By Sara Loo
Earlier this year UNSW Science ran Exploring Careers in STEM, a school holiday program for Year 10 girls. During the day, these students met with professional scientists and engineers and explored where they work and what they do. They were encouraged to consider the roles they might be able to see themselves in and to view their diverse perspectives as invaluable in these areas.
As part of the program, the girls were asked to submit a blog post describing where they saw themselves in 2030. Six writers of these blog posts were awarded a scholarship for their creativity and the passion expressed in their entries. Their desire to positively impact their society through science is inspirational – to themselves as they one day look back on them, to us as the UNSW Champions of Maths and Science as we engage with a wide range of communities, and to everyone passionate about STEM and striving towards increased diversity and visibility in these areas that have been historically and stereotypically male.
Over the coming weeks, we will be showcasing these entries under the category “Future Champions”. Perhaps these girls will be the leading scientists and champions of 2030. They may be our future aerospace engineers, surgeons and psychologists.
As Amelia wrote:
What would I like to be? Today, I live in a land of opportunity. The world is at my feet. There are so many choices and so many careers but which one is right for me? There are doctors, lawyers and engineers. Tradesmen, soldiers and CEOs. There are boundless possibilities. How can I choose what I will make of myself?
The possibilities are indeed boundless for these girls, but through their passion for science, they are already championing STEM in their schools and everyday lives.
Click through for the blog posts by the Year 10 girls.