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.
Sarah Kampman
VP of Product @ Square Root
Sarah is a Product Manager that is getting involved with Girlstart to see a change in the STEM field. In her words, “STEM is more than just lab coats and hackers”, and we are excited to have her on our blog today to tell us about her career field!
What exactly do Product Managers do?
Product Managers figure out what customers need, and work with engineers to get it built. We often work with other teams (like Sales or Marketing) to make sure everyone knows all the cool things our product does. Some Product Managers build products for kids, or teachers, or restaurant visitors, but I’ve always worked in “enterprise software” — which means that my team and I get to solve problems for employees of large corporations.
Being the VP of Product must be challenging, what is your favorite part about your job?
I love solving problems, and the fact that you can build solutions so fast with computers is awesome. It’s one thing to solve a problem in your head, but to see it actually come to life, and make someone’s day easier, is really fulfilling.
Was there a specific person, program, or event in your life that led you to your STEM career?
My father was a high school biology teacher and then worked for our state’s Department of Education, and always loved gadgets & technology. Because of that, I had access to computers and the internet before all of my friends. This was during the 1980s and 1990s, it was unheard of, and then I was hooked! I didn’t know how to program, but I used art programs, games, and even started to write a book. Computers were just a regular part of my life and I loved using them.
Do you have any words of encouragement for girls interested in STEM?
The world of STEM is huge. SO HUGE. Even if you have one rough class or one tough teacher, keep looking for the things that make you curious. You don’t have to be perfect at something from Day 1 for it to be something you love. Explore and be willing to try new things! This way, you’ll bring your wonderful self to everything you do.
Why do you think confidence in STEM important for girls?
I think girls should be confident in all of their abilities. We are all smart, capable, and creative people who can do anything we put our minds to. Especially because TV shows and movies don’t show all the grown-up women out in the world rocking their STEM careers, it could be easy to think that it’s not for someone like you. Well — it is. Come join our club!
