I thought that was so cool and wanted to learn more about it and how I could fit into that picture. So much of the world around us is a product of someone who was good at math or science.
I liked how there were so many things I could be a part of with STEM. It wasn’t until high school that I discovered that I wasn’t too good at that anymore and that I excelled more in math and science classes. It’s funny because for most of my school life, I thought I was better at English and subjects like that. Q: What first sparked your own interest in STEM?Ī: I probably first started to think about STEM in high school. She took some time to talk about her book, her love of science and math, and why greater representation in her chosen field is so important. She lives in downtown San Diego’s East Village, while her parents and younger sister are back home in Las Vegas, and plans to graduate next year. It was important to her that young children understand that STEM is not only exciting but possible for them, too.īrown, a senior at the University of San Diego, is majoring in industrial and systems engineering, is vice president of the school’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, and volunteers with the Links to STEM program, which addresses the underrepresentation of people of color in pursuing degrees and professions in STEM-related fields. She wanted to present STEM to young children in a way that would be fun and interactive, and for them to find something in the field that inspired passion. There are pictures and facts to go along with each one to give the kids some inspiration for further exploration on their own. The 27-page alphabet book covers 26 STEM-related topics, with each letter of the alphabet representing something different. “I think my getting more involved in STEM outreach is what finally motivated me to sit down and write it. We have talked about me writing a book since I was 8 years old, but I have been procrastinating, as you can see,” the 21-year-old says. “The book idea actually came from my mom. She made the switch to STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects in high school, but during a recent summer research program in Sweden, she found time to write and publish her first children’s book, “What Do You Know About…STEM!” While Taylor Brown thought she was better at science and math than she was at English and writing, it turns out that she could pursue both.