“I have always been surrounded by intelligent women. I grew up with a sister, and went to all-girls primary and secondary schools, so for a long time, I didn’t realise there was such a gender gap in STEM.
“I was always surrounded by women who had interests like mine in science, coding and problem-solving.”
I was inspired by the girls I knew to apply for Common Entry Engineering in DCU. I really enjoyed the programming and problem-solving elements of my course, so in second year I decided to specialise in Electronic and Computing Engineering. It’s a brilliant course – but women are definitely in the minority on this specialism. After growing up with such incredible high-performing women, going into a male-dominated environment was discouraging. That was what made this scholarship such a great opportunity. Writing my application helped me realise my own accomplishments, and it was very affirming as an experience.
“Awards like this are so important to uplift women and to uplift underrepresented groups in STEM.”
My scholarship gave me the confidence to apply for more opportunities. I’ve had the chance to take part in programmes that connect me to women in the tech industry, women with established careers who have given me a better sense of what I can become. I would like to be that person for other girls someday.
In addition, the Qualcomm Student Scholarship helped me focus more on my education. I was working part-time to pay off my tuition, but thanks to this scholarship I can spend more time on my studies and on getting involved in university life. I’m part of the DCU Solar Racing team, we’re designing this solar-powered car to race across Australia, and I’ve gotten involved in the DCU LEGO League robotics competition too. It’s given me the time to get involved and use my skills to really be creative.”
