Monday, June 25, 2012

Why Women Still Can't Have It All

I found the article below via the Women in Wind Energy Facebook. It was very enlightening to where we, as women, stand within the workforce, especially as you consider having children and whatnot.


Personally, I like the new Princeton policy on "family leave" especially since both men and women have family and may need to care for a child, spouse, parent, etc., and some people decide/can't have children.

-Serena

Sunday, June 24, 2012

My Sister


My sister and I are totally opposites. I'm taller; she's shorter. I've got stick-straight hair; she's got curly.  I'm into engineering, math, and science; she's not. (There's a reason she calls me Carlton, and I call her Hilary, both from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).

Although she's entirely opposite, she accepts me for who I am.  She doesn't see anything wrong with me, as I do her.  We're unique in our own special ways, and accept each other without even realizing it.

For example:

My sister had a mentor who was asking Sarah about her latest visit to Davis.  Her mentor asked: "So you're sister goes to UC Davis. What is her major?"

Nonchalantly, my sister replies, "Mechanical Engineering."

o_0 "....does she like it?" Her mentor asked, as if it were a very....nontraditional thing (which it is-> I wouldn't be writing this blog otherwise).


"Yeah. She likes it a lot. She's working with NASA right now." 


Now, it's funny that my sister doesn't realize how different engineering is for females, and I love that!

One of my theories for having such low numbers (for both males and females) in STEM is the perception. I've told my sister this. We need more people to support who we are as scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in order to increase the numbers.  My sister has proudly joined the ranks as one of those people, who encourage us through school to get us to where we are.

-Serena