Since primary school, my favourite subjects have been math, chemistry, and physics, and later, during university studies, I found my way into computer science and enjoyed that. Still, even today, you can get me excited about any STEM topics.
Your organization field and mission:
The mission of Turku Research Institute for Learning Analytics (TRILA) is to improve society by maximising the quality of teaching and learning. TRILA works with the whole educational field including teaching and learning many subjects, assessment, and knowledge management.
Please tell us briefly about your role in the company / at your organization:
I am a Doctoral Researcher at TRILA and my research is about multiple aspects of the international Bebras Challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking. I investigate students’ knowledge and skills in informatics and computational thinking via statistical methods on a large scale.
Your interest in STEM
During my upper secondary school studies, we got a new math, chemistry, and physics teacher, and I loved her way to teach these subjects. I would always sit right in front and actively participate in her lessons. I still remember her, but nowadays I get inspired by all women in academia regardless of their field but especially women in STEM. We need more women in STEM.
Your studies
During my studies from upper secondary to university my biggest challenges have been self-doubt and comparing myself to others. I still must remind myself to trust myself and compare myself only to my own past and my goals rather than other people.
Field of technology, computer science, can be very intimidating as it remains male-dominated, but we do have our place in there too. Women are needed in technology and the more women there are in the field, the better it will be for everyone. I suggest finding some awesome women working with computer science topics from social media to encourage you. You are not alone.
You at work
TRILA is part of the University of Turku, and the University has an equality plan which is adhered to each unit inside the University.
I am proud of completing my Master’s degree and my current role as a Doctoral Researcher, which I have achieved despite my struggles along the way.
Your point of view
Technology provides lots of potential for great inventions for women and by women. There is so much we can do when we set our minds to it.
In the field of technology, you can do a lot of good for everyone but also specifically to other girls and women. There is a lot that needs to be done for equity in the field, so pick your choice and go for it.
I want to see more women choosing STEM fields as their major for university studies.
To finish with
Everyone should have the same rights and possibilities regardless of gender, race, ability, and socio-economical status in writing (in laws and legislations) but also in reality.
I hope to defend soon and I feel my future challenges lie in what I pursue after that, and how I do that. In academia, specifically in research, funding is not always guaranteed, and so there I think are my future challenges.
I hope, and I believe, I will have defended by 2030 and continued my journey as an academic. There is still a lot I want to learn in research and I hope to have achieved some of that learning by 2030.