As a woman in STEM, I have always faced challenges that go beyond the technical difficulties of my field. From the moment I chose a STEM degree, I knew I would struggle with impostor syndrome, largely due to the lack of representation. The scarcity of women in leadership roles and the absence of strong female mentors made it incredibly difficult for me to envision a clear career path.
Women in STEM are more likely to experience self-doubt and have their competence questioned, often due to deep-seated biases—especially in male-dominated disciplines like mathematics, engineering, physics, and computer science. The expectation to constantly prove one’s abilities just to be seen as competent enough is exhausting. And while striving to build a career, women must also navigate additional hurdles such as workplace harassment, lack of support, and unequal pay—simply because they are women.
I cannot say that I have truly overcome these challenges, nor do I know if I ever will. But one thing I can and will continue to do is to be *bold*—always and everywhere. For centuries, women have been excluded from societies, schools, universities, and workplaces, and although progress has been made, we still have a long way to go before true equality is achieved and biases are dismantled. However, what I strive to do—and what I hope all women will one day be able to do—is reclaim the space that has always been taken from us.