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Say hi :) who are you what do you do? Hello, my name is Camille Eddy and I am a Mechanical Engineering Student and veteran Silicon Valley Intern How did you arrive at this career? Was it always something you knew you wanted to do? I decided I wanted to be an astronaut when I was 12 and engineering was one of the paths you could take to be an astronaut. I was inspired by people like Mae Jemison, the first Black female astronaut in space, and Barbara Morgan the first teacher in space and my mentor, who were pioneers for what astronauts could be. What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning, especially on those cold, dark mornings? I know that I bring a lot of uniqueness and diversity to the teams I am on. My childhood and my journey through school are different from others and I like bringing new perspectives to old ideas. Sometimes even just showing up to a meeting or class is enough to send shock waves. That can be a burden or a blessing. But most days I take that as a blessing. I try to be confident and be myself wherever I go. What is your personal cure for stress or how do you raise your spirits in times of doubt? Can you share a Story? I got a very unpleasant message in my inbox the other day. This person raised up in me some doubt if I had made the right decision to move to a new community. This made me a little angry because it wasn’t the first time someone had doubted me in this way. When I got home a package was waiting for me and it was a book from a friend and they had written a very encouraging note. I knew this was a sign to sit down and appreciate the people in my life who support me. I sent my friend a message to tell them what had happened earlier and of course, they understood and listened to me. Let your friends help you! Reach out to others and it will help you get back on track faster and you can be making more forward progress! Who is your role model? If no one, any thoughts on this? My current role models are my academic peers. I always have more than one and learning how to learn is something I can learn to be better at through many examples. I tend to silo myself based on what I am doing at the time. Right now, in the school year, it is time to be an even better student than last year. When I go to my next internship I will shift and take on 2 or 3 new role models and be a better intern than the last year! What advice would you give to your 18 year old self? If you want to make your own path don’t let anything get in the way of you exploring as many different communities as possible. I wish I did even more networking and making new friends when I was 18. The networking I did later really helped me be who I am today. I can’t imagine if I had been this focused and open as an 18 year old how much different and better it could be. Top 3 tips for girls starting out in STEM? Try something new every week See if you can master one of those things (especially small projects because you can learn a LOT versus a few things at time) Let everyone know the new things you have been learning about and trying. And don’t be afraid if that is a lot of different things.  How do you measure your success? I measure success by how well I am able to move in and out of different projects. I think mastery of MANY things is the most important skill I could have. I don’t seek to specialize in any one things because I am still young and I haven’t settled on one job over another. If I do get a job that is specialized, I want that to be the most intriguing, high minded specialty ever, like an astronaut!   Where can we find out more about your work? You can watch this video on the robotics team at HP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIeuWoB9wzg This was my very first internship and it shows the amazing team dynamic and learning I was afforded during this internship. Are you social? Will you share your Twitter handle, or LinkedIn profile, or Facebook so that young women can connect with you? Twitter:   @nikkymill Instagram:   @nikkymill LinkdIn:  camilleeddy  

Name:  Safiyyah Iqbal Role/Occupation: PhD Student at the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand Country: South Africa Safiyyah Iqbal studied a Bachelor of Science at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she majored in Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, all of which sparked her interested in Palaeontology and Form and Function. She then completed her BSc honours and MSc in Palaeontology under the supervision of Prof. Kristian Carlson and Prof. Fernando Abdala. Iqbal is currently a PhD Student at the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she is completing her doctoral studies in Palaeontology, under the supervision of Prof. Kristian Carlson, Prof. Fernando Abdala, Prof. Frank Kienhofer and Prof. Jonah Choiniere. Her research involves working on the Finite Element Analysis of Thrinaxodon liorhinus limb bones, which falls under the umbrella of cynodonts research. Iqbal considers herself to be a bit of a tech freak and loves working on computers. Her current research combines her love for computers and palaeontology and involves using microCT scans of the specimens that undergo certain loading conditions in order to infer why there is a change in gait. Her research advances the techniques used in Palaeontology and is non-invasive as fossils are precious. At present , Iqbal can be described as a Functional Morphologist specialising in digital analysis. When asked about her experience as a woman in the STEM space she says that “there are challenging days where you have to stand strong and know that you worked just as hard as the next person and deserve to be in the position that you are in.” She also emphasised having a strong support system and believes it to be “a bonus to any experience or trial that you need to overcome be it as a scientist or just as a female.” Her advice to young women aspiring to enter the STEM field is to “never give up no matter how hard the journey may be or obstacles you face. Always remember where you started, where you are and where you need to be.” In her personal experience, she is always filled with courage when she recalls her parents’ tears of joy and the huge smiles when her name was called for the reception of her degree. Iqbal considers the milestones in her career to be the precious moments where everything makes sense and seems like a blessing or reward for all the hardships she has had to overcome. As a religious individual in a science environment, Iqbal believes that having “full faith in the Almighty, knowing and appreciating everything from a creation point of view makes managing [her] personal life and career easier”. At times, especially around deadlines, when the balance is threatened, having parents and friends who encourage and motivate her helps to maintain the balance. Read more about Safiyyah Iqbal, a hardworking humble Geeky Girl, who combines the old with the new, palaeontology with computers, as she works as a Functional Morphologist specialising in digital analysis.  Describe what your work entails. I am working on the Finite Element Analysis of Thrinaxodon liorhinus limb bones and more broadly cynodonts. I am a bit of a tech freak and love working on computers. My current research involves microCT scans of the specimens that undergo certain loading conditions in order to infer why there is a change in gait. My research advances the techniques used in Palaeontology and is non-invasive as fossils are precious. I am now a Functional Morphologist specialising in digital analysis. Describe your STEM journey. I started studying for my Bachelor of Science at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2009, where I majored in Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences and thus became very interested in Palaeontology and Form and Function. I completed my BSc honours and MSc in Palaeontology under the supervision of Prof. Kristian Carlson and Prof. Fernando Abdala. Currently, I am completing my PhD in Palaeontology, under the supervision of Prof. Kristian Carlson, Prof. Fernando Abdala, Prof. Frank Kienhofer and Prof. Jonah Choiniere. What excites you about your job? What motivates you to get out of bed every morning? That I could make a difference in science. I could be a motivation to other Muslim female scientists. How would you describe your experience as a woman in the STEM space? There are challenging days where you have to stand strong and know that you worked just as hard as the next person and deserve to be in the position that you are in. But having a strong support system is always a bonus to any experience or trial that you need to overcome be it as a scientist or just as a female. What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the STEM field? Never give up no matter how hard the journey may be or obstacles you face. Always remember where you started, where you are and where you need to be. Think of the end result. Personal experience: seeing the tears of joy in my parents eyes and the huge smiles on their faces as my name was called for my degree. As a STEM woman in Africa, how do you foresee the growth and progress of STEM on the continent? Is Africa a “land of opportunity”? I personally think any land is a land of opportunity, it lies within us. I do hope that the growth of women in STEM becomes exponential. As a female, we are capable of anything. We are mothers, sisters, daughters and well establish career individuals. And all this can be done as long as we see our potential and go for it. Have there been any milestone moments or eureka moments in your career? Milestones...moments where everything makes sense and the blessing/reward for all the hardships are given...Most definitely. How do you maintain a work-life balance? I am a practicing Muslim female in science who has full faith in The Almighty, knowing and appreciating everything as from a creation point of view makes managing my personal life and my career easier to manage. Sometimes the balance does go off, especially around deadlines but having my parents and friends who always encourage and motivate me always help to balance the stressful life. Who is your role model? Who inspires you? Both my parents have always been my role models that have greatly influenced me. Growing up with their teachings from our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and watching them go through everyday life inspired me to be like them. Proving that I should never give up and always strive to my full potential. Where can more information or insight into your work be found? My MSc is published on Wiredspace.wits.ac.za. I am currently completing two more publications. And feel free to contact me for any information at safiyyahiqbal@gmail.com Twitter: @Safz_Rapunzel Safiyyah Iqbal  interviewed by Dhruti Dheda Dhruti Dheda is a Chemical Engineer with a strong interest in media and communication. She is the editor of the Engineers without Borders South Africa Newsletter and the Community Manager – South Africa and Regional Outreach for Geeky Girl Reality. If you wish to collaborate or network, contact her at  dhruti@geekyreality.com  or find her on twitter  @dhrutidd

Name: Senamile Masango Role/Occupation: Nuclear Physicist, Founder and Chairperson of Women in Science and Engineering in Africa (Wise Africa). Country: South Africa Senamile Masango is a nuclear physicist and the founder and chairperson of Women in Science and Engineering in Africa (Wise Africa). Wise Africa is a non profit organization that aims to provide leadership and role models to young people aspiring to enter the fields of science and engineering as well as lobbies for the advancement of women in science and engineering and highlights and addresses the problems that are faced by women in these fields. Whilst in high school, Masango was introduced to astronomy by her geography teacher and discovered that people could travel to space. She remembers being intrigued by the universe and where we come from, “I wanted to be a first African to travel to space,” she recalls.  She completed matric at Mlokothwa High school and went on to study towards a BSc Physics and Electronics at the University of Zululand. After the unfortunate loss of her daughter, Sindisiwe, she decided to pursue further studies and studied Nuclear Physics. She then joined the Coulex group led by Professor Orce at the University of the Western Cape. Masango recently submitted her Masters thesis in Nuclear Physics which focused on the structure of the nucleus with the method called Coulomb excitation. She also came back to South Africa to collect data for the PhD research which she will continue in Canada.  Masango is ecstatic about the contribution that her research is adding to the physics body as much remains undiscovered about the nucleus and as she excitedly relays, “until date no one knows the formula of a nuclear force.” Masango was not only part of the first African led experiment at CERN, but was also the only female in the group, which ultimately lead her to receive the title of the first African woman to conduct the first African led experiment at CERN. She received this acknowledgment from the president.  She feels that being a woman in the STEM field is not an easy feat, “no one believes in you, you have to prove that you are capable and work two times harder.” She believes that girls are discouraged at an early age from STEM fields either because they believe that science and engineering is just too difficult or that it is simply not for them.  As a continent in terms of STEM, Masango feels that Africa still has a long way to go, “we are not there yet because people are still struggling to access basics needs of such as food, water, electricity… so our government is focusing on that,” she explains. The other challenge she believes the continent is facing is infrastructure and elaborates that, “we all know that science is a practical subject, [yet] most of the schools don’t have science facilities like laboratories.” Hence she is also motivated by the use of the platform provided by Wise Africa to make a difference and feels that she is “making education fashionable.”   Read more about Senamile Masango below, a Geeky Girl who dreamt about space travel as a student and now affords other young people the ability to dream through her work and organisation.  Describe what your work entails.   I am a founder and chairperson of Women in Science and Engineering in Africa (Wise Africa), a non profit organization that is registered under the Department of Social Development in South Africa. The aim is to provide leadership and role models for young people wishing to enter the fields of science and engineering, to lobby for the advancement of women in science and engineering, to raise the profile of women scientists and engineers and to highlight and address problems that are faced by women in these fields.  Describe your STEM journey.   When I was in Grade 8, my geography teacher Mr. Ziqubu introduced us to astronomy and I learned that there are people who travel to space. I was intrigued by the universe and where we come from. I wanted to be a first African to travel to space, but Mark Shuttleworth beat me to it in 2002.  After completing matric at Mlokothwa High school in 2003, I went on to study BSc Physics and Electronics at the University of Zululand. In January 2016, I lost my daughter Sindisiwe in  a car accident then after her funeral I decided to pursue my studies and studied Nuclear Physics; in 2017 I joined the Coulex group at the University of Western Cape that is led by Professor Orce. I just submitted my Masters thesis in Nuclear Physics (I am studying the structure of the nucleus with the method called Coulomb excitation) and I just came back from Canada to collect my PhD data.  What excites you about your job? What motivates you to get out of bed every morning?   What excites me through my research work is to contribute my findings to the physics body since the nucleus is still under research, until this date no one knows the formula of a nuclear force. What motivates me when I get out of bed is to go and make a difference through Wise Africa, we are making education fashionable.    How would you describe your experience as a woman in the STEM space? It not easy to be a woman in this field; we have a long way to go, no one believes in you, you have to prove that you are capable and work two times extra harder.  What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the STEM field?   Girls are discouraged at an early age that science and engineering is difficult or it is not for them; young girls must close their ears and believe on themselves.  As a STEM woman in Africa, how do you foresee the growth and progress of STEM on the continent? Is Africa a “land of opportunity”?   As Africa we still have a long way to go, we are not there yet because people are still struggling to access the basics needs of such as food, water, electricity etc., so our government is focusing on that. The other challenge we are facing is infrastructure; we all know that science is a practical subject, most of the schools don’t have science facilities like laboratories.  Have there been any milestone moments or eureka moments in your career?   I was part of the first African led experiment at CERN and I was the only female in the group, that has lead me to hold a title as the first African woman to conduct the first African led experiment at CERN. I even received an acknowledgment from the former President, President Jacob Zuma.  How do you maintain a work-life balance? I plan ahead, I set career goals, I exercise and try to eat healthy, I value time, I do make time for myself, I read and have a willing heart to learn.  Who is your role model? Who inspires you? My late father Dr JJA Masango, he is the one who planted a seed of education in me and I am also inspired by him. He was all about giving back to his community.  Where can more information or insight into your work be found? My page on Facebook:  Senamile Masango Instagram: senamilemasango Twitter Handle: senamile33 Senamile Masango interviewed by Dhruti Dheda Dhruti Dheda is a Chemical Engineer with a strong interest in media and communication. She is the editor of the Engineers without Borders South Africa Newsletter and the Community Manager – South Africa and Regional Outreach for Geeky Girl Reality. If you wish to collaborate or network, contact her at  dhruti@geekyreality.com  or find her on twitter  @dhrutidd