Despite recent progress, women and people of other marginalized identities remain underrepresented in STEM fields, both in numbers and in visibility. Role models matter, as both MIT Chemical Engineering Department Head Paula Hammond and former U.S. CTO and Shift7 CEO Megan Smith would tell you. Achieving equal and just representation of people of all identities in STEM requires more than scholarships or hiring initiatives — it’s about building confidence and inspiring people to believe, as Paula puts it, “You can be good at this! This can be you!”
Watch Paula and Megan, two role models in their own rights, in conversation as they discuss representation for women and others in historically exclusive fields, their own inspiration and role models, and our path forward toward more inclusion in STEM education and industry.