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.
Kandice Whalen
Quality Engineer @ MilliporeSigma
Kandice is getting involved with Girlstart after joining a company wide effort to engage girls in STEM. We are so thrilled to have her on the blog today speaking about her unique journey into her STEM career!
What exactly does a Quality Engineer do, and what are some of your favorite aspects of your job?
I work with a team from engineering, production & quality to ensure that our products are safe for customers. I try to balance the demands of production while maintaining quality and the customer in mind. I love working with my team to solve problems together. My team is like a family, and that makes work seem like a breeze. I enjoy the high stress & pressure of my job and I feel like at the end of the day I am making a difference. I think the challenging environment keeps me interested and engaged.
Reflecting on your own career path, do you have any words of encouragement for girls who are interested in going into STEM?
Do it! If you’re interested in something, go for it. If you have a curiosity about something, look it up, find out about it. Don’t be afraid to speak up, to reach out. Don’t let others get in your way or make you feel like your opinion does not matter because you are a girl. And most importantly don’t doubt yourself. My life really began when I stopped doubting myself and listened to my gut.
Was there any specific influence in your life that pushed you towards a STEM career?
I had no direction or major when I started college, then I took a microbiology course and I was hooked. I fell in love with microbiology and I knew I wanted to have a career in science. But if I am being honest, it started way before then. I was always very curious and I loved science ever since I was a kid. I used to watch Mr. Wizard on PBS and walk to the library in town to get books on chemistry experiments for kids. I’d make my babysitter do them with me when my parents were out because it was often messy.
Why is confidence in STEM important for girls?
I think it is important for girls to know they have a place in STEM and they can make a difference. I think it is vital that girls, especially in times of social media, understand that a passion for education and a curious mind are enviable traits. It’s empowering to know that I steer my own ship personally, professionally and financially. At the end of the day it makes me feel good inside, gives me confidence and purpose and I feel this way through STEM; and I think that’s an important message to share. I think for me too, my personal journey needed confidence to begin. I did not have a traditional path to being a scientist. It took me 6 years to graduate from a 2-year college, with terrible grades. I bartended and was a housekeeper at a hospital. I was on food stamps. I did not see myself as a career professional and I was sure no one else saw me that way either. After 6 years of underestimating myself I applied to a BS program. I fell in love with science again! I got a 3.8 GPA and I felt amazing; I then went on to apply to a grad school I thought was way out of my league, but my confidence was boosted from my BS degree. I got in! I’m about to graduate from my dream grad school with the same GPA. That confidence spilled over to work, and I just got promoted again. Trust me. Confidence is EVERYTHING.
