Women in STEM festival at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge
Have you ever attended STEAM events? Recently, I had the delightful opportunity to attend the Women in STEM festival at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. This was a 2-day gathering of female STEM enthusiasts from ages 16-90. Here, they shared their thoughts about how there are now more females active and known in STEM (an improvement!) and what can be done to empower girls and young women pursuing careers in STEM. If you are interested, these talks can be found on the Murray Edwards YouTube channel.
I’d like to thank Murray Edwards College for being so welcoming; they invited students from my sixth-form college to come to this event. Every staff member I spoke to had a smile on their face, and we were given a nice lunch (including dessert!) as well as drinks throughout the day – how kind! Between talks, I’d talk to women and learn about their careers and how they got there. The people I spoke to also gave me encouragement and advice about my education and career. This gave me the confidence to pursue a career in STEM. And, when I do, I won’t be only surrounded by intimidating males.
What This (and other STEAM Events) Taught Me
My memories of this festival are fond. It comforts me that there is a great welcoming community of women in STEM out there. These women are an inspiration because of how hard they have worked and what they have contributed. It’s also important that it made me think about what can uplift women to continue, explore and pursue their STEM passions. These talks and this festival have inspired me to think about my own journey in STEM and the challenges I’ve faced. It was amazing to see older women who had overcome big challenges and paved the way for others like me. I hope I can be like them in the future!
This article was written by Sarah M, a Stemette Society member.
