I think it is especially important for girls to get involved from a young age as all children have an innate curiosity, but many girls get turned off STEM subjects later on.
Abby
Queen Annes student
How have your teachers inspired you about STEM?
My physics teacher in particular inspired me just by sharing her own enthusiasm for science. She goes further into topics at GCSE level, so, instead of simply learning the lifecycle of stars, we went in-depth about what happens if you get near the event horizon of a black hole: spaghettification when the object becomes a long stream of atoms.
What inspired you to get involved in STEM?
I really enjoy science as a subject. I applied – and was selected – to go on a STEM tour last Easter, exploring top tech companies and the work they do. This includedNASA!Also, my school has explained the various career opportunities that could be possible after education.
How important was it to see real scientist working?
I found it really important, only three women out of the 50 employees I met on the STEM tour were women. I felt that I needed to see this and it has motivated me to pursue a somewhat ‘trailblazing career’.
How has your school contributed to aiming high in an often male-dominated culture?
Queen Anne’s has had many inspirational speakers over the years who have encouraged me to explore STEM. There are lots of posters around school about careers in STEM and teachers give us opportunities we are able to explore during summer.