It is known that there is a lack of diversity in STEM fields, particularly in the engineering field. Being a woman in a STEM major here at The Ohio State University, I have witnessed this first hand. After telling people my major, they often look surprised. This is often due to the fact that they are shocked anyone would choose such a major, but I also notice less of a reaction when males in my major answer this question. Because of this lack of diversity, people often have a preconceived image of STEM majors in their head. I admit that I often find myself surprised when someone outside of this image tells me that they are a STEM major, even though I myself do not fit that typical image.

In order to explore this lack of diversity and these common stereotypes, two Doctors from George Mason University used social media. Throughout their paper, they were constantly emphasizing the importance of social media in research. With most Americans being a part of the social media community, where people can share their personal beliefs and experiences, it has now been used as a tool to collect data.

Due to the outburst on social media over a billboard of a women engineer believed to be posing as an engineer due to being “too attractive”, a hashtag #ILookLikeAnEngineer emerged where people who do not fit the typical image of an engineer could share their experiences. The two Doctors at George Mason University studied the replies to collect data on the diversity of this field and the results of society’s preconceived image of engineers. They emphasized how valuable social media can be to not only share these types of stories, but also encourage young children of all backgrounds to pursue STEM fields. By studying this hashtag and its relation to lack of diversity in STEM fields, it is evident that social media is and will continue to be a source of an abundance of statistical data that can be used to explore our society. It is also apparent that there is a serious lack of diversity in STEM fields, but social media offers a way to encourage people of all backgrounds to pursue STEM and have a support system just one click away.

Each component of G.O.A.L.S plays a vital role in my future success. Every letter contributes a unique skill that will shape me into a well-rounded individual. Original Inquiry is the opportunity to apply what is learned in the classroom to real life situations. I am a believer that any learning not applied in life is learning wasted. Participating in research is how I plan to apply my knowledge outside of the classroom. This research will not only give me the chance to apply my knowledge, but it will also give me valuable experience that will give me an advantage in my future career. Academic enrichment will help me plan and prepare for my future aspirations, including getting accepted into dental school. I have declared a chemistry major and plan to keep taking rigorous science courses in order to be best prepared for the schooling ahead of me. Service engagement has been an extremely rewarding part of my life thus far. Because of this, I plan to continue to participate in various service projects. One of the most impactful activities I have participated in was being a Leadership Intern at Camp Invention. As a leadership intern, I helped a group of elementary school students explore science and develop passions. I lead them through various science-based experiments and activities. This not only helped the children discover their passions for science, but also deepened mine. This opportunity confirmed my plans to pursue a degree in science.

Although all the components of G.O.A.L.S are extremely important to my future career success, Global Awareness plays a major role in my success as a human being as well. Developing a deeper appreciation for each and every person’s differences has and will continue to help me see the world through a new set of eyes. Every person goes through their life facing and overcoming different challenges. These challenging experiences shape each person into who they become as a person. Recognizing this is vital in the battle against close-mindedness. It allows me to not only understand each person’s differences, but also embrace and utilize them. I understand the challenges some families have to face and realize that there is often no money left for dental care. Because of this, I hope to travel to areas of high poverty and provide free dental care for children who normally could not afford it.

Leadership Development is another key component of G.O.A.L.S. Developing leadership skills is extremely important to any career. Unfortunately, true leadership is something that is commonly misunderstood. True leaders do not not simply assign orders to people, they motivate others to think for themselves and create their own paths. A key component of this is recognizing each individuals strengths and utilizing them. This is something I had experience in while planning my senior prom. I was the leader of a group who was in charge of the various decorations. In order to completely plan and create the decorations on time, I had to recognize each individuals strengths and guide them in activities that utilized these specific strengths. Since I hope to open my own dental practice, this quality will help me build a dental team that can use their individual qualities to enhance patient care. I will need to examine each person in the team carefully to determine their strengths and weaknesses in order to maximize the potential of our team. Overall, every aspect of the honors and scholars G.O.A.L.S is necessary to be successful in my future career.