With so many brilliant STEM minds in the world, pursuing your STEM passion and turning a degree into a career can be intimidating — especially if you are one of the underrepresented groups in these fields. The good news is, plenty of people have been in your shoes and managed to create amazing, impactful careers in disciplines they are passionate about.

Take these pieces of advice with you on your journey.

“Find a mentor, whether it is a teacher or neighbor, or just someone you connect with online. You need someone in your corner who will encourage you in your goals. Most STEM professional organizations (i.e. The American Chemical Society’s Women Chemists Committee or the Society of Women Engineers) have programs for minorities and women so look them up and see what resources they have available to take advantage of.”
~ Amy Hanks, M.S. Chemistry Department BYU-Idaho

“For people interested in working or exploring opportunities in tech: even if you’re not necessarily interested in being a programmer, learn basic code. Try taking an Intro to CSS class — either online or at school if you can. It’s going to pay massive dividends in helping you understand why things work the way they do. Learning how to approach a technical problem is also huge. It’s more about learning a way of thinking in a particular structure than anything else.”
~ Randolph Brown, Chief Technology Officer at Jopwell

“Never be afraid to take a leadership position not just if it is offered, but to seek these opportunities. Apply for things. Shoot high. I always spent my time underestimating myself, while my male colleagues leaped at opportunities.”
~Dr. Diana Thomas, Professor of Mathematic Sciences at Montclair State University

“In analytical, technical fields, empathy can be your most valuable asset. Knowing where people are coming from, finding common ground and building relationships are hugely important, especially in fields like user experience, where we focus on understanding customer needs and creating simple solutions.”
~ Daniela Jorge, VP, Digital Design & User Experience

“Stay with it! Believe in yourself and your abilities. Internalize feedback that is given to enable growth and throw out criticism that is given to harm and discourage. Take advantage of all of the resources available to succeed and network. Stand up for yourself, speak with a calm and wise authority and always strive to be the best you can be.”
~ Alicia Lowery, electrical engineer at Intel Corporation

“You don’t have to be an A-plus math student. If you’re a B/C student in math, people think you can’t be an engineer; that’s just not true…Try stuff. A class that may not look fun, try it. That’s how I figured out what I want to do. Talk to people, explore internships. With the internet, really poke around, and don’t be limited.”
~ Ellen Stofan, Chief Scientist at NASA

Did someone give you a piece of advice you’ll never forget? Leave us a comment!