In recent years, the countless women of color throughout our country’s history who have made groundbreaking discoveries in the STEM field (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) have begun to receive recognition for their work. High schools, colleges, and universities have also begun to encourage women of color to pursue STEM careers.
Despite some progress, women of color still face barriers and are vastly underrepresented in STEM careers. They face negative stereotypes, implicit bias, and limited access to a quality education. In fact, according to Catalyst.org, in 2017, only 2.5% of science and engineering employees in the United States were Black women.
While there isn’t an easy fix to this issue, supporting more women of color as they pursue careers and leadership roles in STEM fields is one way to make an impact. We recently spoke with twin sisters, Nailah Gallego (SEED DC ’08, Brown University ’12, Meharry Medical School ’19) and Ayana Gallego (SEED DC ’08, Brown University ’12, University of MD Dental School in ’17), and Chanel Mack (SEED DC ’13, Temple University ’18), three young women—and SEED graduates!—who are pushing boundaries and have successfully secured careers in STEM. By including more women of color in STEM fields, we can ensure more diversity of thought, creativity, and innovation. Read more about their experiences below.
Is there anyone that has inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
“When I was a sophomore at Temple University, I got an internship with a Black woman that owned her own construction business in Washington, D.C. She became my mentor, and in fact, we still talk today. Having an opportunity to see her managing her own company inspired me. I now serve as an overhead catenary engineer at AECOM, where I get to reconstruct and build trains and trolleys located all over the country. I love what I do!” said Chanel Mack.
“I noticed early in my career that I was one of a few black people. And not only in my department, but in the entire company. I am hoping that through my professional journey, I will change that.” - Chanel Mack
What was your experience as a woman of color entering a STEM field?
“As a second-year pediatric resident at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., I truly love what I am doing. I get to work with families that look like me, and my families get to work with a doctor that looks like them. The world needs more of us.”
- Nailah Gallego
“After I graduated from Brown, I was told that I didn’t meet all the criteria for entering medical school and that my application wasn’t competitive enough by the advisors at my school. It was recommended that I find a plan B. But because I had mentors, and a strong network of support who constantly told me that there weren’t any limits to what I was capable of achieving, I pushed forward,” said Nailah Gallego.
A study done in 2017 by the National Science Foundation, found that only five percent of managerial jobs in STEM fields were held by Black women and men combined. In your personal experience, do you find this study accurate?
“As a dentist at a community clinic in Washington, D.C., I haven’t personally been impacted by the disparities of women of color working in the dental field. In fact, the dental department I work in is predominantly African American. However, several of my colleagues working in the private sector have experienced obstacles. They have faced challenges with getting their voices heard and with receiving a competitive salary,” shared Ayana Gallego.
“Getting more women of color to explore STEM careers starts in high school. We must introduce them to medicine and dentistry early, allow for more hands-on experiences, and create a pipeline program. By giving students the ability to explore more options at a young age, a more diverse pool of students will begin to consider careers in STEM. It’s a field where we are the minority, and we have to make changes in our community to see a difference.”
- Ayana Gallego