WiSTEM feature: Hannah Davis
For Women’s History Month we’re partnering with an amazing global organization: Women in STEM
Today we feature one of their wonderful ambassadors, Hannah Davis a junior currently attending The Latin School of Chicago:
ILLResearch: How did you come to be involved with Women in STEM?
Hannah: I found out about Women in STEM in March 2018 through a friend at the Lab chapter. Immediately, I knew I wanted to start a chapter at Latin to combat the gender disparity in many of our school’s STEM electives and encourage more girls to pursue STEM. With my co-founder, Jessica Flohr, I created the Women in STEM chapter at Latin. As an ambassador, I was eligible to apply for a variety of leadership positions, and I chose to apply for the Director of Digital Media. I wanted to increase Women in STEM’s online presence and make the sites easier to use.
ILLResearch: What particular areas are you interested in studying?
Hannah: While I do not have a concrete field of study because I am still in high school, I am interested in math and science. I love science because it explains how the world works and the foundation of our life. While I am not sure the exact area of science I wish to pursue, I love social sciences, like psychology and economics, and physical sciences, like physics or chemistry. For as long as I can remember, I have loved math because of its objectivity and its application to a variety of fields. Luckily, the interdisciplinary nature of the two fields allows me to pursue both.
ILLResearch: Why is the work you do with Women in STEM important?
Hannah: The work I do with Latin’s chapter is important because it encourages more girls to pursue and stay in the STEM fields, particularly through our mentorship program with female Latin alum. We do hands-on activities and collaborate with other clubs to make STEM fun and accessible. We support our members through all their endeavors, like giving examples of STEM related internships for high school students in Chicago. As the Director of Digital Media, I have increased Women in STEM’s online presence and transparency. This has opened the doors to new opportunities and collaborations. Many of our recent chapters found out about us through social media. This increased presence has made it easier for other individuals, communities, and organizations to stay current with the work the organization is doing.
ILLResearch: What are your future aspirations and goals?
Hannah: While I am not sure what I want to pursue at the moment, I am considering some kind of career in health care with a quantitative side. However, I am not sure what this looks like yet. I have always loved math and science and am looking forward to where those passions will lead me.
ILLResearch: What piece of advice would you give to yourself 3 years ago?
Hannah: I would tell myself to take as many STEM classes as possible and not be afraid to speak up and ask questions. While I took a computer science class this fall, I wish I had started taking computer science sooner. I wish someone had told me to be more comfortable being the only female in the room and to try as many things as possible.
ILLResearch: What have you learned from being a part of Women in STEM that you will take with you in your future endeavors?
Hannah: Through Women in STEM, I have learned the importance of strong mentors. Both the mentorship program at Latin and the other members and ambassadors continue to inspire me and give me new ideas. A huge part of Women in STEM is support and collaboration. I am grateful for all the connections and friendships I have made and continue to make with other high school students across the globe. As the Director of Digital Media, I communicate a lot with all the ambassadors and members. I have also learned how to communicate effectively and plan so everything gets done on time. These skills have helped me manage and coordinate events for the Latin chapter along with our other club head, Jessica Flohr. More concretely, I have learned more about marketing, creating a brand, and website design (through Squarespace).
ILLResearch: What obstacles (if any) have you faced to get to where you are today?
Hannah: I am fortunate enough to have supportive family, friend, and school communities that encourage me in my journey in the STEM fields. However, I definitely struggled with confidence at times. I had to learn it was okay to ask for help and ask questions in classes. There were times when I was afraid my classmates would think I wasn’t worthy of being in a class, especially when there was a female minority. I had to trust my instincts and speak up for myself in order to continue to succeed in my classes.
Thank you to Hannah and WiSTEM for participating in this wonderful collaboration and stay tuned for the 4 other ambassadors to be featured on this blog and our instagram!
You can follow us and WiSTEM on instagram to stay up to date with our Women’s History Month’s and visit https://womeninstem.org/ to learn more about Women in STEM and how you can become involved on your campus or school!
About Women in STEM(WiSTEM):
Founded in 2017 at the University of Chicago Lab Schools by Ananya Asthana.
Women in STEM (WiSTEM), aims to “empower and inspire girls through offering a variety of opportunities at the high school level”.
