Youth STEM 2030 @ Digital Leaders Week
Digital Leaders Week is an annual event that brings together the people who are leading digital transformation in the UK. We were honoured to be selected to join the programme of 400+ experts who took to the virtual stage across 6 days, to present our session “Youth at the Forefront of Tech”.
Our 45 minute session was led by Mhairi McCann, Founder & CEO of Youth STEM 2030, who was joined by 4 incredible young people from around the world. They’re each using tech to advance progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and while young people are often described as 'the future', they demonstrate that young people are also making a difference to our world today. Attendees were left feeling inspired by their stories, and challenged to think about how you can support and empower youth to be leaders of today.
Meet our panellists below, and watch back the recording to hear their insights…
Mhairi McCann, 21, Scotland
After realising the huge untapped potential of youth in solving some of the world's biggest challenges through STEM, Mhairi founded Youth STEM 2030. Mhairi has a passion for youth empowerment and believes it is vital that young people are meaningfully involved in decision making, both of which are reflected in the opportunities, support and platforms that Youth STEM 2030 creates.
Connie Siu M.H., 19, Hong Kong
Connie Siu is a 19-year-old Portuguese/Hongkonger majoring in biomedical engineering. Her engagement in Internet governance began when she was a Hong Kong representative to 2 UN Internet Governance Forums. Her current focuses are on misinformation, digital inclusion and youth engagement. She is also a Physical Sciences Editor at our scientific journal, Youth STEM Matters, and is a UN volunteer at Social Development International.
Kari Lawler, 17, England
At the age of 17, Kari is a successful AI consultant, and the founder of Youth4AI. She is an in-demand event speaker and a champion of young entrepreneurship and generation z voices and currently sits on the West Midlands Combined Authority young board, as co-portfolio lead for both skills and digital, as well as serving as an official observer for the West Midlands 5G board.
Laura Maisvoreva, 20, Zimbabwe
Laura is a medical student studying at the University of Zimbabwe and, after completion of her undergraduate degree, is aspiring to study neurosurgery. Besides health and medicine, she is passionate about conservation and environmental issues, and has worked extensively on a group project entitled 'Coral Reef Controller'. The project addressed Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, and used coding to design a conservatory measure to protect coral, which faces extinction.
Safa Haroon, 16, Sri Lanka
Safa wants to spend her life chasing what brings her joy and purpose, and technology in STEM is a key part of that. She describes herself as an entrepreneur at heart, but enjoys dabbling in all of the arts, writing and being creative. In the future, she wants to do something that combines STEM, fashion and the Sustainable Development Goals to create a better world. Safa is involved in organising the first ever Youth STEM Summit, a virtual event to empower youth globally, taking place later this month!
