. Anyone under the age of 18 should have an adult present.

Making projects that move, light up, or make noise requires the use of electronic components. It is these components that will bring a project to life.

The world of electronics can seem intimidating, but learning a few of the basics is a great way to open the door and get started.

These are some of the most important parts to learn about before attempting to create electronic projects of your own

1.

Resistors

Capacitators

Diodes

Key Players 2. 3. 4.

LEDs

Resistors

2.

3. 4. 1.

A resistor controls the flow of current to the other components. The majority of resistors have color-coded stripes that tell the user the value. Many online color-code calculators make decoding resistors quick and easy.

Capacitors

Capacitors are a lot like rechargeable batteries A capacitor can store an electrical charge and then discharge it

Diode

A diode has two terminals: one is positive (anode) and the other is negative (cathode). This allows current to flow in one direction while blocking the current from flowing in the opposite direction. There are several different types of diodes, but the one most people are familiar with is the LED

LED

A LED, or Light-Emitting Diode, is a diode in the usual sense it limits current to flow in only one direction but when the current flows through the LED, it emits light.

The Circuit

Developing maker projects that require electronic components also requires knowing what a circuit is and what it does An electronic circuit is a pathway in which the flow of current can travel A circuit can be open or closed but must contain a voltage source, conductive path, and a load A very simple circuit would be a battery to a lamp In this example:

Load

Voltage Source

Conductive Path

A schematic diagram maps out the circuit with symbols It gives a visual representation of where the electronic components will be placed and how they will be used

An excellent way for beginners to get to learn and become comfortable with building circuits is by practicing! Testing circuits on a blank board is called breadboarding It doesn't involve soldering because the connections in the breadboard are temporary, and it is used only for testing. By learning how to build circuits on a breadboard, beginners can learn the basics before jumping to the next step -- soldering.

Soldering

Learning to solder is also going to become necessary when learning how to work with electronic components. Soldering creates a permanent connection between electronic components with the use of solder (a meltable metal alloy) and a soldering iron. It is similar to welding, as it uses heat to seal metal together. The soldering gun melts the solder that joins the components to a circuit board. Flux, a cleaning agent, is used to remove oxidation from the solder, which makes soldering smooth Although soldering can be done without flux, it is difficult to do so Soldering involves a very hot iron and is not something a person should undertake without following necessary safety measures More detailed information about soldering is available online from various sources

What now?

The above is a fundamental explanation of electronics and by no means covers everything Thankfully, there are plenty of sources to complement this basic knowledge and learn even more Many sites offer everything from written and video tutorials to actual online classes

Adafruit has a massive learning section appropriately titled Start Learning Electronics at https://learn adafruit com/guides/beginner It contains everything from learning the basics to getting started with your first project -- and more It is a wonderful resource regardless of what level of learning a person is at when it comes to exploring the world of electronics.

Visit the following websites to start a lifetime of discovery with electronics:

Raspberry Pi - https://www.raspberrypi.org/

Arduino - https://www.arduino.cc/

Sparkfun Electronics - https://www.sparkfun.com/

Make Magazine - https://makezine.com/

Microsoft MakeCode - https://www.microsoft.com/enus/makecode

Pimoroni - https://shop.pimoroni.com/

Micro:bit - https://microbit.org/

Susan Martinez's Journey in STEM The Ups and Downs

BY SOPHIA TANG

As Martinez stood there motionless, silent tears came pouring out. She was speechless, and she didn’t care about her now-ruined makeup and the tears that streamed down her face, as her heart was so touched by this young girl’s statement.

In that moment, she realized that this would become a lasting memory, and she reflects later, “I’ll never, never forget this, even when I’m 80 years old.” But the journey

to become such an empowering role model in engineering was not without its challenges.

Martinez and her twin sister were home-schooled throughout their childhoods, and their engineering mindsets were actually jump-started by their mechanic father, who taught them how to change car tires and oil and fix household items.

Martinez expresses her deep gratitude towards her father’s guidance and unwavering support, saying, “He’s always been a huge supporter, and he loves space. He is a huge reason I am an engineer.”

After finishing her K-12 education, Martinez decided to enroll in community college, and while registering for her

“I started following your Instagram as a high school senior,” a girl animatedly says as she approaches Susan Martinez at Reinvented Space Gala. “And I picked engineering because of you, I only came to this gala to meet you. ”

first semester of classes, she eagerly opted to attend an 8 AM history class. Being homeschooled for her entire life, Martinez was not accustomed to early-morning classes after the very first lecture, she sat in the car with her sister and cried, realizing how scared she was for the drastic change from homeschooling to public school. Motivated by the difficulty of the course, Martinez started “studying 24/7;” she exhibited academic excellence and received an outstanding GPA, ending with all A’s besides her only B in her very first history class.

After two years of community college, Martinez’s college advisor found a pamphlet for an aerospace program called NCAS that she decided to apply for. The pamphlet, it turns out, was from the 1990s and extremely outdated, so she ended up applying for and was accepted into a NASA internship program instead. Pleasantly surprised by this urn of events and the opportunity to participate in this highly-coveted internship even without taking any engineering classes, she accepted the offer. Martinez muses, “I really do attribute NCAS to the reason I came to NASA because that’s what I had applied to, and I have never even thought to apply to a NASA internship before she gave me that pamphlet.”

In 2017, Martinez transferred to the University of Kentucky for its proximity to the NASA internship. In her first semester at UK, she excelled academically. Her second semester, on the other hand, was more difficult. She received her first C’s and D’s; her semester GPA was around a 2.0.

Martinez recognized that she needed a break from school, so instead of taking university classes, she pursued her NASA internship full-time through the entire spring semester of 2018 That spring, her coworker shared some insightful advice that Martinez subsequently carried with her for years: she should reset once in a while, as a reset can greatly benefit her mental health

After her semester-long break, the newly refocused and recentered Martinez was able to return to UK for her senior year, maintain a high semester GPA, and land a full-time job at NASA

During her time at university, Martinez couldn’t help but notice the skewed gender ratio in her classes She was one of 33 women in a class of over 400, and she was one of only two women in her senior design group The ratio made it difficult for Martinez to perform well in her classes: “I had this pressure on myself that I had to be better that I had to be the best. Always.” Martinez felt pressured to be the best among the women as well as the men she felt as if there was internal, unspoken academic rivalry between all the women. For instance, Martinez felt as if one of the women in her engineering classes covertly despised her for landing the NASA internship, and this secret feud lasted for almost two years. But one day, the woman approached her to express

"I had this pressure on myself that I had to be better—that I had to be the best. Always."

her support for Martinez’s accomplishments, and they began chatting about NASA merchandise. They became good friends over the next few weeks. That bond lasted, and now that woman is Martinez’s best friend she was even a bridesmaid at Martinez’s wedding.

Eventually, Martinez grew to recognize that women in STEM are typically supportive of each other and are all fighting for the same thing: “[we’re] fighting for each other.” Martinez emphasizes the importance of “banding together” and finding other women who will endlessly support you, as it can make a huge difference in your mentality and attitude towards education and work.

With this realization, Martinez became a strong advocate for women in STEM She started using her Instagram account (@AdAstraSu) to show other girls that STEM is within reach for them and that they shouldn’t be afraid of pursuing work in male-dominated fields She also uses it as an outlet for when she’s facing hurdles in her personal life, and has also met many of her lifelong friends through this platform, finding that the aerospace community on social media can be an encouraging and supportive space

Tough situations at school and work discouraged her from continuing to work in engineering, but by exercising her creativity and receiving support from the Instagram community, she was able to work through the self-esteem issues that she was combatting Martinez reflects upon her new positive mindset: “I don't have to feel this way I can dress the way that I want to make myself feel confident I’m going to talk about engineering projects to make myself feel smarter, and I’m doing these things to encourage others and perpetuate this idea of what I want myself to be more like, and it has worked ” By adopting a positive outlook on a negative situation, she alleviated her “personality crisis” and changed her mindset, reinforcing her identity as a woman in engineering

Despite her new creative outlet, working full-time at NASA still proved to be difficult. Martinez was working in flight control, which was exciting but also extremely complicated and stressful. She never properly adjusted to the tight sleep schedule, and she began to burn out; she was undereating, undersleeping, and only focusing on work. She wasn’t herself anymore, and she wasn’t able to function as a person. Although she was in a bad mental state and often thought about quitting, there were still

"I am most proud of myself for having enough strength to leave NASA when I knew it was not the best for my mental health. It’s not necessarily an achievement, but it is truly the best thing I could have done for myself.”

numerous external pressures, from both peers and the job itself, cautioning her against it All this negative feedback caused Martinez to doubt the validity of her own emotions she began to think that it was her fault that she felt weak and unhappy She began asking herself questions like “Why am I not happy? Why didn’t this work for me?”

After much deliberation, Martinez decided to follow her previous co-worker’s advice and trust herself she quit her job at NASA She knew that leaving was the right decision for her; it would allow her a break for her mental health It took a great deal of willpower and determination to leave the civil servant occupation at NASA, but Martinez is appreciative of herself for going through with this decision: “I am most proud of myself for having enough strength to leave NASA when I knew it was not the best for my mental health. It’s not necessarily an achievement, but it is truly the best thing I could have done for myself.”

During Martinez’s time off, she decided to take initiative to alleviate the lack of fashionable clothing options for women in STEM by creating her own clothing line, AdAstraSu. “Because I love fashion, I kinda took it upon myself to make a non-cringey clothing line for women in STEM,” Martinez comments. Her clothing line includes cozy hoodies and trendy graphic tees. She has also designed mugs, notebooks, and tote bags. Her designs often have positive and engaging messages like “Space is my happy place” and “You belong in space ” . Martinez’s clothing line is truly “ space fashion that is out of this world.”

A few months into her break from work, Martinez found a new job as a Payload Developer at Blue Origin, where she is currently working. At Blue Origin, Martinez is developing new payload technology for low-earth orbit by creating cargo to be delivered to the orbital reef for research in space. She builds everything from scratch from the surrounding container to the items inside, she is involved in the entire engineering process. “The thing I like about my current role in STEM and engineering is actually the biggest challenge: we ’ re inventing stuff from the ground up, working with new technology,” she explains. She enjoys working on the groundbreaking edge of science, designing new technology to be used in the future. As an ISS flight controller at NASA, she had been controlling the relatively old technology that the ISS was built with, but at her job at Blue Origin, she is able to innovate new technology that will be used in the following decades. She has had the opportunity to see how technology has matured in space engineering. Transitioning to work in the private sector was a change, but Martinez is thriving in the fast-paced workflow, glad that she can work with novel technologies.

Now, with her new job at Blue Origin, she has a healthy balance between her work life and personal life. She’s spending more time with her husband and their dog, and she’s able to further explore her hobbies, like cooking, hiking, traveling, and making content for her Instagram.

Everyday, Martinez wakes up and tells herself, “It’s so important to be yourself because no one else will be,” and she hopes to inspire more girls to do the same.

Sponsor Reinvented

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Learn More About Sponsor Opportunities

NEGOTIATION

SALARY 101

BY COURTNEY THURSTON

The importance of negotiating a job offer cannot be overstated It is easy and culturally encouraged to say things like, “Money isn’t everything ” Indeed, it isn’t, but it is a lot. Women are paid less than men in nearly all fields, tech notwithstanding. Concerningly (or excitingly, depending on who you ask,) research shows that the first salary commanded by a person in their desired field of work can have long-term impacts on their financial trajectory over time. This phenomenon exists for myriad reasons, including that financial incentives like performance bonuses are often calculated as a percentage of base salary, something which new graduates may not be aware of nor attuned to (yet)

Though negotiating an already strong job offer may feel a bit like tedious penny-pinching, one of the simultaneously greatest and also most frightening things about money is that it compounds Just as a series of financial victories can compound on each other and yield increasing interest or dividends over time, so too can seemingly small financial minutiae translate into huge losses over time. Neglecting to negotiate a job offer where

possible can mean less base salary, which can mean less performance bonus, which can mean less money saved, which can mean less invested in the market, which can mean fewer dividends, which can mean… hundreds of thousands less for retirement.

With that said, don’t panic too much: just recognize the importance of negotiating a job offer if you can. It may feel inconvenient and some employers may try to convince you that you ’ re doing too much but money is important, and negotiating is actually a signal to any company worth its salt that you are a competent candidate Some other red flags to look out for, company-conduct-wise, when negotiating: mentions of loyalty to the company (why should that translate to less money for you?), needing to pay dues (for better or worse, we live in a capitalist society, so salary is theoretically supposed to be determined by market rate skills and experience), and other statements which feel like gaslighting. Hold your ground. Feel free to remind a company politely that business is business, no hard feelings.

MISTAKES TO AVOID:

While many candidates in tech are aware enough to attempt to negotiate, there are a series of errors that you should try to avoid making

1 2 3

First, be sure to research market rate salaries only within your sub-fields. While it may be true that software engineers with your experience are making, say, $135k base salary as SWEs at Facebook, such a high figure isn’t going to fly at employers that aren’t in the same exact market space meaning you ’ re going to see much lower figures in, for example, academia, government, small firms, and other market segments like aerospace. Take care to compare apples to apples.

Second, be sure to use the right reasons when negotiating School name, for instance, is not typically a factor that is weighted heavily in tech fields (this is different than in, say, quantitative trading firms or law firms, where school prestige does tend to be considered ) Other personal factors like student loan debt, family obligations, medical expenses, et cetera should not be brought up in negotiation Keep it focused on what financial figures are commensurate with your skills and experience according to the market Typically, factors like cost of living will already be factored into an offer but do feel free to ask

Finally, get creative with negotiation. In tech, many employers will not negotiate base salary but will negotiate factors like stock grants or options, signing or starting bonus, or even sometimes things like relocation or percentage targets for eventual performance bonuses (rare but worth mentioning.) If you find that an employer won’t budge on one factor, try another.

After all, business is business.

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Marine Biology

BY CHANTELLE FARIA

What is Marine Biology?

Marine biology, the study of life in the ocean, explores all forms of ocean life, from larger organisms like sharks and whales to microscopic organisms like plants, plankton, and bacteria.

What do Marine biologists do?

Marine biologists perform a multitude of tasks The type of work that a marine biologist completes on a daily basis depends heavily on their preferred stream There are many types of marine biologists. Field biologists, for example, do fun, labor-intensive work. They oversee the collection of environmental samples, and they spend most of their time on boats in the middle of the open ocean or tromping through the mud in coastal regions. Some marine biologists, like research biologists, spend most of their time performing research in laborites; they can be found studying DNA samples or other chemical analyses. Marine biology technicians spend most of their time on computers building models to study patterns of the aquatic creatures and predicting how populations of animals are changing Marine biologists that work in aquariums often oversee animal training and husbandry or study marine animals’ behaviors Lastly, some marine biologists work in offices at government or nonprofit agencies contributing to conservation policies or writing research grants Thus, the field of marine biology offers a lot of flexibility, and no matter the role, a marine biologist can be confident that they are improving the ocean ' s ecosystem.

What important skills do Marine biologists possess?

Some skills that are beneficial to a marine biologist to thrive in the field include:

Thinking out of the box and channeling a unique perspective

A strong interest and love for the ocean and marine life

Problem-solving skills to unfold challenges

Strong desire for research

“What a good day to be proud of all the progress you ’ ve made.” It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things I’ve yet to accomplish, or dwell on my weaknesses It’s important to refocus my energy on where I’ve been successful and how I’ve grown

Ashley Reaume is a current Ph D candidate at the University of Central Florida, where she studies plankton communities (the microscopic life in the water) and how they respond to changes in water quality Through her research, she is testing new organism identification methods like DNA metabarcoding and large-scale taxonomic identification of environmental samples, in hopes of improving the way that we study plankton communities. The prevailing DNA sequencing technologies involve identifying animal species present in the water, rather than using traditional methods like microscopy, which entails using microscopes to view samples and smaller objects not visible to the naked human eye. All of these methods allow for effective and precise results, which helps her to generate more data about more species

The Florida Keys are known for their rich corral reef,

attracting tourist for diving and snoorkeling. It is home to many sea creatures and allows for the perfect environment for marine research The Florida Keys have made a major impact on Reaume’s professional journey While she was visiting her grandmother when she was younger, she was intrigued by marine life “I fell in love with the oceans, but I also watched the small communities of the Florida Keys grow into sprawling hubs for tourism and recreation ” This experience sparked her interest in human impact on marine life She felt “compelled to do something to protect the ocean life I loved and learned that as a marine biologist, I could be involved in conservation.”

Despite Reaume’s interest in marine biology, she never considered it a viable option for herself. She did not live near an ocean, nor did she know many people in this field. It was not until she started her undergraduate education at Central Michigan University as a general biology major, where she gained experience in marine biology through internships and volunteer work, that she recognized that marine biology was a great fit for her: “I realized I really could become a marine biologist, and [I saw] how many career paths there were in the field ”

One of her favorite research opportunities was one that she pursued during her aquatic research internship at Disney World. There, she had assisted with animal behavior and welfare research. The research she did was used to “immediately improve the lives of aquarium animals, and it was cool to watch.” Today, Reaume continues her research which was made possible by support from the Florida Sea Grant Program Her research involves using molecular tools like DNA sequencing to answer questions about ecosystems She describes it as, “Marine Molecular ecology ”

Getting to where she is now has not been easy for her “As a first generation college student, navigating the academic world has been challenging both professionally and personally,” Reaume explains She has had to learn how to succeed in college courses, network for career development, and learn about academia largely on her own While she was the first in her family to attend college, she had a strong support system that encouraged her to keep going and make her dream a reality. Her family has always been her biggest inspiration and have always been so supportive throughout the process. Her dad has a strong work ethic and despite not going to college himself, navigating the academic world felt like a team effort. Her mother’s creativity enabled her to think outside of the box and make her a great researcher. A strong support system is not the only thing needed to pursue a degree. One of the biggest struggles of college students all over the United States is finances. College can pose a major financial burden to many. Raeume was no different, she admitted that pursuing this field is difficult financially. However, with the help of her encouraging academic mentors who supported her through the college process and informed her of paid internship opportunities, reviewed applications, and wrote her letters of recommendation

Marine Biology is more than a career; it is her passion “To me, being a marine biologist means doing research that can have an impact on our understanding and conservation of marine ecosystems ” While she doesn’t have a favorite type of marine species, she loves large creatures like sharks, turtles, and dolphins She’s also fascinated by plankton “They are so diverse and are the backbone of marine and aquatic life,” she says.

A grad student and a marine Biologist, Raeume does it all! While she often does find herself juggling her various responsibilities, she makes time for the tasks she finds most enjoyable, like reading and writing. Most of her days involve lab work, data analysis, collecting field samples, “No two days are the same in grad school,” she says. She also works as a teaching assistant for undergraduate studies at the university, a job that she explains has been flexible enough that it has enabled her to explore other interests, build new skills, and perform research that will help her guide conservation efforts

Reaume has varied interests and hasn’t settled on a dream job just yet, but she is certain that she has a passion for conservation management and science communication and is developing technical lab and data analysis skills “We’ll see where this takes me in the future!”

Interested in Marine Biology but don’t know where to start? Ashley

Reaume’s advice for getting started!

Where to start for anyone currently interested in marine biology?

It’s important to get hands-on experience with research Reach out to your undergraduate professors about volunteer positions in their labs and seek out paid internship positions through programs like the NSF REU. Make connections with the faculty at your university; they will help you explore your interests and find opportunities for career development.

What level of education do you need to join this field?

Typically, you will need at least a bachelor's degree. Graduate degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels will open more doors for management roles and academic positions.

What classes should students take in high school?

It’s helpful to have a strong background in STEM classes like biology, chemistry, physics, math, and programming. However, don’t feel like you can’t take any fun electives! Other skills like writing, communication, or even art and design can help you be a more creative and effective scientist

Advice for students in this field?

Don’t be afraid to try something new! There are so many different types of research in this field, and you never know what you might like until you try.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

BY MADELINE DAY

Dr. Rose de Guzman, Ph.D.

From childhood experiences in her grandparents’ village in the Philippines to chance encounters during her undergraduate years, Dr. Rose de Guzman’s journey into academia was destined yet unexpected. Today, she’s a postdoctoral research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital studying the impact of SARS-COV-2 infection on pregnant mothers She’s also the founder of Pathways to Science and Medicine, a program that connects community college students with faculty at the Massachusetts General Hospital

Growth is Non-linear:

“I’ve always had a dream of helping others,” remarks Guzman Having lived in the Philippines until she was seven and a half years old, Guzman recalls visiting her grandparents’ village in the mountains. There was “ no electricity and no television,” but what made the most significant impression on her was how “the village was far away from any hospital.” As such, one of her childhood dreams was to “build a health clinic in her maternal grandmother’s village.”

Guzman’s dream of helping others involved a personal journey into academia as well She moved to the U S during elementary school, and by the time she was in high school, she had decided to become an illustrator However, after taking a biology course in a local community college during her gap year after completing high school, Guzman discovered that science “ was fun, even though [she] had so many unanswered questions ” Driven by her curiosity, Guzman decided to take more science courses and developed a particular interest in nutrition science and child development. Knowing that she has a family history of cardiovascular disease, she was determined to apply nutrition science to “stop the cycle.” To do so, Guzman transferred to the University of California, Davis, where she majored in nutritional biochemistry.

It was in the UC Davis nutritional biochemistry lab where Guzman first became involved in research. “One of the TAs asked me if I was interested in becoming a research assistant Even though the TA was already my mentor, I hadn’t expected them to open up a world of research for me, ” she notes

“Any work that can improve how we protect the vulnerable is worthwhile.”

Guzman’s first role in research was simple yet meaningful–monitoring and weighing cockatiels from the TA’s lab “The work was fascinating and definitely expanded my curiosity,” Guzman remarks Her curiosity led her to explore a handful of other research opportunities during her undergraduate years. From investigating how breast milk influences the gut microbiome and health of a baby at the Foods for Health Institute to analyzing how pollution can influence lung development under Dr. Laura Van Winkle, Guzman solidified her interest in research as a potential career. Yet Guzman did not discover the field that she would eventually pursue a Ph.D. in until her last semester of college when she took a course in neuroscience.

“I was intrigued at the idea of figuring out how to live longer,” Guzman explains Even with little prior experience in neuroscience, Guzman was determined to learn more After graduating and working at a neuro-behavioral lab at UCLA for several years, Guzman decided to take a leap of faith and apply for a Ph D in behavioral neuroscience at the University of Albany She was accepted, and there, she studied how stress response-related brain cells were expressed differently in female and male brains. Her work demonstrated despite the fact that women tend to face higher rates of anxiety than men, most pre-clinical anti-anxiety drug studies focus on the male brain and male behavior. “That’s another reason why representation in STEM is important,” Guzman highlights.

Postdoctoral Education and Advocacy

After earning her Ph.D., Guzman joined Dr. Andrea Edlow’s laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. Studying how SARSCOV-2 influenced placental and fetal brain development during the pandemic transitioned her research from the preclinical to the clinical stage and added a sense of urgency Guzman recalls having to balance 10+ hour lab days with adapting to a new work environment “At that point, immunology was still new to me, so I had to read up on literature during weekends, nights, and train rides,” Guzman admits Furthermore, working with human cell samples containing SARS-COV-2 at a time when little was known about the virus meant conducting research with increased precautions, including “full-body gowns, face shield, sleeve covers, and gloves.” While navigating through the pandemic was stressful, Guzman believes that the research was worthwhile. “Any work that can improve how we protect the vulnerable is worthwhile.”

Beyond research at Massachusetts General Hospital, Guzman was also determined to make a difference through outreach and mentorship. As a former community college student, Guzman always “envisioned giving back to other community college students by providing professional and developmental resources. ” In collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion and Bunker Hill Community College, Guzman launched the Pathways to Science and Medicine Initiative, which connects community college students with hospital faculty The program created a webinar series “where panelists from Massachusetts General and Harvard affiliated hospitals would speak to students,” allowing community college students exposure to the field of healthcare “I also wanted professionals at Massachusetts General to interact with students beyond the Harvard community,” adds Guzman. Bunker Hill Community College, which is Massachusetts’ largest community college, contains first-gen college students, people of color, and those of low socioeconomic status that could most benefit from additional support. Though Guzman is wrapping up her fellowship at Massachusetts General this summer, she proudly remarks that Pathways to Science and Medicine has become an official program of the hospital’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion, which will continue her advocacy even after she completes her fellowship

Reflections

“We need to reach out to people who might need help the most, rather than waiting for people to come to us, ” Guzman expresses. “Advocating for STEM can truly make a difference when it comes to increasing representation within the field ”

When asked about the most valuable piece of advice that she would give to aspiring scientists, she grins and lists multiple “Be patient with yourself and mindful of how you talk to yourself ” Looking back, Guzman realizes that she “put a lot of pressure on [herself] in an unhealthy manner.Everyone was doing their best navigating through a foreign environment,” she reflects. “What’s most important is to remember to be patient with your progress and trust your process… Not knowing is okay.” Lastly, Guzman urges, “embrace failure throughout the entire journey and celebrate wins, no matter how small.” Guzman notes that finding a supportive community and standing up for yourself are also two strategies crucial to success. Guzman hopes that her outreach will empower other students and encourage them to embrace a journey into STEM, just as she did years ago From volunteering in a cockatiel facility to exploring neuroscience after her college graduation, Dr Rose de Guzman has paved her own pathway in STEM and embodied what it means to embrace the unknown

Cardboard Ci Playground E Inchworm Rob

BY GUEST AUTHOR KATHY CECERI

Overview

With just a Circuit Playground Express (CPX), a servo motor, and a few household materials, anyone can create a Cardboard Inchworm that meets the “sense-think-act” definition of a robot!

Here’s how:

The Cardboard Inchworm can sense a loud sound using the audio sensor (microphone) built into the CPX.

Then, it can think about how to react, thanks to the CPX’s powerful microcontroller brain.

Finally, it can act by triggering the servo to repeatedly pull the front and back of the Inchworm together and letting them slide apart, creating a slow but steady crawling motion.

ircuit Express bot

Materials - Electronics

The Circuit Playground Express Base Kit is a good choice for this project because it comes with a USB cable to program the board, a battery holder, and three AAA batteries You can also buy the CPX and accessories separately:

1x - Circuit Playground Express

1x - USB Cable - A/MicroB

1x - 3 x AAA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch and 2-Pin JST

1x - Alkaline AAA Batteries (3 Pack)

1x - Micro Servo

1x - Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 6 Pieces

Materials - Household and Crafts Supplies

Other supplies you will need include:

1 strip of sturdy cardboard roughly 14 inches by 4 5 inches – thin corrugated cardboard works well

Masking tape

Adhesive dots – extra strength works best

Peel-and-stick Velcro dots

1 large metal paper clip

Googly eyes (optional)

Togetallthe electronicsyouneed forthisproject(plus manymorebeginning roboticactivities),get theBots!Bookand partsbundle!

Build the Inchworm Body

Step 1: Bending the Cardboard

To bend the cardboard strip into a basic inchworm shape, you need to fold it up in the middle and out at the ends. The feet at each end should be about 2 inches (5 cm) long.

Tip: Use a rounded-tip tool, such as the cap of a pen, to score the cardboard by gently, indenting the line you want to fold. Be careful not to rip through the thin outer layer of the corrugated cardboard

Step 2: Give the Feet Some Grip

The feet need to help grab the surface below them so they can propel the Inchworm along Some suggestions:

Add Toes: Cut slits along one end to make toes Then alternately fold one toe up and the next toe down You can also make the toes longer to give them some curl

Cut Some Teeth: Use a craft knife or small box cutter to make V-shaped teeth The points of the Vs should face toward the back of the Inchworm Bend each tooth down, so it sticks out on the underside of the foot. If you bend the edge of the foot up, the front row of teeth will point directly down for an extra bite.

Grow Fangs: Make simple fangs by folding down the corners of the foot. Or use scissors to cut a zigzag line of fangs along the edge.

Other suggestions are creating rubbery treads on the bottom of the feet using dabs or lines of hot glue.

The sample Inchworm in this guide uses teeth in the front and straight toes in the back.

The best solution depends on the kind of cardboard and the texture of the surface it will be crawling over, such as carpeting.

Tip: A strip of felt makes a good crawling surface

Add the Electronics

To make your Inchworm go, you need to attach the Circuit Playground Express board, the battery pack, and the servo to the cardboard body. And everything has to be connected with wires, without letting them get in the way of the moving parts.

Where you place them is up to you Depending on the weight of the cardboard you use for the body, and what kind of feet you give it, you may get better results by putting more weight in the front, or lower down, or other variations on the arrangement shown in this example Play around and see what works best for you!

Step 1: Velcro on the CPX

Peel-and-stick Velcro dots let you reposition or remove the CPX as needed They also give you some clearance between the CPX board and the cardboard That makes it easier to attach alligator clips to the board.

Just press one side of the Velcro onto the back of the board and the matching side on the front of the Inchworm

In the example here, the hook (scratchy) side is attached to the CPX, and the loop (soft) side is attached to the cardboard

Step 2: Prep the Servo

Unlike a regular motor, a servo can only swing back and forth in a semi-circle, 180 degrees But a servo is also self-aware it knows which direction it's facing That means with a little coding, you can tell it where to turn!

To make the Inchworm crawl, you will program the servo to turn all the way towards the front, and then swing all the way towards the back, over and over This motion pulls the front and back of the Inchworm together and then releases them, so the Inchworm moves slowly forward.

But before you attach the servo, you have to set it up so that the arm is facing in the right direction.

Hold the servo, so the end with the wires is facing up when you are looking straight down at it Press the one-armed horn (also called a half horn) onto the shaft of the motor, so it is pointing to the right (three o'clock position)

Then use the arm like a handle to turn the shaft of the motor as far to the right as it will go

Next, lift the arm off the servo, and replace it, so it is back in the three o'clock position

You should now be able to turn the arm 180 degrees from right to left.

The last step in preparing your servo is to wrap a piece of masking tape around the body from one side, across the bottom, and up the other side

This way, the adhesive dot you use to attach the servo to the cardboard robot body will stick to the tape instead of the servo. It makes the servo easier to remove and also helps keep the servo firmly attached to the cardboard

Step 3: Attach the Servo

Now that it's prepped and ready to go, you can attach the servo to the cardboard. Extra-strength adhesive dots are a simple way to glue the servo in place

With the wire end of the servo facing up, stick an adhesive dot onto the right side of the servo.

Press the glued side of the servo onto the cardboard with the wire end facing the front of the Inchworm.

When the Inchworm is standing up, the wires face up toward the top fold in the cardboard.

Connect it All Up

Step 4: Battery Holder Options

The battery holder contains your robot's On/Off switch. Make sure to attach the holder with the switch facing out! And position it, so the wires face the CPX, since you have to plug them into the JST connector

If you have the battery holder with the belt clip, you can cut a slot in the cardboard and clip it right on Be careful not to bend the cardboard as you insert it

If there's no belt clip, use two or more adhesive dots to attach the battery holder to the cardboard

Tip: Keep in mind that the battery holder is the heaviest part on the Inchworm. You may want to try sticking it on with tape in different places and giving it a test run with all the electronics working before attaching it permanently.

It’s time to connect the electronics to the CPX, then finish the body by hooking the servo to the front of the cardboard body

Step 1: Batteries to CPX

Plug the JST battery connector into the Circuit Playground Express black battery connector

Tip: If you need to unplug the JST connector, be careful not to pull too hard or the wires may break. Wiggle it gently while sliding it slowly out.

The servo has three wires joined to a 3-pin female connector Plug the male header pins on the ends of the alligator clip wires into this connector To avoid confusion, choose wires that match the color of the servo wires

Next, attach the alligator clips to the CPX by clamping them onto these holes around the edge of the board:

Connect the red or orange middle wire from the servo to Vout on the CPX

Connect the black or brown wire from the servo to GND

Connect the yellow wire from the servo to A1

A simple way to remember this:

The red/orange wire carries power from the CPX board to the servo (Vout means "voltage out.")

The black/brown wire is the ground wire that completes the circuit so current can flow. (GND means "ground.")

The yellow wire will carry the signal from the pin that you program in this case, Pin A1 -- so the CPX can tell the servo what to do

Don't forget you can remove and reposition the Circuit Playground Express to keep the wires out of the way.

Unbend a paperclip in the middle and straighten it out The larger end will go towards the front

Fold the front and back of the Inchworm together, and mark a spot on the front roughly even with the arm Insert the larger end of the paperclip through the spot

Insert the end of the smaller loop through the last hole in the servo arm With the paperclip attached at both ends, check to see that the Inchworm is as open as you would like it to be. Then, bend the ends to keep them from slipping out.

Program it with MakeCode

Time to program your cardboard robot with Microsoft MakeCode for Adafruit! Finish the coding portion of this tutorial by following the QR code:

Step 2: Servo to CPX

Step 3: Servo Arm to Front of Inchworm

OPPORTUNITY BOARD

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Women in Technology Global Conference

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Q:

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

We often ask you for advice and about your experiences, but I’d like to see how your professional career has shaped your vision.

A:

Honestly, my hope is that in 10 years, empowered women in STEM are the norm How amazing would it be to live in a society where people from all backgrounds saw role models who looked like them, working in the field of their dreams, and were not only encouraged to pursue those dreams but also knew how to get there and had funding to do so. My greatest legacy is seeing the people that I helped grow have thriving careers in technology and even become leaders in their field. It’s the best reward. I would think that in 10 years I would still be advocating for diversity in STEM and advocating for more opportunities

ASK GLORIA

for those who need it

My day job revolves around blockchain, and I think in 10 years I would use my background to help underserved communities find nontraditional funding and work through blockchain. I would love to be an advisor or board member for STEM organizations led by amazing women that just wanted a chance

Q:

What’s your favorite quote? Is there a story/experience behind it?

A:

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

– Gandhi

“Do or do not There is no try”

– Yoda

“Don’t talk about what you’re going to do Don’t just dream about what you’re going to do

Don’t criticize somebody else for what they’re not doing

You be it Be about it Be about that action and go do it Keep

your eye on your intention Don’t let any outside distraction or your own insecurity stop you from your goals”

– Beyonce

These are my favorite quotes, and it reminds me to not only wish things were different but to be the one that does the work in order for things to be different. It’s important to take daily steps towards your goal, and it’s those small steps that bring you closer to your dreams When I started my career in technology, I really was interested in finding out what would happen if I gave my dreams a try and walked in the general direction of them by taking that one class Sometimes, we can get overwhelmed by looking at the whole process, and it’s in those times that I rely on my intention and show up everyday and do the work that will get me one step closer to my goals.

Q:

Do you have any pointers for negotiating salaries?

A:

When it comes to salaries, doing a little research beforehand will be very helpful. You can find salaries on Glassdoor or by asking in your network as well The recruiters will most likely want you to start the negotiation process. You can start the process with, “ I am currently considering offers between $xx- xxx range ” It’s easier to start off high and go lower than the other way around Most important of all is that you negotiate and remember that you are not just negotiating salary, you should also negotiate stock options, bonuses, etc When in doubt, ask a friend or mentor to help you out.

Q:

A

I am a big fan of automating as much work as possible in order to free up more time. Whether it’s note-taking, shopping, or dinner, it can be helpful to avoid working extra if possible. Whenever I can kill two birds with one stone, I will try to do it. The other skill I have been recently learning is scheduling my deep-work time and meetingpreparation time. Once you find a way to manage your time that works for you, keep it and try to work with it as much as possible

Q:

If the PhD route is the only way then I would look into the program and the faculty. If the research itself doesn’t spire you then maybe who you are working for or working with will I usually suggest that PhD students be passionate about the topic that they are researching since you will be spending a lot of time on the subject, so knowing your why will be very important as you go

Q:

A:

A:

“No” is a complete sentence in itself You can be straightforward in the workplace. If you want to be polite about it you can also say “No thank you ” , “I think I will pass ” , “Thank you for considering me but I can’t take that on right now.”, or “ I am not really interested, thank you!”.

A:

First, I would evaluate what is your reason for wanting a PhD It’s a lot of time, dedication, research and money to get one, and you will want to return to your “why” when times get tough during the process. Then see if there are ways to get the “why” without the PhD

A S K G L O A S K G L O R I A

Q:

What’s your advice on narrowing down what to study in college?

I’m interested in STEM and tech. How did you make the decision?

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Issue 15 Spring 2023