Each day, entrepreneurs, innovators, and the great thinkers of the future are developing the next big STEM idea. We know that the students in our Victory Circle could easily join the ranks of these great leaders in the future and believe in looking towards those who are currently succeeding for inspiration. While the industries in STEM vary greatly, we compiled a list of people that are motivating us to think broader and dream bigger. Take a look and let us know who’s inspiring YOU.
- Cynthia Breazeal: The founder and director of MIT Media Lab’s Personal Robots Group recently took a leave of absence to launch Jibo, the very first robot designed for in-home use. Jibo recently closed an $11 million investment to strategically place Jibo in homes in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and China.
- Danielle Fong: Co-founder and chief science officer of LightSail Energy. 27-year-old Fong is addressing the issue of energy storage with the aim of producing the world’s cleanest and most economical energy storage systems. LightSail stands apart with a unique innovation: collecting and releasing energy on-demand through the use of tanks of compressed air injected with water mist. The low-cost air tanks are the first that make it viable to use compressed air for electricity storage.
- Bonnie Baskin: Founder of Hill Country Science Mill, and former CEO of two successful biotech companies. The museum is based on the principle that in order to get kids to love science, they have to DO it, rather than just read about it. The museum uses Art and STEAM principles to get kids excited and involved. Plans for the future include support for teachers to provide additional information and longer programs, like a rocketry camp they recently ran over the summer.
- Rebecca Garcia: Rebecca Garcia runs a blog at GeekGirlWeb and was one of the developers of Squarespace, the platform that allows individuals to create custom websites on their own, with little tech knowledge needed. She has served as the CTO of Greatist, a developer of Do Something.
- Regina Agyare: Regina Agyare started the “Tech Needs Girls Ghana” movement and founded Soronko Solutions, a software development company based in Ghana designed to develop the next generation of women in technology. Regina encourages women to begin coding and empowers them to secure jobs in their home countries.
Lisette Titre: Gaming isn’t just for boys; ACG artist and computer animator Lisette Titre has contributed to some of EA’s highest profile games, including Tiger Woods Golf for Nintendo’s Wii, The Simpsons, and Dante’s Inferno. She is also a member of Blacks in Gaming, a nonprofit dedicated to creating networking and collaboration opportunities for blacks in the gaming industry.