March Women in STEM Highlights

#1: RESHMA SAUJANI

Reshma Saujani is the CEO and Founder of Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization inspiring young girls to pursue professions in technology and engineering. The organization offers summer immersion programs, after-school clubs, and online resources. Her remarkable efforts in this field have positioned Saujani as a leading advocate for diversifying and enhancing representation in the tech industry.Before founding Girls Who Code, Saujani served as Deputy Public Advocate for New York City, ran for Congress in 2010, and worked as an attorney and activist. She is also the author of the book "Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World" and has given multiple TED Talks on the topic of girls and technology. She has inspired many female students to pursue technology by advocating for gender equality, and creating opportunities for girls to learn coding skills.

#2: KIMBERLY BRYANT

Kimberly Bryant is an African American electrical engineer and entrepreneur who founded Black Girls CODE, a non-profit organization that aims to increase the representation of Black girls in technology and computer science. She founded her organization in 2011. Since then, the organization has provided girls aged 7 to 17 with access to technology and computer science education through workshops, summer camps, and after-school programs. Bryant's work with Black Girls CODE has garnered recognition from various organizations and publications, including being named one of Business Insider's 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology and receiving the White House Champions of Change for Tech Inclusion award in 2013. Her leadership and advocacy have inspired others to join the fight for greater diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

#3 KATHERINE JOHNSON

Katherine Johnson was a brilliant African-American mathematician and NASA pioneer who played a pivotal role in the United States' space program. She was one of the first African-American women to work as a "human computer" at NASA, where she performed complex mathematical calculations for various programs, including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the moon. Despite facing racial and gender discrimination, Katherine Johnson continued to make significant contributions to NASA throughout her career. Her exceptional work was recognized when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, in 2015. Her groundbreaking work in a predominantly white, male field paved the way for future generations of women and people of color to pursue careers in STEM and make their own contributions to scientific and technological advancement.

#4: TU YOUYOU

Tu Youyou is a Chinese pharmaceutical chemist and researcher who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for her discovery of artemisinin, a drug used to treat malaria. She is the first Chinese woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in any category, and her groundbreaking research has saved countless lives around the world.

Despite facing significant obstacles and setbacks, including a lack of resources and political turmoil during China's Cultural Revolution, Tu Youyou persisted in her research and eventually made a groundbreaking discovery that has had a profound impact on global health. Tu Youyou's remarkable achievements have made her a role model for women in STEM around the world, especially in China, where women continue to face barriers and biases in science and technology. Her dedication to finding a cure for a deadly disease, and her willingness to explore traditional medicines and herbal remedies, serve as an inspiration to scientists and researchers everywhere, and highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion in scientific discovery.