Successful women share their stories.
On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl, celebrated each year on 11 October, the Singapore arm of the charity Inspiring Girls International launched the #ThisLittleGirlIsMe social media campaign, encouraging women to post photos of their younger selves with their personal tales to show girls that they, too, can achieve their dreams.
Please find contributions of The STEM fatale Initiative team below, who also shared their photos and personal experiences aiming to empower young girls around the world:
#thislittlegirlisme by Nicole Amberg – on the occasion of Nicole’s invitation to the Austrian Embassy in Berlin, where she contributed to a panel discussion on “Women in Science”.
This little girl enthusiastic for horses is me at 4 or 5 years of age.
I was growing up on the countryside in a small village in Germany, far away from a societal reality where being an academic is normal. Far away from a societal environment where women are business leaders. Far away from a #society where women are seen as proactive and acknowledged individuals to shape professional working environments.
Nevertheless, I always pictured myself at a #university. Surrounded by books. Gaining knowledge through reading and through active #research. I always pictured myself as someone who would not be stopped by societal stereotypes. Someone who would grow.
Thanks to the never ending and generous support by my parents, I was able to turn this vision into reality. I moved to Vienna to conduct 2 studies: molecular biology and zoology. I finished my #phd in molecular biology in 2016 and I am now a Austrian Science Fund FWF-funded Hertha-Firnberg postdoctoral fellow at Institute of Science and Technology Austria.
During my postdoc, I did not only grow scientifically, but also as a person being aware of limitations that are set for women. By society, by workplaces, by themselves. And since my scientific mind is never happy with the status quo, I co-founded „The STEM fatale Initiative“ #thestemfataleinitiative to create a platform supporting women to aspire leadership positions in #STEM. We can only make #change by implementing actions.
Yesterday, I was invited to Berlin by the Austrian Embassy and the Fraunhofer Institute IPK as a representative of an Austrian research institution. Yesterday, I participated in a panel discussion (Salongespräch) in the Austrian Embassy on #womeninscience and their representation within #science and within #society. Yesterday, this little girl demonstrated that limits and boundaries can be overcome. It requires work. It requires dedication. It requires action. It also requires opportunities. #opportunities are chances. Never stop when you are in the privileged situation to be given chances. Use them to make the world a better place. For me, today, this feeds into a more equal place. For all women, in STEM and beyond, for #leadership and personal choices.