STAT BOX
Have you ever wondered about the story behind the incredible women in Boston’s tech and innovation fields? On October 27, you can hear their stories first hand at Microsoft NERD (New England Research and Development Center). Women from across Boston’s STEM industries will be telling their stories of how they grew from geek girls to successful tech professionals.
The event, called “Women in Tech: A Story Slam,” was created by Erica Orthmann, vice president at LaunchSquad, with the goal of providing encouragement for girls who have dreams of a career in STEM but don’t necessarily have a support system telling them they can achieve these dreams. The event will be held in a similar format to The Moth Radio Hour’s “story slam” and will feature women from across STEM industries (engineers, product managers, investors, researchers, company leaders) telling 10-minute personal stories about their experiences.
Science Club for Girls mentor Laura Major, an analytics and human systems lead at Draper Labs, will be telling her story at the event. “I want to convey to other women that a career in technology is not only within their reach, but it leads to a great, fulfilling adventure that is worth pursuing. Like many women, I’ve faced hurdles and insecurities and I want to encourage women that they are not alone in these experiences and they can prevail!” Major told BetaBoston, an innovation and tech site associated with the Boston Globe.
The event will feature such women as: Mary Finlay, former CIO of Partners Healthcare and Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Board Member of Mass TLC, and professor at Simmons School of Management; Jessica Iandiorio, VP of product marketing at Acquia, one of the fastest-growing software companies in the U.S.; and Jillian Kando, CTO of educational field trip company EdTrips and member of the 2014 TechStars Boston class. The event will take place from 7-9pm followed by an after party and networking at Firebrand Saints. It is free for students and a suggested donation of $10 for non-students. Proceeds benefit Science Club for Girls. To register for the event or for more information, click here.
