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Ruby B. Johnson Highlight
In order to get your voice out there, you have to be persistent. You can’t let people take your voice away. Get skillful about how you’re putting yourself out there. Push yourself and create opportunities for yourself.
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All InAbout Ruby B.
- I was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in West Africa and moved to the U.S. when I was 12 years old—I spent most of my school years in Maryland.
- A high school teacher recognized my skills in STEM and encouraged me to pursue engineering in college.
- I started in civil engineering but quickly realized I didn’t enjoy it much, so I switched to mining engineering, which was great because the program had a much better student–teacher ratio.
- While in school, I completed a couple of internships, including a mining engineering internship back in Sierra Leone!
- I received my bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from Virginia Tech with a minor in women’s studies leadership.
- My first job after college involved working with the federal government as a mining engineer on reclamation projects.
- When I got this opportunity to work as an environmental engineer for the Nevada Gold Mines, I took it on—despite my lack of experience in the field!—because I wanted to become more well-rounded.
- I also have a self-published magazine, STEMher, which features the education, experience, and skills of girls and women in the STEM disciplines.
