Do you know what a totem represents? Structural engineering and anthropology collide as you construct the tallest tower possible and learn about the significance of totem poles in First Nation culture.
Layne Husted
Girlstart’s Women in STEM weekly series highlights various women who are making a difference in STEM. Be inspired as these incredible women describe how they became interested in their field, provide insight into a day in the life, and share learnings from their experiences.
Layne Husted
Sr. Systems Technologist @ Motorola Solutions
Layne is an accomplished field engineer who is starting her Girlstart volunteer journey with this series. Following the lead of someone who changed her life early on, Layne hopes to inspire young girls to aspire to great things.
What advice do you have for Girlstart girls who are considering a path in STEM?
My best advice? Don’t be afraid to fall. My best learning moments have been when I fell and had to make the choice to get back up even though it hurt and sometimes, I didn’t want to because it was painful. Learn to realize that if you fall it is a lesson and that you can’t stay down. Cry or talk to your friends to find strength, but always get up again and don’t let the past make you afraid to move forward. Remind yourself when those moments happen that you can make it through and will make it. But most importantly – don’t let the past keep you from truly living. We get one life to live and I believe that the biggest tragedy in life is being so afraid of failing that you play it safe and never truly challenge yourself to know how deep you can go if you push yourself.
What is your favorite thing about being a Systems Technologist?
The freedom and flexibility found in this field. You have the ability to be whatever you want and go wherever you want in this field. How far you decide to go in this field is determined by your ingenuity, drive, and desire.
Why do you think instilling STEM confidence in girls is important?
Confidence is important because too many girls believe that the STEM fields are for men and that the math/programming/theories/methods you take in a STEM field are too difficult. It’s important to instill in girls that they are every bit as capable as guys at engaging in these fields because we need women in this field. Women bring thoughts, ideas, and opinions that are unique – it’s important that those thoughts get heard in the STEM field.
Is there anything else you want to add?
STEM is a rewarding field; it’s limited only by your ingenuity, drive, and how far you determine you want to go. It has so many options for growth and avenues you can explore as you get into the field. I started out as a programmer and it wasn’t for me; because I had an interest even back in college in systems work, I decided to try being a systems analyst. Now, three years later, I work as a systems engineer and love what I do. I’m challenged, get to travel, and have met many amazing people who share my love for technology. The point of this? Don’t be afraid to say that something isn’t for you and to change direction. It’s okay to admit something isn’t your cup of tea and that you want to make a change. STEM is amazing because you have so many options. If one door isn’t right for you there is always another door you can try that may be a better fit for you.
Materials List: Native American Starry Night at Home
We are excited for you to participate in Girlstart’s Virtual Starry Night, including a Native American star show and hands-on STEM activities! Gather materials from around the house and join us on Thursday, November 5th for Starry fun.
* The following list contains affiliate links. Girlstart is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Mini Bow and Arrow
Add materials to your Amazon shopping cart
- Cotton swab
- Craft stick or tongue depressor
- Cup
- Dental floss
- Scissors
- Water
Native American Stick Game
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- 6 craft sticks
- Markers
- 10 small items (coins, beans, washers, etc.)
Popcorn Science
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- 3 brown paper bags
- Freezer
- Microwave
- Paper and pencil
- Paper towels
- Popcorn kernels (at least 600, or approximately ½ a cup)
- 2 small bowls
- Water
Totem Poles
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- Construction paper
- Markers
- Scissors
- Tape
- Toilet paper or paper towel tubes
Fall Into STEM Signature Series Featuring Female STEM Professionals and Girlstart’s Leadership
Register to attend our virtual Fall into STEM event on 11/10 featuring these women in STEM!
Moderator: Annette Booker, Samsung Austin Semiconductor
Annette Booker is an award-winning Process Integration Operations Manager at Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS) and advocate for women and girls in STEM. She serves as an advisory board member for Women In Technology at Samsung (WITS) and as a member of the Central Texas Council for Girlstart; both organizations focus on empowering and engaging young girls through STEM activities and networking opportunities for women at SAS.
Danielle Twum, Caris Life Sciences
Hailing from Ghana, West Africa, Danielle Twum received her B.A. in Biology from Vassar College where she studied the effects of climate change on coral bleaching. Danielle received her PhD in Cancer Immunology from the University at Buffalo where she studied the immunology of breast cancer metastasis. Dr. Twum currently works as a Molecular Science Liaison at Caris Life Sciences. Dr. Twum is an AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador, an initiative aimed at increasing visibility of women in STEM as role models for young girls.
Angie Cheng, Thermo Fisher
Angie Cheng graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors of Science in Microbiology and Masters in Biotechnology. She has been in R&D for over 18 years developing products and is currently a Sr. R&D Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific in the Sample Prep business unit. Thermo Fisher is responsible for the development of kits/reagents/instruments to enable extraction of nucleic acid from various sample types.
Priya Ramachandran, NI
Priya Ramachandran heads R&D Global Operations at NI. She is responsible for the operational efficiency and effectiveness of NI’s R&D organization, supporting and enabling engineering teams in delivering innovative products. Her division manages financial, talent development, employee engagement, and strategic planning operations. Priya is passionate about building high-performance teams that develop and deliver highly innovative products for both internal and external customers. She started at NI in 2004 as a Digital Design Engineer with a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech. Priya designed and developed Motion-Vision products before transitioning to become an Engineering Manager. Over the last decade, her technical background and customer advocacy skills have enabled her to coach and lead teams in delivering breakthrough and disruptive innovation. Priya is motivated to bring together globally distributed teams with a common purpose. She strives to foster a growth-mindset culture where learning, diversity, and change are championed and celebrated. Priya is passionate about attracting and encouraging Girls to pursue STEM careers. She loves volunteering for Girlstart and coaching her all-girls FIRST robotics team “The Creative Champions”!