National STEM Day: A Conversation with STEM Professionals

Did you know that only 15% of scientists and engineers in the US are women, and only 20% are Black, Hispanic, or Native American? No, really, can you believe that?! Of course, it's not shocking.

STEM education has largely prioritized the work of white men, while simultaneously perpetuating harmful stereotypes and minimizing the contributions of STEM leaders of color and women. Because of this, it’s hard to envision yourself entering the STEM field and changing the world! We want you to be inspired to learn more about STEM and the way you could quite literally get paid to follow your passions. Paychecks for building rocket ships? Sounds like a sweet deal to us!

Inspiration is the key to success, and we were lucky enough to get insight from two real-life STEM superheroes who are actively pursuing their passion for STEM and making a difference in the world. Read below to hear from 3M Senior Research Specialist Maria Appeaning, Ph.D., and Applications Engineer Ana Martinez Ph.D., who share their thoughts on what inspired them to enter the field, their favorite parts of the job, and some words of wisdom for young people like yourself, pursuing a career in STEM!

Who or what inspired you to choose to work in the STEM field?

Maria: The number of organizations that create initiatives designed to get young students excited and interested in science, technology, engineering, and math fields (STEM) is increasing. That exposure and increased visibility, as well as my natural interest, led me to a career in the STEM field.

Ana: Growing up, not a single one of my closest family members or role models were working in STEM fields, so it had never crossed my mind that I could be a scientist or an engineer until I reached high school. The people who inspired me to go into the STEM field were my high school teachers. I had amazing chemistry, math, and engineering teachers. Beyond the theory, they brought real-world exercises and problems to the class, and I got immediately hooked to the idea that I could truly utilize what I was learning in class out in the world. I still remember making nylon fibers and aspirin with my chemistry teacher, breaking apart and reassembling a lawnmower, and discussing the standards for measurement labeling by looking at house blueprints. My teachers inspired me and even helped me navigate the final decision of what degree I wanted to pursue.

What are some cool things that people in STEM get to work on?

Maria: There are so many creative outlets for a STEM career! For example, there are still the more traditional paths that continue to lead to amazing discoveries like Biology, Chemistry, Math and Physics, and combinations of all. Then, there are newer areas that are paving the way for emerging technologies, such as data science and data analytics.

Ana: In my line of work, I get exposed to a variety of technologies such as energy production, keeping pollutants out of food products, and improving the manufacturing of the next generation of computer chips. I love to get an understanding of how products are made and the steps that it takes to get them from raw materials to final products. There is such a myriad of things that people in STEM get to do that it would be impossible to list them all here. They are so diverse that they can go from inventing a vaccine to save the world, to sending a robot to another planet to study its composition, to designing special effects for movies, to making more efficient crops to feed the world, to growing meat in the lab, to solving pollution and global warming issues. The cool thing is that it is impossible to predict what scientists would be working on in 50 years; it can be solving problems that currently cannot be solved. Because science and engineering build the foundation for other science and engineering to grow and flourish, even the smallest advancements made today can have a huge and unpredictable impact in the future.

What's one piece of advice for a young person considering whether they belong in STEM?

Ana: I encounter a lot of curious kids that say, “but I am not good at math, or chemistry or any other STEM field,” and what I say to them is that if you like to explore, if you are curious, if you like to fix things or solve problems, then you belong in STEM. A lot of the technical skills required to go into STEM get acquired over time. There are a lot of failures and a lot of trial and error when you work in STEM--but that is OK. It's all part of the learning process; you learn from your errors and get better. Our mistakes can lead to all kinds of possibilities. So, when young people say I am not good at STEM, my answer is: if you like it, don’t let that stop you, just try again. In my case, after doing research for 15 years, I am also “not good enough” when I start to learn a new technique, but with perseverance I know I can master it.

Maria: Stay curious, and don’t shy away from asking questions. Continue to learn and maintain awareness of the current megatrends. Be opportunity-focused and an effective self-advocate.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and build that rocketship! We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you can achieve in the field of STEM.

Students from communities underrepresented in STEM careers may be unaware of STEM career opportunities beyond the basics, and they often don’t “see” themselves represented in the field, making them feel like they don’t belong. It’s why we partnered with 3M to launch STEM Works For Me, a campaign designed to educate and encourage young people to find their dream STEM career. Take the STEM Works for Me quiz today to learn what career path best suits your interests.