It started from my very own passion. I have always been fascinated with technology since I was a kid. Even before high school, my favorite place to hang out was an IT plaza known as Pantip where there was a sea of computer stores. I would spend my entire weekend at some computer shop learning how to put parts together, and tinker with electronic devices. That was probably what led me to my interest in automotive and aerospace later on in life. I like to learn how things work and how to push them to work even better.
I think the challenges for women in technology started very early for them. While boys are often given STEM toys like cars or planes to play with, girls are expected to like certain kinds of toys that some boys aren’t even allowed to touch like dolls, stuffed animals, or cooking toys.
Most often, those toys aren’t as educational and may unknowingly discourage them to pursue science. If they do get into a science or technology field which is most likely dominated by men, they have to work harder to prove that they belong there. If we want to change that, we have to go back to the root of the problem and start early.