Lindsay is an Insurance Underwriter for Berkley Life Sciences, based in Naperville. She graduated from Colgate University in 2024 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Global Public & Environmental Health. During her time at Colgate, a prestigious liberal arts institution in upstate New York, Lindsay also competed as a member of their NCAA Division 1 basketball team. Her academic background in STEM has equipped her with the ability to analyze scientific studies and journals with ease, as well as understand the purpose and operations of Clinical Trial research companies. This expertise allows her to effectively evaluate risk and exposure, a critical component of her role in the insurance industry.

Know that there are so many career paths for Women in STEM- you do not have to go to medical school if you don’t want to. There are many other pathways to explore that are still hands on with healthcare and scientific research that are absolutely worth exploring! And with that, it is SO normal to not know exactly what you want to do even when you get to junior / senior year of college. Opportunities will arise and you will be able to carve your own career path.

Annie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has been contributing her expertise to Molex for the past five years at the company’s manufacturing plant in Naperville, Illinois. In her role as a quality engineer, Annie is responsible for maintaining regulatory compliance with ISO and FDA standards, qualifying new products and processes, and driving improvements that reduce waste and lower costs.

Believe in yourself! Do not let the fear of failure keep you from trying.

With a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from Temple University and a Master’s in Food Science & Management from Washington State University, Shiby has built an exciting career in STEM, combining scientific expertise with real-world impact. Spending over 19 years at Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company, she started as a Chemist, using science to work with innovative additives that enhanced the structural integrity and functionality of paper products, including paper towels, tissues, and cardboard food packaging. Later, as a Regulatory Affairs Specialist, she combined her chemistry and regulatory science knowledge to ensure compliance with food contact regulations. She conducted detailed risk assessments on dietary exposure to contaminants in packaging materials to protect people’s health and the environment.

Currently, she is a Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist at Cargill, where she leverages her advanced education in food science to focus on food safety and regulatory compliance. Her role involves conducting scientific reviews of food labeling for edible oils, chocolate, and confectionery products while staying abreast of emerging regulations to ensure product safety and compliance with industry standards. Her journey shows how a passion for science can lead to a fulfilling career solving real-world problems, protecting consumers, and making a difference. She hopes to inspire the next generation to pursue their dreams in science and beyond.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t belong in STEM—your curiosity, passion, and unique perspective are exactly what the world needs. Be fearless in asking questions, take pride in solving problems, and remember that every experiment, whether it succeeds or fails, is a step toward discovery. Surround yourself with people who uplift and inspire you and never underestimate the power of your voice and ideas. The future of STEM is brighter because of women like you.

Jordyn Rankin is a Software Engineer at Grainger, where she currently works on the company's machine learning platform after previously developing web applications and APIs for one of North America's largest industrial supply companies. Her unique journey from studying social work to working as a software engineer offers a valuable perspective on creating inclusive tech spaces. Jordyn earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Indiana University Bloomington.

Jordyn channels her dedication to community building into co-leading Grainger's Women in Tech organization and co-leading their technology internship program. She is passionate about creating pathways into tech for underrepresented groups and sharing her journey to inspire others who might not see themselves represented in the industry.

Lead with your curiosity and confidence and you will go far in STEM!

Sara has had a meandering path to her current position of Scientific Support Analyst at the University of Chicago. After getting a BA in biology from Hiram College in Ohio, Sara earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health - she studied a small protein called ubiquitin and how it participates in DNA damage response in the cell. She did her postdoc at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where she studied evolution in a group of mosquito-borne viruses (alphaviruses), including the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus and Chikungunya virus, that cause significant suffering worldwide. Because of a chance meeting on a spider walk, she next became an assistant professor of biology at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, where she found ways to do real research - bioinformatics - with undergrad students on a shoestring budget. She had a short stint grant writing at Texas State University, where she fortunately landed a $5 million NIH grant to increase retention among underrepresented STEM majors from community college into bachelor's programs in STEM. When the family moved to Chicago (because of a Reddit post), she became an independent consultant, assisting with grant program management for early-career and underrepresented scientists and further grant writing for the American Society for Cell Biology. Through luck and a bit of nepotism, she became customer support for a chemical inventory management software company. Because of her extensive lab experience, she could understand the needs of the customers and explain them more clearly to the developers. Here, she also discovered a love for technical documentation - explaining complicated, technical stuff in an easy-to-follow way. She next moved to her current position as Scientific Support Analyst at the Center for Translational Data Science at the University of Chicago, which blends customer support and technical documentation with data management and a dash of project management. There, she supports a software called Gen3 and its use in building data commons used by scientists all over the world.

First: Learn some basic coding (Python or similar), no matter what STEAM field you choose. Second: You DEFINITELY belong there (wherever that is). Don't let your mind - or anyone else! - tell you differently. (Oh, also, a BA in Biology or Chemistry is not worse than a BS. Don't make college decisions based on that distinction.)