From a very young age, I had several teachers show me just how amazing the world around us is when viewed through the lens of science. One teacher in particular helped me to develop a mindset for learning, and she quickly became one of my biggest mentors, and inspired me to look at science as a career. Asking questions was one of my defining traits as a child, and my parents always did their best to answer my never-ending questions. Because of this, I quickly grew a fascination for science, and later as the world of technology changed around me, I became engrossed in learning how to make them perform However, several people around me, while not outright discouraging me, always implied that I would be well suited for a more traditionally female career. Living in Utah, I am constantly surrounded by predominantly Mormon ideals, where the most important thing for a woman is to be a mother and wife, and people who don’t want that, or challenge the gender roles are seen as self-absorbed and selfish. I’d constantly be told that I had to be conscious of choosing a career that would allow me to be a mother. I often get offhand comments like, “Well once you get married, you won’t have to finish school,” or “You’ll want to be a stay-at-home mom once you have kids.” And if I challenge their ideas, then their response is almost always “Well, you’re young, you’ll change your mind when you’re older and want kids.” Along with this, it was really discouraging to find my classes are around 95% male, and there are currently only men in faculty positions for the computer science department at my university. Not to mention that Utah is the second worst state for the gender pay gap, with women earning on average nearly 31% less than men. However, I’ve managed to make friends that encourage my pursuits, and a few of my professors have been very supportive and have even got me in contact with women in different tech fields. Despite my disadvantages and the unwelcome criticism, I refuse to hold back from giving my all. I want to pursue a career in technology because I don’t want to conform my life to what other people think it should be, and I am passionate about moving human intellect forward. My goal for my career is to always work towards improving all areas of my education, and not let myself slip into complacency because there is always room for more growth, especially in technology. By developing talents, skills and seeking out knowledge through hard work, good strategies, and input from others, I will be able to achieve, grow and develop a career that I find my purpose and passion in. And in my personal life, I strive to apply the principle that the only restriction on growth is the boundaries you set on yourself.