Hello, readers, and welcome back to another blog post and another STEMing UP Spotlight! This series, spanning over the duration of Phase III of the STEMing UP program will showcase the girls in the program, one each Saturday! Check back here every weekend to learn more about the incredible girls in the STEMing UP program and what they are working on.
This week we will be featuring Sanaa Syed, who is 16 years old and will be in grade 12 this September. She enjoys playing the guitar, photography, and writing short stories.
Now what you’ve all been waiting for- let’s get into the interview!
- Why did you join the STEMing UP program?
I joined the STEMing UP program in hopes to get an idea of my future career path, expand my extracurricular list, for networking opportunities, to gain soft skills such as working with a team, communication and leadership skills.
- What interests you about STEM?
Personally, all sciences (physics, chemistry and biology) interest me especially chemistry and physics as those are my strong subjects at school. I enjoy the aspect that it is such a broad path that has been expanding and continues to expand.
- Why is it important for you that we have more women in STEM fields?
It is important to me to have equal opportunities for both genders. As a result, we can get different perspectives from a wide range of people, thus allowing research opportunities to expand as well. Another reason is for society to overcome the idea that a woman should stay at home and do house related work rather than getting an education and pursuing their career of choice.
- What do you hope to pursue in the future post-secondary wise?
I hope to pursue a career in either engineering or computer science.
- When did you first realize you were interested in STEM? Explain that experience.
I was interested in STEM when I entered grade 8 and my school introduced a STEM robotics club. I immediately joined but soon realized that it was mostly male-dominated, however that didn’t stop me. We went to many competitions and went on to win certificates. Through the club, I learned about my own interests and the idea of going into a STEM field was planted in my head.
- What have skills have you acquired through the STEMing UP program?
So far, I’ve gained communication skills, how to think analytically, how to analyze and break down articles, how to find the meaning of a word by breaking it down, and how to work as a team and produce a final output.
- What are some things you are working on in the STEM field?
In the STEM field, I was in the WISE (women in science and engineering) program at the University of Toronto. I also work as an ambassador for the company called ChickTech which is situated at Ryerson university who also work towards pushing young girls into STEM fields.
There you have it! This week’s STEMing UP Spotlight with Sanaa Syed. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading- if you did comment below! Check back next week for another interview with a different student in the STEMing UP program. Remember- this series lasts all through summer, and ends with an interview with Doina Oncel, founder of hEr VOLUTION!
STEMing Up is a 2 year (4 months each year) program where young women are introduced to a wide-range of professional skill building experiences designed to help them achieve their goals. The duration of the project will allow participants to build long-term relationships with peers and industry mentors and see their ideas come to fruition building overall confidence and skills.
We are now accepting applications for our waiting list. Please send us an email to request an application. Once you submit your application, hEr VOLUTION will confirm your acceptance in our program by email once a spot will become available.