Watch this video to discover the many ways different industries are changing due to computer science. Does this look like something you would like to be apart of?

Career

Find out how computer science is changing the world.  

Watch a speech about what VR codes actually are and their applications in the world. What are some ways you would use VR codes?

Learn more about VR codes. 

Read tips for aspiring entrepreneurs from Twitter's cofounder on how to start a business, create a valuable product, and build a team. You can start now with the first tip: Put your ideas on paper!

Advice

Read a CEO's tips for young entrepreneurs.

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Second Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

First Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Management Occupations

Top Executives

Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.

Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.

Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.

Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.

Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.

Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.

Negotiate or approve contracts or agreements with suppliers, distributors, federal or state agencies, or other organizational entities.

Review reports submitted by staff members to recommend approval or to suggest changes.

Appoint department heads or managers and assign or delegate responsibilities to them.

Direct human resources activities, including the approval of human resource plans or activities, the selection of directors or other high-level staff, or establishment or organization of major departments.

Preside over or serve on boards of directors, management committees, or other governing boards.

Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.

Establish departmental responsibilities and coordinate functions among departments and sites.

Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.

Coordinate the development or implementation of budgetary control systems, recordkeeping systems, or other administrative control processes.

Direct non-merchandising departments, such as advertising, purchasing, credit, or accounting.

Deliver speeches, write articles, or present information at meetings or conventions to promote services, exchange ideas, or accomplish objectives.

Serve as liaisons between organizations, shareholders, and outside organizations.

Nominate citizens to boards or commissions.

Interpret and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to organizations, government or corporate officials, or individuals.

Make presentations to legislative or other government committees regarding policies, programs, or budgets.

Refer major policy matters to elected representatives for final decisions.

Administer programs for selection of sites, construction of buildings, or provision of equipment or supplies.

Direct or coordinate activities of businesses involved with buying or selling investment products or financial services.

Direct or conduct studies or research on issues affecting areas of responsibility.

Attend and participate in meetings of municipal councils or council committees.

Organize or approve promotional campaigns.

Conduct or direct investigations or hearings to resolve complaints or violations of laws or testify at such hearings.

Represent organizations or promote their objectives at official functions or delegate representatives to do so.

Prepare bylaws approved by elected officials and ensure that bylaws are enforced.

Review and analyze legislation, laws, or public policy and recommend changes to promote or support interests of the general population or special groups.

10-key calculators

Desktop computers

Laptop computers

Personal computers

Personal digital assistants PDA

Smartphones

Universal serial bus USB flash drives

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

AdSense Tracker

Atlassian JIRA

Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge

ComputerEase Construction Accounting

Database reporting software

Databox

Email software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Exact Software Macola ES Labor Performance

Extensible markup language XML

Fund accounting software

Graphic presentation software

Halogen e360

Halogen ePraisal

HCSS HeavyBid

HCSS HeavyJob

Human resource information system HRIS

Infor SSA Human Capital Management

Intuit QuickBooks

Listserv software

Lyris HQ Web-Analytics Solution

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Dynamics AX

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft FRx

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft Word

Nedstat Sitestat

Norchard Solutions Succession Wizard

Online advertising reporting software

Oracle E-Business Suite

Oracle PeopleSoft

Oracle Siebel Server Sync

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor

Relational database management software

Sage 50 Accounting

Structured query language SQL

Web browser software

Find a mentor that can help you on your journey and who is dedicated to helping you succeed. 

Most of my day recently has been consumed by trying to figure out how to run a business. There are a lot of things around building my company and dealing with a startup that have nothing to do with what I am trained in. There are many points where I have no idea what I'm doing, but you just go with it. My daily goal with my work is to make VR codes an industry standard. 

Founder

I'm the founder of PixelsIO, which is a company that was formed to take over some technology that I created while I was a grad student at MIT. And so, my time is consumed by that right now, but the path to getting to there was sort of all over the place. So, it's perfectly fine that you don't know what you wanna do right now. For a long time, when I was in school and maybe earlier than that I was really obsessed with the idea of being a professor. And I sort of realized a little bit later in my life that I was more obsessed about the title or the label of that job or that thing than what that job was. Getting to the essence of, what is it that I really liked about the professor? Was it the teaching, the other people? Was it the freedom to do research? Was it the idea that you can bring an idea to fruition? And I think the thing that I focused on, and the reason why I decided not to become a professor at the end of the day and to do Pixels is because it's the fastest way, relatively, to bring your ideas into people's hands. Cuz no one else is gonna do it for you, so you might as well do it yourself. 

Grace Woo Highlight

I'm the founder of PixelsIO, which is a company that was formed to take over some technology that I created while I was a grad student at MIT. And so my time's consumed by that right now. But the path to getting to there was sort of all over the place. So it's perfectly fine that you don't know what you wanna do right now. And I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in electrical engineering, minor in mathematics. And then I went to MIT for grad school. I went to grad school when I was 19, so I was early, go, go, go, go-getter. I was really uptight, but in my free time, which in hindsight the free time was actually when the confidence about what I wanted to do actually developed. I used to like to do things like I would say we didn't have that many toys. And so I would save all those toilet paper rolls, from the inside of toilet paper. And I'd use them as building blocks or whatever, when I was really young. And I'd come home, my mom, she would just throw it all away, I just find it empty. And in hind sight, she was teaching me something, which was you build it up, and then you learn something from it, and then you clean it up. You just start all over, and things use what you learned in your brain, and then go on and do something more. So- &gt;&gt; So what, maybe challenges or obstacles, road blocks, whatever you'd like to call it, did you have to overcome, to kinda get to where you are today? &gt;&gt; When I say it's not a straight path, like right now, I'm starting a company, and I'm a starter person. And there's a lot of things around doing a start up that have nothing to do with thinking about how things work. Or how to build something, or innovating, and you just go with it. There some things that you just have to do. Yeah, and I think other than that everything looks straight in hindsight. So if I describe it sort of going this way. But I can imagine that there many many points where I really had no idea what I was doing. &gt;&gt; Where do you see PixelsIO heading? &gt;&gt; Yeah, I think for me it's very personal. So I want a VR codes to become an industry standard because that would just give me a lot of a sense of accomplishment. So I think going back to not having a straight path, I think for a long time when I was in school, and maybe earlier than that, I was really obsessed with the idea of being a professor. And I sort of realized a little bit later in my life that I was more obsessed about the title, or the label of that job, or that thing than what that job was. Like getting to the essence of what is it that I really liked about the professor? Was it the teaching the other people? Was it the freedom to do research? Was it the idea that you can bring an idea to fruition? And I think the thing that I focused on and the reason why I decided not to become a professor at the end of the day and to do Pixels is because it's the fastest way relatively to bring your ideas into people's hands. So, cuz no one else is gonna do it for you, so you might as well do it yourself. &gt;&gt; What advice would you give on kind of defining your own identity, and finding a career that suits you? &gt;&gt; Like, [LAUGH] &gt;&gt; That's a loaded question, right? That's a- &gt;&gt; Yeah [LAUGH]. Time is measured not in time, but in what you do. So some people are able to do a lot in a short amount of what we call, time. And the more you do, the more you figure out. It's just like spending your brain cycles on observing things and trying to understand them. And then there's also learning by doing. So you can do a bunch of stuff, fail a bunch of times, and then eventually you'll figure out your identity. Cuz there's things you like and things that you don't like and doing more helps. I think though having a really good mentor can really change your life, and not all teachers are mentors. So picking out the teachers or, it doesn't even have to be a teacher, but it can be someone who just really has no other interest then than helping you. And that's profound, it's just really hard to find. &gt;&gt; Any parting advice that you have to offer to us as we go along on our journey? &gt;&gt; Do more and stay active. I mean, I don't need to say that you guys are already doing that. 

Interview

I went to grad school when I was 19. So I was a early, go, go, go, go getter, I was really uptight. But in my free time, which in hindsight, the free time was actually when the confidence about what I wanted to do, actually developed. I used to like to do things, I would say, we didn't have that many toys and so I would save all those toilet paper rolls from the inside of toilet paper ends and use them as building blocks for whatever when I was really young. And I'd come home, my mom she would just throw it all away, I'd just find it empty. And in hindsight, she was teaching me something, which was you kind of, you build it up, and then you learn something from it, and then you clean it up. You just start all over, and you use what you learned in your brain, and then go on and do something more, so. 

Education

Hobbies & Pastimes

Free Time Gave Me Direction

So what, maybe challenges or obstacles, roadblocks, whatever you'd like to call it, did you have to overcome to kinda get to where you are today? &gt;&gt; When I say it's not a straight path, like right now, I'm starting a company, I'm a startup person. And there is a lot of things around doing a startup that have nothing to do with thinking about how things work or how to build something or innovating. And you just go with it, there's some things that you just have to do. Yeah, and I think other than that, everything looks straight in hindsight. So if I describe it sort of going this way, but i can imagine that there were many, many points where I really had no idea what I was doing. &gt;&gt; Where do you see PixelsIO heading? &gt;&gt; Yeah, I think, for me, it's very personal. So I want VR codes to become an industry standard, because that would just give me a lot of a sense of accomplishment. So I think, going back to not having a straight path, I think for a long time, when I was in school and maybe earlier than that, I was really obsessed with the idea of being a professor. And I sort of realized a little bit later in my life that I was more obsessed about the title or the label of that job or that thing, than what that job was. Like getting to the essence of what is it that I really liked about the professor, was it the teaching, the other people? Was it the freedom to do research, was it the idea that you can bring an idea to fruition? And I think the thing that I focused on and the reason why I decided not to become a professor at the end of the day and to do pixels, is because it's the fastest way, relatively, to bring your ideas into people's hands. Cuz no one else is gonna do it for you, so you might as well do it yourself. 

Choices

Goals

Challenges

What's most important to you in your life? &gt;&gt; I think family is the most important thing. Nothing goes beyond that. So protecting that above all else is the most important thing. And then beyond that, being truthful, and looking for beauty, and the world has gotten really, really complicated, right? There's so many things that you really need to look deeper into. And so, learning those skills to look deeper into things, which you guys are here to do, which is really, really cool, yeah. 

Family

Values

What advice would you give on kind of defining your own identity and finding a career that suits you? &gt;&gt; Like [LAUGH]. &gt;&gt; That's a loaded question, right? That [LAUGH]. &gt;&gt; Yeah, time is measured not in time but in what you do, so some people are able to do a lot in a short amount of what we call time. And the more you do, the more you figure out. It's just like spending your brain cycles on observing things and trying to understand them. And then, there's also learning by doing. So you can do a bunch of stuff, fail a bunch of times, and then eventually you'll figure out your identity, cuz there's things you like and things that you don't like, and doing more helps. I think though, having a really good mentor can really change your life. And not all teachers are mentors. So picking out the teachers, it doesn't have to be a teacher. But it can be someone who just really has no other interest than helping you and that's profound. It's just really hard to find. &gt;&gt; Any parting advice that you have to offer to us, as we go along on our journey? &gt;&gt; Do more, stay active. I don't need to say that. You guys are already doing that. 

Experience

Success

Time Is Measured In What You Do

A s a female studying engineering I'm wondering as you're in this field right now and working on your start up if you feel that kind of any obstacles like in that sense? &gt;&gt; There is definitely obstacles but I always say that there is all sorts glass ceilings, so it's not just being a female, it's not just being a specific race, it's not just having a certain skin color. And so that in some sense is what develops your identity. I think some people actually don't have the privilege of having those glass ceilings, and therefore they never really develop their identity. &gt;&gt; Can you expand more on that, on what you mean by privilege of having these kind of obstructions in our way. &gt;&gt; Yeah, I think challenges, whether or not you succeed or fail, are what develop your identity. So basically whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. 

Societal Pressures

Struggle

Glass Ceilings

A Balanced Equation

Women in STEM Roadtrip

INSIGHTS FROM THE FILM

You can’t be what you can’t see—so we sent three young women out on the road to meet leaders in STEM who are blasting past barriers and launching us into the future.
 From rocket scientists at NASA to engineers, professors, computer scientists, artists, and more, follow the journey of road-trippers Ariel, Elicia, and Regina as they get a firsthand look at how women in STEM are overcoming challenges and building the future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
If you’re a parent, teacher, or student looking for educational resources that will help you dive deeper into the topics and themes in this series, check out our <a href="//s3.amazonaws.com/archive.roadtripnation.com/roadtrip/v2/women-in-stem/a-balanced-equation-viewing-guide.pdf" target="_blank">viewing guide.</a>

Women make up 48% of the workforce, but only 23% hold jobs in STEM. That’s why Roadtrip Nation has teamed up with AT&amp;T to send three young women on a life-changing road trip to talk to the trailblazing women who are shaping the world with science, technology, engineering, and math. The experience will become a documentary film viewable on this page to empower females everywhere to discover the exciting realms of innovation that are improving lives, solving problems, and making a positive impact on our future. Follow the journey and learn what it really takes to build a life doing what you love.

AT&T

FUELED BY:

AT&T Aspire

Young women are more likely to succeed in STEM if they see examples of women who already have. So we've created an online community where women in STEM can share their challenges, triumphs, and advice with other young women. Tell the story of how you got to where you are today, and encourage more young females to develop interest and skills in the fields of tomorrow.

Marlissa Collier

Aurélie Jean

Melissa Wrenchey

The Women in STEM Roadtrip

A Balanced Equation Trailer

workforce, but science, technology, engineering, and math. interested in those fields set out talk to the trailblazers who came before them. wisdom and guidance to find what it actually takes sciences, to build a life around doing what come from breaking down barrier. picked a major, I picked computer science. equations, it's also being creative. of cool. be an electrical engineer, fascination with electricity. around women in science, with me. inclusion in science and diversity. very comfortable in those spaces and a very dominated field, exciting to go and control and demand what they wanted in life, and out of all of their passions and interests. purpose of this road trip. over Skype, so each other in person finally. >> So traveling across the country in a big green RV. and we're gonna start in Boston and the Bay Area in California. states and  >> To get their perspective about what STEM, and STEM stands for science, technology, what bstacles they've had to tackle and science?  career?  influential in my own life and career, and my own road in life. important things about this is exposure. doing it, creating role models. impact. kind of nervous, but [LAUGH]. and this is a crazy adventure. real, very fast. that. spacious than I thought it was gonna be. space. our beds are not supposed to be beds. >> Wait, hold on, I'm stuck on here now. uncomfortable. that. immediately. that I don't know. of come out of my comfort zone I am 24 years old born and Arkansas. [LAUGH] so can adapt [LAUGH] and change. outside of my comfort zone is being away from home and being away? proud of her because she's pretty, dependent on us,- >> I am [LAUGH]. independence. studying Biomedical Sciences. I don't really know what's next doctor, but I didn't know what that meant. I would have to put in. time during undergrad to find of offset college cost, very hard [LAUGH]. told me that maybe science wasn't for me. you try a different degree? do something easier. internalize those things, and help me to be more bold and courageous. school, but I've talked myself out of it every single time. happy, maybe that's not attainable, but  figure it out. Rubik's cubes together. I feel like we get along really well. Manhattan, near China Town. the University of Pennsylvania. China. to kind of like do what they're told. standing out too much, I think, girls. of that from my parents. be doing. at and the things that boys are good at, computer science, but it wasn't something that my guess the people around me thought I would do, and that's because I am a girl. something I feel 100% confident about always, but that's why I'm continuing to pursue it. computer science recitations, what everyone has been telling me about. computer science, people say like, for girls. in computer science like wow, role model for all of these young guys? the reasons why I'm so excited too. interviewing. that these women have faced and how I can overcome mine. I can do something I love and brought my nerdy nails. the broken image icon and then circuit boards. really random things. the relationships in this RV so >> I'm Alicia Dennis. school at the University of Notre Dame. area, like right in the heart of Denver. grew up. right here, between the gang territories. of an unstable family. I was kind of on my own. kind of started to step in. support because she wasn't getting that at home. groceries, many times uncle would leave her for days. shut off. I would just cry my eyes out. that needed some guidance and some love and could do that for her. and real familial support to turning around and family that I could ever ask for. that's when I, for found out what an engineer was. find my friend group. figured out that they actually do exist. for this passion inside of me and aware of how few women are in STEM. a bad solder joint on this AM radio. family told me that I should just stick to girls don't do Math and Science. to this day I have to fight. you're almost reprogramming their interests. her getting into Notre Dame. university. school. fit in. syndrome well enough to be in what I'm doing. girls don't do math or have girls in STEM, change that. road trip is going to be with Dr. Evelynn Hammonds. engineering and physics as well. course on the history of science. talk about the evolution of science over time. race and gender studies. at the University of Arkansas for Biomedical science and the interest of finding my way and about. know how your experiences Physics and Electrical Engineering and the History of Science. graduates. Mathematics and Education. school teacher and engineer but there was no engineering could attend in Georgia in those days. civil servant at the post office. where many African American men who have college limitations. science and my parents completely supported that so Spelman studying Physics and two and Tech studying Electrical Engineering. estimate were in that program at the time. only African American woman. anti-woman, anti-minority culture. color are in your program? feeling that sense of, why am I the only one here? became more important to me was to try to understand Americans, Latinos, and women doing Physics? really wanted to understand it. always say these are not Physics questions. very important to me. questions turned out to be the history of science. reasons that we don't have many women in the STEM people to really see this as a historical question. leaders of the scientific profession look more like Europe. introducing scientific publications. elevate the status of the field socially undesirable groups. groups that we're talking about are women and exclusionary practices were put in place to wanting Science and prestigious professions. always lingering questions about female capacity that if women got engaged in intellectual work, >> That your brain affected your ovaries have as many children and hard to be let back into the door. society in creating notions of gender and and that's the key issue that I work on and much as I can about it. do to help increase the participation of women and you can do to help, is to do it. you're interested in. is constantly confronting gender and I should do, and they can have their expectations. with what I'm gonna do. I think, just struck me. American woman with a degree in affirming, to say she looks like she did it. that.  feel isolated, really resonated with me. there are issues of race. to talk to about it. why there's not that representation of fields. say, I can do that. meet women who are in different sectors. kinds of careers, and to learn their stories. struggles they faced, what noise they hear and the pressures around them. to Janet Echelman she's a studio artist and art installations that are these huge nets. settings like hanging from buildings. and engineering involved. science.  cool.  different rooms that maybe we don't think that go about what she's doing. have any traditional formal education at all. painter, then a sculptor. architecture and, I don't, what field am I in? art and the divide. background in art, and decided I wanted to be an artist. you become something is you go to school. and I was rejected by all seven. luckiest thing ever in my life, to learn how to teach myself. program that leads here. education, and it took a long time and and it was hard to support myself, but felt dead. the choices that you made in pursuing art? college, my father said to me, you you have talent and should become an artist? thing I want to do. lead you from there to here, but got a plane ticket to Bali. fields until I found a little house to rent. knew that I needed to practice. shipped all my paints, and they got lost. sculptor because I had no paint. they had fishing twine. the fishermen, nets and began just experimenting. of bringing it back home. I had to engage in science. because to make these works at the scale of architecture, models in the computer that we could share with owners of the building, with city permit officials. multi-layered forms that interact with environments and open up our imagination and a different way of being. is that it looks delicate but think is an important metaphor for my work. a metaphor of what we're capable of. you're trying to do something new and rejections all the time. rejecting me from every single art school I've applied to. say that I'm not an artist. out the noise, saying that might be contrary to what we want to do or you kind of overcame it all. college was how to hear my own voice. even know it to recognize it and and journal-ling and sketching and asking questions. myself amidst the noise. before you can follow it. is maybe the work of this phase of your life. get afraid. quite a few different things. I don't really know what's next, the time to figure it out. >> You know there are so people have carved out for themselves. all. trip. and places, and people, and things. life where I feel like I need to start figuring out safe choice is usually the best choice. really know. to take like a twisting path  and like be okay. the reasons why I'm so the people we're interviewing. have very conventional paths. out there. City. moment. school, are less girls here. people they're always surprised, like wow! are. me has just been to know who I am. changes in a very short period of time. probably the biggest education I got. moments to soak it in. 

The road-trippers set off to meet inspiring women in STEM, starting with Harvard professor Evelynn Hammonds and artist Janet Echelman.

Episode 1: Find Your Voice

The team meets women in STEM who are launching big ideas into the world through engineering, art, activism, tech, business, and more.

Episode 2: Get Out There

workforce, but science, technology, engineering, and math. interested in those fields set out  on a cross country trailblazers who came before them. wisodom and guidance to find  what it actually the sciences to build a life  around doing what they love come from breaking down barriers. >> So we went ziplining and it'll probably time you guys are gonna get me crying on camera. everything that has to do with heights. screaming, somebody's gonna probably have to push me. I was so terrified, but more terrified than I was. nightmare. >> Yeah. Holy. things and put myself out there. forest, ways to see a forest. excited. >> Take your right hand off the cable. if I could turn back now, I would. >> I didn't sign up for this. once you're out there. >> People every day who do the same thing down there they're having  a great time. down on the first one. behind this. cable, 5,000 on the strap, there's a guide at the end waiting on this. >> You got it. >> You can do it. >> How many of these are there? you start having fun. it's like, okay, I can do this. together. perseverance, but I fought through the trip. like having the busy schedule that we do, quickly. >> This is an amazing opportunity to meet women who are in  engineering and tech, find out how they got where  they are today. this trip is because out what I wanna do in life. >> [LAUGH] I think that's kind kinda pursuing everything, things that you know you love, out how to combine them. that feel a little bit scary, or most. are comfortable, you're not gonna grow. making myself kinda move out of my comfort zone. changing experience and go home and of what am I gonna do with my life? doctor, but I didn't know what that meant. I would have to put in. Chemistry and it was very tough, very hard. lot. time during under grad, losing a lot of focus, the time trying to tackle these classes. me that maybe science wasn't for me. and I have had negative self talk. but I talked myself out of it every single time. help me to be more bold, and courageous, often. Center in Gulfport, Mississippi Katie, two amazing NASA engineers. Atlanta is almost two miles in altitude. from the Kennedy Space Center, from the very beginning, science, and to be an engineer? in Mexico, we'd be in open field, late at night, and in the sky. science and math classes. got into aerospace engineering. I really enjoy testing rocket engines, and got here that this is where I was supposed to be. >> I grew up right outside the city of and so I chose chemical engineering. Columbia was returning back from a mission, and outside where I was going to school at. and it struck the nation as a great tragedy, astronauts. and engineers to help rectify the problem. group of college graduates that got to help Flight. >> Three, two, one, zero, and Atlantis on a mission to build, the International Space Station. journey to shore up the International Space Station. part of what you do? the International Space Station, and launchpad slide off and go  deliver supplies. helping furthering the  space exploration. maybe felt uncertain about  the course of your career, hard. we stated with probably about 100 kids, or four us were females. female. differential equations, equations with Chemistry terms. supposed to be. >> Thank you. internalize I don't think as well as my male counterparts, but It's >> So thank you. in. me or that, I was taking it and  playing soccer and calculus wasn't a priority and  so I had to take priority and I was able to passed it. ourselves while we find our journey. amazing things and we do amazing things. of doing anything. before working at at NASA. college first and to become want they want to be. first, but that doesn't mean you have to stop. and become what you wanna be. longer or effort to reach that goal, it's your journey. industry, but I don't have to say that's great I'm gonna try in  three years. enough it's just about my  determination and get judged on your size,  and your color, and and your lack of abilities. something that you're really  passionate about, because I've gotten chosen. push and put in for things  that they are curious about. >> Go ahead and put the application in. dream, follow that mission, and >> You're welcome. being kind to yourself and on your journey. I can really relate to. I didn't make the best grades. are like, of grades or because of failures. school. ahead and apply, and let  someone else tell me no, burner because of doubts. half done. love. to head out to Dallas. me a lot of new perspectives. always felt like all the  diversity you need to see in cuz there are so many different people. horse. for you. animal, as a kid. stories and like unicorn stories. true. horse. okay. the summer solstice coincided. moon rise, itwas amazing. love exploring, just seeing new things, there. doing things like horseback riding or hiking. you go to sleep, it's just a regular routine. this. been about independent, because I moved to college. far away from my mom and my brother. out how I'm going to do  things on my own. kind of on my own too so. guess. now. trying to figure out new  things by myself. from China. just about not having to struggle. have the best education, emphasized that. isn't something my parents  really thought about be writer. painting. safe choice is usually the best choice. the case, but then again, I don't really know. take risks, wouldn't be fair to my family. reasons why I'm so excited  to meet the people we're didn't have very conventional paths. I can do something I love, and Buechley. professor. designer, so she also makes a  combination of art and are, and what you do, and the point you are now. I'm a designer and an engineer. on blending electronics, and of work in combining textiles, and and computer science. Lilypad Arduino, that lets you  sew electronics robotics, except for soft, stretchy things. a bunch of a ways to kinda sketch or you can then program to make them interactive. work in paper, and paper-based electronics. with, control lights, and sound. what I do now, and I've taken a long meandering path. hippies in the 60s and 70s. poor when I was kid. poor, kinda we had to be resourceful, we encountered in kind of imaginative ways. our cars were always breaking down, and car in some kind of strange and a pair of my tights or something. from that, was a sense of kind of encountering them in a sense of way, as a really creative, and problems you encounter in your life. I was a dance major. academic challenge of math and science, so stuff in college but majoring in physics. mathematical sciences on the one hand, school for a computer science. discovered that I could combine all my realized that was possible before. moment when I discovered  that there were electrically then I just started to play, and build stuff with that was really, really  fun and really exciting. way to get kind of new  communities of people computer science. develop can engage people in STEM, electronics and computer science, who, maybe, of doing those things. now and she was talking about arduino circuits, and is, and I'm so intimated by  these topics. who kind of intimidated by the topics of engineering it's too hard to go into these fields? response. frightened by, or kind of  intimidated by computers, in general. because there's kind of a culture exclusive, feels very male, who build robots for example. a girl, I look at the computer  science community video games, I'm not really into robots. I just don't wanna do those things. do art, and work with my hands. seen art as kind of  more of a hobby, might wanna pursue professionally just be good enough, Or just that there's just so who are so creative, I just feel really intimidated. you've ever felt that, or someone who is in my position. that's a natural part of, yeah, person is feeling that. slightly different digression around the topic. excel that mathematics, tend to separate of creative stuff like art. creative discipline,  like stem is every where. like art are tremendously technical disciplines. knitting, one-dimensional thing into a three-dimensional thing. mathematically rich thing. we don't think of it in those terms. or what I needed to do for could combine kind of art and with electronics. work is so cool especially cuz I love art, and kind of tried to make something using tools. wish, you when you were our age. should take out into the world with us? think you should do because you're afraid. experimental and curious. act with curiosity, passion, and joy. wanted to be, or not really because I didn't- that she does existed,  but she's just so cool. job, which is to work for her, is an artist and also an engineer. time we were interviewing her. Oh my god, I love you. her, when you can be her? favorite by far. she's gonna think I'm a freak. there are all these new things that haven't been ourselves. the future just feels very open. Before this trip, was going to school for and combining with computer science or something I'm definitely gonna be trying. passion, for me,  I wanna do something else. like me. grades. out and so, I do belong here. trip, what do I really wanna  get out of it is, continuing to push myself, to do better, be better, staying within that bubble like guaranteed experiences, many things I probably wouldn't have done. of a rock yesterday, at the  Grand Canyon. there's good to come out of trying things. very beginning, so I'm gonna continue trying. days left, there's so much to see and do. and it's kind of sad, cuz we have one week. I just heard the word no so many times. wouldn't be anywhere near  where I am today. watching Myth Busters, so model. that inspired you, it makes me want to cry. right now. home. day, excitement to be amazing. 

A visit to NASA’s largest rocket engine test facility, and messing with lights and circuit boards with engineer and designer Leah Buechley.

Episode 3: Many Paths

workforce, but science, technology, engineering, and math. interested in those fields set out talk to the trailblazers who came before them. wisdom and guidance to find what it actually takes sciences, to build a life around doing what come from breaking down barrier. trip, I think we have a week and and it's kinda sad, cuz we have like one week. to get to see the country. I've done all of this. experience. not one in the drive. and who has been on American Ninja Warrior. scientist, so she does a lot of cool stuff. Natalie. the roof of our RV was hard, but a lot of excitement. climbing that we're going to do today is called getting up the same color problem is what we call it and you can. go. frustrating. that one, I can feel it. our age? background, and I love the sciences, so neuroscience. went here to UCLA in Los Angeles to do clinical freshman year of college. I wanna stay healthy. from the stresses of school. myself, I fell in love with it. confidence to do these obstacles. you know, if you first look at them. in a day-by-day basis, like with studies and >> This is my chance to show people all stronger than what people make them out to be. >> Kind of break beyond the green. and that's nothing, what I am. >> Natalie Duran, so strong. fierce, encouraging. trip is San Francisco. to end. me a lot of new perspective. all these women have acknowledged it, a lot of work to be done. computer science recitations, I was the only girl in it. this shouldn't be an issue. trip is San Fransisco. so our days are gonna be really full. interview Debbie Sterling, Toys that combine storytelling with engineering for her, because she's done something super cool. construction toys were for boys. boys were the ones building. maybe that's the reason why so considering engineering. idea. all I could talk about, and it took over my life. was I was born to do. a great idea, how does this not exist yet? great idea, that maybe there's a reason why building and girls are inclined towards dolls. battle that you wont win. research I possibly could on this issue, cognitive development in children, I met with teachers, pediatricians. there's absolutely no male advantage to science or continue to propagate that stereotype because it is was the lack of role-models. draw a picture of scientists, myth and especially for young girls. that I'm a role-model. know that you're role-models, but you are. doing on this trip is the greatest thing you could do, and STEM or technology can be. what all of these different people have social change in the world. Danielle Feinberg at Pixar. I will have hit 20 years at Pixar. undergrad with my computer science degree in hand. A Bug's Life, I was just so movie. for me of art and coding, a lot of problem solving and what you want it to do. visuals, which to me is so magical. sort of left and right brain things, and that you've worked on, or like a favorite scene or I ever got to work on was sequence in Finding Nemo. I got all the pieces balanced just so, water, and the caustics on the bells all of the fog beams and stuff. and the director was silent. means right, and then he just started clapping. started clapping, the whole room starts clapping. you put in this hard work late at night, and to make you feel like, doing and this is awesome, and we're making movies. have you had any challenges or surmount to be successful, and if so how? ways my biggest obstacle is myself, in terms of, don't know something or do. like wow, I have been putting myself down and having assumed things that actually weren't even true. get my voice in there. like Brave, and we have this awesome teenager. she is not some perfect character. but she's kind of battling what her parents want. totally relevant to the sort of of my experiences in this amazing change in that way is totally awesome. heard the word so many times. me, near where I am today. get a yes. don't stop with the no's. a lot of things by working hard, and important thing is working hard. some genius for it or something. about working hard at it. to say, do what you love. work and you feel those moments of inspiration and it isn't work anymore. you may be working long hours, the jellyfish late at night. happy. and I felt lucky to be able to do it. to get to that job you love. ridiculous. there, >> This isn't just like a journey of a journey of like, humans through STEM. problem, then the world would be so all just be humans finding our own way. finding our own way through everything. outside of San Francisco and technically, the trip, it's the last full day. you wouldn't understand. >> And I'm the sous chef. to being who we really are. other, and you trying to get along and stuff. are being our bubbly selves. she's so funny. kind of quiet at first. stuff now. they've been of like big sisters to me compliment them. ever had. attached. this trip because I was like, each other, and we're gonna fight all the time. treatment cuz we don't get along and to be with Kari Byron who was a MythBuster and >> Kari Byron. wanting to be an engineer. I wanted to be a MythBuster, an engineer did pretty much. introduction to engineering. engineering without that, and but I didn't have the exposure to it. never stopped to think, a woman can't do that. interview I've been looking forward to the most this >> Hi. >> Hello. I grew up watching MythBusters so know what an engineer was, do based off off of watching it. that exposure was for me. background as to how you got to this point in your before I had gotten into MythBusters, effects. era of special effects where created practical effects. Industries, which is a prop shop. also was the first day that MythBusters started filming MythBusters go the distance and do anything. desert, to put some Jada Rockets on an old Impala, and try to make it jump into the air. that I could have the internship. after my internship during the day. this wild creation happen. job ended at night, long down to the desert, lot until their vans got up to go film. was like, I'm going with you. out. a bolt I went and I got it. to them long enough to become part of it. my willingness to do the hard work for maybe we're gonna bring her on. 54,000 pounds of thrust per engine. the television role? wanting to be in television. this kid or that this is the trajectory of my life. to the point where during junior high, across the street, I use to wait for that I could walk on the other side of the street and them to invite me to walk with them. to them the whole way. best friends even though I was so lasted all the way to high school and are. my life. be terrifying cuz that's when you actually figure out what you're doing with your life. major. I got a rough ticket around the world and to country, to country on very, I wanted to do with my life. I had made me brave. didn't think I could do, and it made me stronger. the best possible education you brave, and learning why not? will come your way. and not take them. it and see what happens, happen? prop shop. I'll have to try something else. agency, I did it for figure out what I didn't want to do before and I liked it. said earlier, about being a shy kid. such a charismatic TV personality, and steps were for you overcoming, kind of your shyness, barriers. that shyness even now or. sometimes. speaking and I have to do it all the time. hands sweat and my feet sweat and my throat closes up. and then just let it go. a crippling depression where I go and have found that I've had to just of the other until I made it through. career where there's a camera on you and the time. other people that I have this, their shyness as well just by going for it. experience has kind of narrowed your scope science? science? advocate for science, I'm an advocate for girls role models of women in strong careers coming up. if they were on medical shows, they weren't the doctors. a role model myself, one. that that inspired you, I never set out to try to Be a role model. you're killing me. >> It's sort of a wonderful the show. so much. now. and like, so excited. going to take me to process. sink in. how she still became something so things. forever. emotions. to everybody in this RV. underwear away. learn from people who are teachers and professors and other. much from Alesia and Ariel. I know that I'll have them. them. bag with me? what we're gonna do in the future together. sincerely like to see these relationships our journey together. so, to have this bond with them I feel like, you know, I'm gonna miss them a lot. and I'm not gonna do it. us about support networks that they had. important that we all form them. from my experience this year in college, support network of women in STEM. community. life where I had the most difficulty, was when I was isolated. support. and hearing their stories, lot. us now, more than there used to be. age that wasn't the case. woman who had a job that I wanted. make us more invisible. role model. doing what I'm doing. engineer. take it into our own hands and tell her you know you can do this too. a month ago we were in Boston, and did that. of my life than I think I'd seen in the 20 years myself after college was the noise. before you can follow it. is maybe the work of this phase of your life. that I love exploring and going to new places. the start of the trip is that career because I feel like it could be anything. >> Be playful and just experimental and curious. act in curiosity, passion, and joy. that there are all these new things that haven't been ourselves. gonna get into medical school, so career. which is fine, if that's what you wanna do. do, and so confidence that I can keep going. yourself in your skills, but it doesn't matter what it is something that I can do. this is not for me, these are women that are just like me. really do belong in science. difference between living life and experiencing life. my passion for anything I was doing. lost I was until I started to find it again. day, that excitement to be amazing. 

The trip ends in SF, with Debbie Sterling, who makes engineering toys for girls, and MythBusters’ Kari Byron talking courage and curiosity.

Grace Woo

Founder

Videos

Grace Woo

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Entrepreneurship

Technology

Accomplishing Goals

Day to Day

Skills & Qualities Beyond School

Advice for Getting Started

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

Interviewed By

A Balanced Equation

Grace Woo

Founder

Videos

Grace Woo

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Entrepreneurship

Technology

Accomplishing Goals

Day to Day

Skills & Qualities Beyond School

Advice for Getting Started

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

Interviewed By

A Balanced Equation

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