Hi my name is Saffy and I would love to be a woman in STEM ambassador.

I have been a student at the NYSF for two years and a member of the student staff leadership program for one!! 

What sparked your interest in wanting to explore STEM as a field of study?

I actually accidentally chose STEM subjects in year 10 as I needed to fill up my timetable, so I chose Chemistry and Physics and holy moly it changed my life for the better!! Before that I was an arts kid, so trying STEM subjects were very foreign to me. For work experience that year I ended up interning as a Biomedical Engineer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and later went on a few other science camps and fell in love with all the possibilities.

Where do you hope your STEM journey might take you?

Well at the moment I am currently a Lab Tech at a local winery, which is extremely cool as I am in no way qualified, but they taught me on the job. In the future, I am hoping to study some kind of engineering and maybe dabble in a bit of science communication!!! but I am indeed open to anything and everything STEM related!

Who are some of your STEM role models?

Literally, any and every woman in stem inspires me!! When I see someone doing their thing in STEM it makes me realise that I aspire to be where they are!

Could you share 2 or 3 recommended reads or podcasts that you think would be of interest to others interested in STEM?

Dr Karl's podcast is amazing!! I also really enjoy reading anything written by Stephen Hawking, at the moment I am reading A Brief History of Everything. Another good book is Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker!

What would you say to other girls and young women considering a STEM journey?

I would say don't be afraid! You are so smart and capable of everything. Don't underestimate yourself, or listen when you get told otherwise! Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to network; as it's not necessarily about what you know, it's about who you know!