LGBTQIA+ in Advancing Tech & Data Science Scholarship

I spent the first fourteen years of my life from another person’s perspective. Often disrespected and ridiculed, any kindness given to me had an underlying motive. My value was more in my body and face than in my mind and actions. My words were often talked over and disregarded. When my science teacher pressured me to join robotics, I had no idea what I was signing up for. I refused to apply until the final day. I dragged my feet through the halls the day of the first practice, hanging my head low until my ears perked up. An innovation project in space? The team proposed ideas until I interjected, proposing surgery in space. The whole team stared wildly at me. Finding a plethora of information about NASA’s biomedical engineering program, I noticed a lot of weight limits that medical equipment often supersedes. I proposed a project that reduces the burden of medical instruments in space. While many initially doubted me, I worked tirelessly to design a 3D printer that creates and sanitizes medical and scientific tools in a small, lightweight area. I interviewed professionals in medical devices and biomedical engineering. Long hours were spent researching every minute detail of our project, from cost and materials to cell biology of pathogens. The project won the Global Innovation award and progressed to the national competition. Every person appeared surprised when I was the spokesperson for the team. The following year, I came out as a transgender male. Every interaction in my life changed. I went from being a woman in STEM, mansplained to, underrecognized, and underestimated, to being a man in STEM, seen as confident, brilliant, and original. My own experience showed how the achievement level could be identical between a man and a woman, yet the man will receive more praise. After my robotics project, I was immersed in biomedical engineering. I joined the PLTW Biomedical Sciences pathway. I designed a prosthetic arm, a wristband and an app that detects blood sugar, bioinformatic systems, an emergency room, and generated original experiments. I would present my ideas and the entire room would listen, an experience I did not receive before transitioning. My passion led me to major in Biomedical Engineering, specializing in neurological, degenerative, and autoimmune disorders. My research and innovation goal is to create new options for those suffering from disorders that lack current treatments. I will minor in Health Policy as my career ambitions include creating medical solutions that are accessible. I desire to induce direct change in cost, accessibility, and creation of medicine. My career interacts with my health policy activism as I work to increase quality and equity in the medical and science fields. Not only should medicine be cheaper and readily available for those who require it, but the practice should be inclusive to those who wish to study it. Underrepresented groups are often neglected in STEM, a crucial lapse that needs to be corrected. I aim to contribute to a cause that breaks the stigma of STEM. Everyone should have equal access and opportunity to science and medicine. Transitioning provided me with a perspective on the world as a whole that shaped a greater devotion to my cause.