Water is a human rights issue for ASU PhD student Maria Maldonado
Maria Maldonado decided to pursue a career in engineering when she was 17 years old.
In her home country of Guatemala, this was out of the ordinary for a woman. But, from a young age, it was something her father always encouraged.
“My father wanted me and my sister to be more than home makers,” Maldonado said. “He bought us STEM toys, robots and trucks, and encouraged me to study math. He would even join me when I was studying.”
ASU Graduate Student Katreena Thomas wants to make engineering education more diverse and inclusive
Being an engineer has always made sense for Katreena Thomas. She has always been good at math and science, her mother encouraged her to pursue engineering by enrolling her in STEM camps and classes, and she always loved the idea of being a problem solver.
However, during her undergraduate education, and in subsequent years working in the engineering field, Thomas learned that there are “problems that can't be solved with math and science because they are problems about people.”