What can be done to increase diversity in STEM fields?
There are still disparities in the number of women in STEM versus its popularity with men. Education and outreach will continue to play an important role in recruiting women to college courses and jobs in STEM.
How is the world changing with respect to STEM?
More and more women in STEM are choosing to become mentors. This is a fantastic development. Women who have already plotted their path in STEM can help guide younger women to educational and career success. You can start in your own organization. At WilmerHale, I serve as a mentor to diverse attorneys and women throughout the firm. I also am a member of the Hiring Committee, where I am able to help identify and recruit students of color. I participate throughout the year in firm-wide initiatives to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Helping to develop and mentor the next generation of women and diverse lawyers is something that is incredibly important to me.
Describe your experiences as a woman in a STEM career. What else would you like our readers to know about being a woman in a STEM career in 2023?
Prior to law school, I worked as a community health nurse in several marginalized Boston neighborhoods that suffered both disproportionate rates of poverty and limited access to basic human needs such as healthcare. Coming to fully appreciate the disparity in access to healthcare was a major impetus to attending law school as my experiences ignited my curiosity about how better access – and better health outcomes – could be brought about through law and public policy advocacy. This also ties into the commitment I have now to Life Sciences Cares, an organization whose mission is to support agencies in the Greater Boston area that are aiming to address basic needs like health care, food security, safety, and housing.
My background as a community health nurse also gave me an appreciation of the consequences that both poor health and limited access to appropriate health care have on the vitality of individuals and entire communities. I feel very honored to provide legal services to companies within the life sciences industry whose missions are to improve quality of health, extend survival and overcome disease.
