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.”