Seven percent. Of all the tens of thousands of students who graduated in 2021 with a degree in Robotics engineering only 7% of them were women. Only 4.3% of that total were black or of african descent. These numbers are alarming, but will not come as a shock to most. Since the start of my career in Robotics, I have often noticed that I am the only person who looks like me in the room. Being a black woman in a predominately male and white space can be extremely polarizing. There have been many moments where the differences between me and my peers were so stark and apparent that I wondered if these spaces were meant for me. I worried my brightly color-coded notes would come off as ‘girly’ and therefore insignificant. When tools were taken from my hands to ‘protect my manicure’, I wondered if they thought that the ‘pretty paint’ on my fingertips rendered my hands less capable than theirs. In these spaces, it often felt like my femininity was seen as weak, unintelligent, as if my sunny disposition couldn’t possibly hold a candle to the gravitas of their intelligence. However, I had always grown up knowing that my femininity was what made me strong. My family has always been a matriarchy. We look to our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, etc to blaze the path as we follow. Currently our matriarch is my grandmother. She is the embodiment of love and light - I am convinced that everything good in this world was hand-placed by her will. She somehow always knows the right thing to say, to do, how to uplift spirits and chase away fears. She knows just the right way to make sunshine in a cup of tea. Though she can't send a text, define a robot, or write a single line of code - she is the smartest person I know. Whenever my fears and doubts took hold of my head, she would remind me of who I am and where I came from. She would remind me that my brightly color-coded notes were my plans for battle. Scriptures of world-domination written in my own language and the keys to the rise of my curiosity. My pink nail polish was war paint - letting me wear my confidence as a shield against the misguided assumptions about what ‘pretty girls’ are capable of and ‘where they belonged’. She’d remind me that even though there may only be a few of us, that the bond between women and the experiences we share through girlhood tie us together like the intricate braiding patterns in my hair. My grandmother inspired me to approach Robotics passionately and unapologetically in my own way. She’d buy me pastel colored wires, enable my colored pen addiction, pour me a cup of sunshine for all of the late nights studying, and remind me that being a roboticist is a state of mind. A measure of my capabilities, hard work, dedication, and drive. She’d tell me that when something truly belongs to you - there is not a single person, belief, or system on this earth that can take it from you - and for me, that will be my PhD. I will be a Doctor of Robotics, with my brightly colored notes, sunny disposition, and painted nails in all. I will do it for me, for my grandmother, and for every other girl who has ever been underestimated by a system that fails to see the strength in femininity. Next year, regardless of what the percentage yields, I will be one of them.

My family has always been a matriarchy. We look to our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, etc to blaze the path as we follow. We trust their judgements and believe in their instincts to protect all of us whom they’ve created and cared for throughout our lives. Our current matriarch is my grandmother. She is my best friend. She is the embodiment of love and light - I am convinced that everything good in this world was hand-placed by her will. She somehow always knows the right thing to say, to do, how to uplift spirits and chase away fears. She knows just the right way to make sunshine in a cup of tea, and how to bring our whole family together through the scent of her home-cooked meals. While my mother worked, my grandmother would care for myself and my siblings. She’d help us with homework, make our meals, kiss every hurt knee, see every show, ,and cheer obnoxiously loud at every soccer game. Everyday with her is a gift worth more than all the gold in the world, growing more precious with each passing day. As I get older, I am confronted by the devastating reality that - despite my deepest desires - I will not be able to bask in her light forever. There will come a day when the change in guard is upon us, and a new matriarch will take hold of my family. My grandmother has two daughters- twins- my mother and my aunt. Between them there are four of us- myself and my 3 brothers. Growing up, I used to worry about what would happen to all of us when my grandmother’s light could no longer be accessed. Who would kiss my knee when I fell? Who would hand-craft all of the good things in my world and place them in my path? Later on, I realized, my grandmother’s light lives on in my mother and my aunt. I had been blind to their kisses on my bruised knees, the sunshine in their tea, and the way they would bring us all together to champion for each other. My grandmother had replicated her light and multiplied it by two, placing it safely in the hands of my mother and aunt. They have her ability to place good things in my path, and they cheer at our soccer games with her intensity and passion. They teach us to love passionately and unapologetically in the image of my grandmother. They tell me to fear no one, and to not stand in the way of my own goals. They teach my siblings and I how to support each other, to make the active choice to be a family. To bring forth light to each other and place it in our paths. They are the embodiment of light and love. They are my best friends. One day it will be my turn, and I know now that I will be ready. I will follow in the footsteps of my mother, her twin, and her mother, and I will love unapologetically. I will make sunshine in cups of tea, kiss every hurt knee, and cheer obnoxiously for my loved ones. I will place good things in their paths, and will remind them not to stand in their own way. I will remind them to hold their family closer and to not let the future scare them. My family has inspired me to be a leader, a trail blazer, someone who embodies light and love. They have inspired me to chase my dream of being a roboticist and obtaining my PhD.

Eight million metric tons. That’s how much plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. That’s equivalent to 57,000 blue whales or 17.6 billion pounds. Fast fashion, micro-plastics, and the growing trend of hyper-consumption in our society are killing our oceans at a rapid pace. We are destroying the ecosystems of species yet to be discovered. The climate crisis is being ignored, but the effects of what we are doing to our oceans will soon be felt when our sources of nutrition become contaminated by micro-plastics, our beaches become dumping grounds, and our drinking water becomes toxic. Using my Robotic Engineering degree and the help of a local oceanology research center, I want to facilitate the design and production of biomimetic AUV’s (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) to help clean up our oceans and begin reversing the effects of hyper-consumption. Biomimicry has become an increasingly popular addition to the world of Robotics, and I genuinely believe it is the key to saving our oceans. This unique form of technology offers anonymity, security, and the ability to conduct research, recon, and tests on our oceans inconspicuously. They could potentially help with everything from military surveillance to keep our shores safe to the clean-ups I have envisioned for them. This idea came to me during my Junior year of high school in 2019, and I began designing immediately. Almost 3 years later, this idea still inspires me to keep conducting research. The robots could have the following abilities… Trash collection: The robots will launch a sequence for trash collection. The bot would launch a net and begin a lawnmower sequence that has the bot move in horizontally to collect trash. Once the bags fill, the AUVs will tie off the net and bring them to a pre-programmed location to be disposed of properly. Micro-plastics Collection: In a similar approach to the trash collection process, we can also have the robots collect micro-plastics. The AUVs will have filters that entrap micro-plastics within the bot and can be emptied once the filter is full. Dead zone Detection: Due to pollution excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are causing a surplus of algae in our oceans. When Algae die their decomposition sucks up the oxygen in the water leaving very little for the other organisms causing them to die. The robots would detect the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and –if the levels are elevated– remove the algae, therefore stopping the creation of another dead zone. Video: Due to the biomimicry, we’d have the ability to use these AUVs for other research, such as data collection. The AUVs would be equipped with video cameras to monitor the ocean from a remote location. GPS: The robots will need to be equipped with GPS to keep track of it. The robot will use GPS to help with maintenance. If there’s an issue, the robot will be able to find its way back to its launch point or a new point written into its system. GPS can be used to track species of other animals and the currents of our oceans to see where pollution is coming from. AUV/ROV mode: The robot would be able to switch between an AUV mode and an ROV mode. This will allow for the robot to complete tasks for research, clean-up, and tracking on its own, and also be able to be redirected and controlled by a scientist if research needs change. I’ve always had a passion for Robotics, and I believe that my idea can help save our oceans, and so much more. I believe in myself and in my abilities and I know that I am capable of bringing these dreams into fruition, however in order to do that, I need to remain in college where I have access to professors willing to help with research, labs to conduct my tests in, and students as hungry to explore as I am. My education is the missing factor to my dreams coming true. From a young age I decided that I wanted to obtain a PhD and as I continue to grow as a student, this still reigns true. I intend to graduate with my PhD degree in the next four years with the prototype for my AUV’s in hand and ready to change the world. If I had an unlimited amount of funds, I would finish my education and begin changing the world. I'd set up a research center and also attach it to a private project based education center to allow young and passionate individuals to begin learning in a facility tackling the worlds problems. The education center would focus mainly on STEM and would be made up of a diverse team of students, educators, and allow students to experience hands-on learning at the forefront of innovation. My name is Dilce Oliveira (Dil•sea) and I want to change the world...one robot at a time.

Eight million metric tons. That’s how much plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. That’s equivalent to 57,000 blue whales or 17.6 billion pounds. Fast fashion, micro-plastics, and the growing trend of hyper-consumption in our society are killing our oceans at a rapid pace. We are destroying the ecosystems of species yet to be discovered. The climate crisis is being ignored, but the effects of what we are doing to our oceans will soon be felt when our sources of nutrition become contaminated by micro-plastics, our beaches become dumping grounds, and our drinking water becomes toxic. Using my Robotic Engineering degree and the help of a local oceanology research center, I want to facilitate the design and production of biomimetic AUV’s (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) to help clean up our oceans and begin reversing the effects of hyper-consumption. Biomimicry has become an increasingly popular addition to the world of Robotics, and I genuinely believe it is the key to saving our oceans. This unique form of technology offers anonymity, security, and the ability to conduct research, recon, and tests on our oceans inconspicuously. They could potentially help with everything from military surveillance to keep our shores safe to the clean-ups I have envisioned for them. This idea came to me during my Junior year of high school in 2019, and I began designing immediately. Almost 3 years later, this idea still inspires me to keep conducting research. The robots could have the following abilities… Trash collection: The robots will launch a sequence for trash collection. The bot would launch a net and begin a lawnmower sequence that has the bot move in horizontally to collect trash. Once the bags fill, the AUVs will tie off the net and bring them to a pre-programmed location to be disposed of properly. Micro-plastics Collection: In a similar approach to the trash collection process, we can also have the robots collect micro-plastics. The AUVs will have filters that entrap micro-plastics within the bot and can be emptied once the filter is full. Dead zone Detection: Due to pollution excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are causing a surplus of algae in our oceans. When Algae die their decomposition sucks up the oxygen in the water leaving very little for the other organisms causing them to die. The robots would detect the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and –if the levels are elevated– remove the algae, therefore stopping the creation of another dead zone. Video: Due to the biomimicry, we’d have the ability to use these AUVs for other research, such as data collection. The AUVs would be equipped with video cameras to monitor the ocean from a remote location. GPS: The robots will need to be equipped with GPS to keep track of it. The robot will use GPS to help with maintenance. If there’s an issue, the robot will be able to find its way back to its launch point or a new point written into its system. GPS can be used to track species of other animals and the currents of our oceans to see where pollution is coming from. AUV/ROV mode: The robot would be able to switch between an AUV mode and an ROV mode. This will allow for the robot to complete tasks for research, clean-up, and tracking on its own, and also be able to be redirected and controlled by a scientist if research needs change. I’ve always had a passion for Robotics, and I believe that my idea can help save our oceans, and so much more. I believe in myself and in my abilities and I know that I am capable of bringing these dreams into fruition, however in order to do that, I need to remain in college where I have access to professors willing to help with research, labs to conduct my tests in, and students as hungry to explore as I am. My education is the missing factor to my dreams coming true. From a young age I decided that I wanted to obtain a PhD and as I continue to grow as a student, this still reigns true. I intend to graduate with my PhD degree in the next five years with the prototype for my AUV’s in hand and ready to change the world. This scholarship will be a part of making this happen. Using the funds, I'd be able to help pay off my student loans, and buy materials to begin prototyping my design. My name is Dilce Oliveira (Dil•sea) and I want to change the world...one robot at a time.

Ever since I was little, I've loved learning. Whatever the topic, and with whomever, I've always had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and my preferred method of learning is through making connections with people and listening to what they have to say, about anything and everything. I find that we do the most learning in our day to day lives based on the people we surround ourselves with. Last year during my freshman year of college, I made it my personal mission to meet one new person every single day I was on campus. Over a year later, I've kept this tradition and it's taught me a lot and helped me to grow. By putting myself out of my comfort zone and making new connections, I've been able to surround myself with people from all different walks of life. My connections are diverse in interests, backgrounds, likes, and dislikes, and teach me new ways to look at the world constantly. I keep a growth mindset by learning to look at the world through different prospectives by making connections and listening. Everyday I remain grateful for all of the people I've gotten the chance to meet, and remain excited for all of the ones I'll meet next. Today I met Kirstin, she's from Framingham MA, and taught me a lot about her views on climate change. I now know more than I did yesterday, and I truly believe I am better off for it.

Robotics is tricky. There are a lot of moving parts and getting them to all work together is more difficult than I originally accounted for when I began my journey to becoming a roboticist. As I continue my studies, I've begun to learn how to be patient; with myself, my creations, and with my classmates around me. Patience allows for us to take a step back and have more appreciation, empathy, and a clearer view of the situation at hand. Without patience, I find that I miss obvious mis-steps, am less empathetic to others around me, and often forget to be proud of myself for what I am able to complete in the moment. Patience has taught me how to reflect, to think before I act, and to look at a situation in it's entirety. Patience makes me a better engineer, a better person, and allows me to experience life to the fullest extent. The world is always moving so quickly and it's easy to rush, but I find that it's only after taking a step back that I experience things in full. Patience is important to me because it allows me to take a second and find myself.

Silas Adekunle is a young roboticist using his knowledge to create bridges between students and technology and changing the way we teach students today. I admire his work because of the personal impact that technology has had on my life (see my Ted Talk for more info - linked in my profile). His efforts to change education will allow for us as a society to continue making technological advancements and allow for children with disabilities to experience learning that is more tailored to their needs. He's using his knowledge to change the world, and it's exactly what I intend to do as well.

On my first day of private school, I was one of 4 students of color in my grade. I was the only one who didn’t know how to use a laptop. I’ll never forget the moment one of the kids in my class laughed because I couldn’t log into my Gmail account. I’ve never felt so out of place. Not only did these kids not look like me, but it’s as if they had a whole other culture that I knew nothing about. They spoke of cape houses, season tickets, and vacations to tropical places I’d never heard of. For the first week, I went to the nurse every day. I’d say I had a headache because it was easier than telling her that the stares of my classmates in history class, the way they pulled on curls, and pronounced my name incorrectly made me nauseous. I was ready to run away from the issue and go back to public schooling. It felt like my perception of the world was shifting. After a week, my mother told me that if I wanted to, she’d take me back to public school. She gave me time to think it over, and I asked my grandmother what she thought I should do. ‘Stay’ she said. ‘Stop worrying about where you’re at and focus on where you want to be. Money and entitlement don’t make a person; passion, courage, dedication, and kindness do.’ She told me to stop focusing on all of the things they had that I didn’t, and instead focus on my goals and how to achieve them. ‘Stay, and then Shine’ she told me. ‘Shine so bright you become a light in that school, take their attention and never let it go, show them who you are’. And so I did. I chose to walk into school every day with my head held high, to work twice as hard as some of my white counterparts to be offered the same recognition, and to constantly go above & beyond what they thought I could do. I made it a point to focus on STEM and 9 years later I am studying to be a Robotic Engineer. Through hard work I’ve been able to achieve goals I originally thought were unobtainable– including conducting my first TED Talk at the age of 17, because I refuse to let myself be defined by the ideas other people had about who I could become. Today, I shine bright. I make a point to put myself out there & give everything 110%. I am currently a Sophomore in college at Worcester Polytechnic Institute majoring in Robotic Engineering, focusing on the forefront of technology and how I can use what I’ve learned to inspire other young students of color. I'm constantly doing what I can to uplift others because (as my grandmother says) just because one star shines bright doesn’t mean you can’t see all the other ones in the sky. My greatest accomplishment to date is learning how to own a space that wasn’t meant to be mine, and prove that I am just as talented, intelligent, and worthy of my positions as my white counterparts. I hope that I will be able to come back to my community as an example of what we are all capable of, and teach other students of color how to conquer spaces that others may tell them they don’t belong in. My identity has helped me realize that I can change the world, and so I will. One shining star (and maybe a few robots) at a time.

When I was in 5th grade my mother had me apply to private schools. She wanted me to get a more advanced education than our local public schools were able to offer. On my first day of private school, I was one of 4 students of color in my grade. I was the only one who didn’t know how to use a laptop. I’ll never forget the moment one of the kids in my class laughed at me because I couldn’t log into my Gmail account. I’ve never felt so out of place. Not only did these kids not look like me, but it’s as if they had a whole other culture that I knew nothing about. They spoke of cape houses, season tickets, and vacations to tropical places I’d never heard of. For the first week, I went to the nurse every day until she’d call my mom to come to get me. I’d say I had a headache because it was easier than telling her that the stares of my classmates in history class, the way they pulled on curls and pronounced my name incorrectly made me nauseous. I was ready to leave, run away from the issue and go back to public schooling. It was as if I had become a minority overnight. I felt like my perception of the world was shifting, and suddenly I longed for things I had never known existed. After a week my mother told me that if I really wanted to, she’d take me back to public school. She gave me a few days to think it over, and I went and asked my grandmother what she thought I should do. ‘Stay’ she told me. ‘Stop worrying about where you’re at and focus on where you want to be. Money and entitlement don’t make a person; passion, courage, dedication, and kindness do.’ She told me to stop focusing on all of the things they had that I didn’t, and instead focus on my goals and how to achieve them. ‘Stay, and then Shine’ she told me. ‘Shine so bright you become a light in that school, take their attention and never let it go, show them who you are’. And so I did. I choose to walk into school every day with my head held high, to work twice as hard as some of my white counterparts to be offered the same recognition, and to constantly go above and beyond what they thought I could do. I made it a point to become well-acquainted with computers, after having been so embarrassed on my first day. After my first 3 weeks, I knew how to use every single tool the Google Suite had to offer. After that, I learned how to code, and 8 years later I am studying to be a Robotic Engineer. Without my grandmother, I wouldn’t be an engineer, I wouldn’t have a TED Talk at the age of seventeen, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. For 7 years I made a point not only to stay but to shine. I made a point to know everyone, to be involved, to make my presence in the community known, and to always work harder than anyone expected. Today, I shine bright. I make a point to put myself out there and give everything 110%. This upcoming August I will be a Sophomore at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), studying Robotics Engineering (RBE) and Interactive Media and Game Design (IMGD). I am constantly doing what I can to uplift others because (as my grandmother says) just because one star shines bright doesn’t mean you can’t see all the other ones in the sky. Going forward I plan to embody this mindset in my future by setting up leadership camps and programs that students can join to help them learn confidence and develop a powerful mindset to help them become the best versions of themselves. My greatest accomplishment to date is learning how to own a space that wasn’t meant to be mine, learning how to break barriers, and prove that I am just as talented, intelligent, and worthy of my positions as my white counterparts. My identity has helped me realize that I can change the world, and so I will. One shining star (and maybe a few robots) at a time.

Eight million metric tons. That’s how much plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. That’s equivalent to 57,000 blue whales or 17.6 billion pounds. Fast fashion, microplastics, and the growing trend of hyperconsumption in our society are killing our oceans at a rapid pace. We are destroying the ecosystems of species yet to be discovered. The climate crisis is being ignored, but the effects of what we are doing to our oceans will soon be felt when our sources of nutrition become contaminated by microplastics, our beaches become dumping grounds, and our drinking water becomes toxic. Using my Computer Science and Robotic Engineering degrees, I want to facilitate the design and production of biomimetic AUV’s (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) to help clean up our oceans and begin reversing the effects of hyperconsumption. Biomimicry has become an increasingly popular addition to the world of Robotics, and I genuinely believe it is the key to saving our oceans. The robots could have the following abilities… Trash collection: The robots will launch a sequence for trash collection. The bot would launch a net and begin a lawnmower sequence that has the bot move in horizontally to collect trash. Once the bags fill, the AUVs will tie off the net and bring them to a pre-programmed location to be disposed of properly. Microplastics Collection: In a similar approach to the trash collection process, we can also have the robots collect microplastics. The AUVs will have filters that entrap microplastics within the bot and can be emptied once the filter is full. Deadzone Detection: Due to pollution excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are causing a surplus of algae in our oceans. When Algae die their decomposition sucks up the oxygen in the water leaving very little for the other organisms causing them to die. The robots would detect the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and –if the levels are elevated– remove the algae, therefore stopping the creation of another dead zone. Video: Due to the biomimicry, we’d have the ability to use these AUVs for other research, such as data collection. The AUVs would be equipped with video cameras to monitor the ocean from a remote location. GPS: The robots will need to be equipped with GPS to keep track of it. The robot will use GPS to help with maintenance. If there’s an issue, the robot will be able to find its way back to its launch point or a new point written into its system. GPS can be used to track species of other animals and the currents of our oceans to see where pollution is coming from. AUV/ROV mode: The robot would be able to switch between an AUV mode and an ROV mode. This will allow for the robot to complete tasks for research, clean-up, and tracking on its own, and also be able to be redirected and controlled by a scientist if research needs change. I’ve always had a passion for computer science (specifically AI) and Robotics, and I believe that my idea can help save our oceans. While obtaining my degree I plan to conduct research and work on writing the code and the design features needed to bring my idea to life. I want to make a change in the world, and I know using Computer Science and Robotics is the way to do it.