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.

Kirby Tyndall

Senior Consulting Toxicologist @ Golder

Kirby volunteered during the summer of 2020 by helping hand out camp kits and we are so thankful that she has decided to volunteer with Girlstart again. She likes solving problems with science and is excited about helping girls see how interesting STEM can be!

What kind of work does your job entail?
I have worked as an environmental consultant for 30 years, helping clients clean up contamination and determining if air, soil, sediment, fish, food, and other items are “safe” for people to breathe, eat, touch, etc.

Do you have a specific person, program, or event in your life that led you to become an environmental consultant?
My 5th grade science teacher let me and a couple other kids conduct a several month long project with rats where we varied their diets with healthy food and unhealthy food (white bread and soda). That project really inspired my inquisitive side and helped me understand how the scientific method could be used to figure out so many things.

Why do you think confidence in STEM is important for girls?
Children and young adults are more likely to choose subjects and careers in subjects they feel confident in and having more girls in STEM fields is good for the girls and really the world.

What would you like to tell girls who are interested in pursuing a STEM career?
Never give up on your pursuit of knowledge! STEM courses can be really challenging but they are also really interesting and, through science, many problems can be solved.