Youth STEM Matters Volunteer Organises International STEM Conference
Nina Khera, a Science Communication Editor in the Youth STEM Matters Volunteer Team, and fellow organiser Andri Kadaifciu created the STEMpowerment Conference as a way of developing youth as innovators during lockdown.
The day-long event was attended by over 75 young people from around the world, and 12 speakers took to the virtual stage to share their journeys, research and advice for other young people interested in pursuing STEM.
After an introduction from Nina and Andri, the first panel session, featuring Liam Hinzman, Alishba Imran, and Shagun Maheshwari (and chaired by Nina), got underway. It had a focus on ‘The Future of Technology’, with the panel sharing their experiences of using technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain to solve real world problems in our world, as well as their advice for other young people wanting to get started and make a difference.
“Hearing about all of the projects that the other speakers were working on was really interesting and inspiring. They’re youth solving real world problems, and that’s what we’re all about at Youth STEM 2030, so we were delighted to be able to be involved in this event.”
Mhairi McCann, our Founder & CEO, was the first speaker of the day, and she shared her experience in doing scientific research as a high school student, and the journey she took to founding Youth STEM 2030. If you want to get involved in any of the opportunities here at Youth STEM 2030 that Mhairi discussed, find out more here.
Adara Hagman then took to the virtual stage to give a talk on ‘Using Biomimicry and Technology to Slow the Climate Crisis’. Adara spoke about the interconnectedness of life on our planet, and the challenges we currently face:
“There are a lot of interconnected problems that make up the climate crisis. Climate change isn’t really itself a problem - it is the outcome of many interconnected problems.”
While STEM is sometimes perceived as a set of distinct subjects, Seyone Chithrananda - a 16 year old aspiring Machine Learning and biology researcher - continued the theme of interconnectedness, with a talk on ‘Drug Discovery, Artificial Intelligence, and Chemistry: The Intersection’.
Next, Andri led the second panel of the day, which this time was themed around ‘The Future of Science’. It featured Adara Hagman, Faith Inello and Isabella Grandic, who have experience in working on problems ranging from using biotechnology to cure mental illness, to sustainable cities, to the future of food, and women’s health. Their advice to other young people included:
“I’ve realised that there are no answers to most things. If you’re doing something that has an answer, you’re probably not doing something that’s hard enough.”
Mohamad Rajabi then presented a talk that was PACKED with advice for young people wanting to make a difference. One of his main messages to other young people was to:
“Treat school as a day job - as day jobs go, it’s pretty sweet, as you can work on your own stuff while you’re there. Just as a musician who works as a waitress in their day job doesn’t consider themselves as a waitress, but a musician.”
Liam Hinzman gave the final talk of the day, where he shared his route into Artificial Intelligence (spoiler: it started with his cat!) and how as he learned more, he started to want to use his interest in tech to make a difference:
“Learning about tech without solving real problems isn’t useful.”
The conference ended with a workshop, led by Asma Khamis, Andri Kadaifciu, Nina Khera, Mhairi McCann, Hailey Vallabh, and Lucy Zhao. Having spent the day learning about various STEM fields, being inspired by the speakers’ stories, and perhaps wondering how to get started, this workshop focused on practical advice for young people interested in getting into STEM and using STEM to make a difference.
Throughout the day, the STEMpowerment Conference also featured the winning submissions from the conference’s video competition. In up to 10 minutes, participants explained a scientific topic of interest in creative and interesting ways. The winners will get the opportunity to give a talk at next year’s STEMpowerment Conference!
A lot of preparation went into the conference, and when asked about how the it went on the day, Nina said:
“The event went great, and was our definition of a success. Attendees left feeling inspired and motivated to learn more about different fields in STEM.”
And what about her experience of organising the event as a young person?
“It was hectic at times, with accommodations to be made, scheduling to do, and questions to answer. However, it was rewarding to watch play out. We frequently found ourselves marvelling at the talks and engagement!”
Well done to Nina, Andri and their organising team for creating an excellent event!
Find out more about all the speakers, and register your interest for the 2021 STEMpowerment Conference (taking place on 12th & 13th July) on the STEMpowerment website.
