Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and where you grew up?
CL : I am a total space geek, avid Netflix binger, and French fry lover. My Twitter tag line reads ‘Rocket Scientist by day, Editor in Chief by night’ as I do exactly that. Having graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in 2018, I now work full-time as a Mission Analyst for L3Harris Technologies where I support their small satellite programs. Once the workday is over, I come home and work on Reinvented Magazine. As Founder and President of this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, I work to empower young girls to pursue STEM fields through the creation of the nation’s first-ever print magazine written for girls in STEM. Outside of work and running a profit, I am continuing to advance my education by pursuing M.S. in Space Systems Engineering part-time at Johns Hopkins University online. On a less professional level, I spend most of my free time running distances most people call crazy, knitting, and going on long walks on the beach with her dogs.
When and how did you get into technology?
CL: I grew up wanting to be a fashion designer. But, if you saw my fashion sense in elementary school, you’d know that wasn’t meant to be. So in sixth grade, my mom dragged me to a FIRST Robotics meeting at my local Girl Scout council. I immediately fell in love with robots and knew at that moment that STEM needed to be some part of my life. Once I got to high school, I was given the opportunity to do some basic research on the Mars rover, and that’s where my passion for space first sparked. I thought it was crazy that there was this great unknown out there that everyone was so eager to learn more about, and I wanted to be a part of that adventure. I decided to go to college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to earn my degree in Aerospace Engineering. It wasn’t until I started my Attitude, Determination, and Control (ADCS) courses that I realized that I LOVED satellites and small spacecrafts. Now, I work full-time as a Mission Analyst at L3Harris Technologies, where I get to work on designing the mission for many of our small satellites, i.e. figuring out the orbits, determining how much fuel we need, etc.
Can you share an example or two of the things you have done in or with tech that you are particularly proud of? What some of the solutions that you are working on now?
CL : Outside of the projects I complete at work, I think the thing I am most proud of is starting Reinvented Magazine. Reinvented is the nation’s first-ever print magazine written for girls in STEM by girls in STEM, and has reached thousands of readers all over the world. But, why am I so proud of this? I’ve struggled a lot with my mental health over the last five to six years. College definitely wasn’t the easiest for me, and imposter syndrome hit me hard more than once. I failed classes, I dropped out for a semester to focus on my mental health, but I always came back ready to fight for my passion for space and my place in the field. There have been so many times in my life where I felt like I didn’t belong where I was, or that I only became successful because I’m a girl. Since the day I decided I wanted to pursue STEM, I faced pushback every direction I turned. It really wasn’t until recently that I felt like my story was worth telling. But here I am, still standing. And while I’m definitely not saying that I don’t feel that imposter syndrome creep back in pretty often, I’ve figured out how to fight it, and I took it to the next level. I started this magazine to help make sure that the next generation of young women in STEM don’t look around their classrooms and feel singled out being the only girl in the room. So, now I’m not only telling my story, but I’ve created a platform for more womxn in STEM to do the same.
What do you like best about your job/technology? Share in 3 words.
CL : The endless possibilities.
Have you encountered any challenges along the way – and, if so, how did you overcome them?
CL : All the time. And some days the challenges are bigger than others. I’ve already mentioned my mental health, overcoming imposter syndrome, and just dealing with people trying to push you down. I think the key to overcoming them is to not be shy. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for an incredible support system. There are a LOT of women in STEM out there, and we are all here to fight for you. But, first, you have to do a little fighting for yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Find your local SWE chapter or Girls Who Code club, join online communities, and slack channels for girls in STEM. And when you’re having a rough day, tell us about it. We will be there to support you and lift you back up.
What’s a lesson that you learned along the way that you’d like to share?
CL : Celebrate the little things. I’d be incredibly naive to tell you that it is going to be easy. And as if the classes weren’t tough enough, you also get those over-confident boys constantly trying to push you down. But you can’t let them. Some days will be harder than others, but you have to remind yourself that this is what you’re passionate about and that nothing is going to stand in your way from getting there. For me, doing that meant celebrating the little things. Some days it was just getting a barely passing grade on a test, because hey a 70 isn’t great, but I passed! Other days it was something bigger like landing an internship. But, if you aren’t celebrating every seemingly small accomplishment, you can get lost in hardship.
Share your advice for young girls who want to change the world with computer science (in 3-5 words)?
CL : Be unapologetically yourself.