There are lots of reasons to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. And there are many different paths to STEM jobs. Below seven women who won awards at the Women of Color in STEM Conference talk about why they went into STEM.

Dr. Tahirih C. Lackey is a research hydraulic engineer at the Engineer Research and Development Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She says:

“My parents, both the children of sharecroppers, were born and raised in the Mississippi Delta. Living in Mississippi during the civil rights era taught them the value of perseverance, and gave them a thirst for knowledge. With great effort and determination, they both eventually became educators and taught their children the value of education. I grew up knowing that part of my goal in life was to learn as much as possible and that I should use that knowledge to give back to my community and the greater society. My innate love of science and need to understand how things work, paired with a desire to serve helped to point me towards civil, environmental engineering. It helped me to see that not only did I want to learn about the world, but I needed to use whatever gifts and capabilities I had to make a positive difference for myself and others.”

Miss Mimi Nguyen manages powertrain planning and leads powertrain long-range plans at FCA - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. She said:

“As a child, I learned ballet and collected Barbie dolls-- typical girl things. I also read medical books, tinkered with circuits experiments, and competed on Science and Math Olympiad teams in school-- not-so-typical girl things. My family and teachers encouraged me to embrace all that the world has to offer including a career in STEM. STEM educations and careers involve curiosity, creative thinking, innovation, and determination-- traits that aren't exclusive to one gender, but ones that we (as women) should exhibit with pride.”

Crystal R. Emery, Ph.D. is the founder, and chief executive officer of URU The Right To Be, Inc. She says:

“I was working with a school superintendent in New Haven, CT, teaching a writer’s workshop. A young student was having difficulty with an assignment to create your superhero. He was one of my best writers, so I asked him what was wrong. He said, “I want my superhero to be a rocket scientist… but I’ve never seen a black rocket scientist.” That stuck with me. We have to create an environment where our children can think big and participate in the STEM fields. That is what I do… changing the narrative so there are more people of color visible as role models for our children.”

Mrs. Dawn Treece, a department manager at Raytheon Company, says:

“You want to be so talented in STEM that your contributions are no longer first defined by your gender or color but by the STEM attributes that make you an equal and valuable member of a winning team.”

Mrs. Nicole Fontayne-Bárdowell, who serves as executive vice president and chief administrative officer of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) agrees:

“There are few things stronger than a woman with a made-up mind! Decide NOW is your time! Organizations need the gifts, talents, and ideas planted in your heart. Only you can bring it forward - Press in - STEM is a Girl Thing!”

Dr. Kathleen Johnson, an associate professor at the University of California, Irvine, says:

“I was always interested in science and the outdoors; hence geology seemed a natural fit. Unfortunately, it took me some time to discover since many students aren't exposed to much geoscience during high school.”

Mrs. Regina Solomon, Lead Systems Engineer of General Dynamics Land Systems thinks:

“STEM needs a female view! We offer many different ways/angles to look at the same problem, that only our experiences as a female can allow us to do!”