Laura’s Story
My name is Laura Maisvoreva, and I'm a second year medical student at the University of Zimbabwe. I'm 21, and I live and have grown up in Zimbabwe. I am a Science Communication Editor at Youth STEM Matters.
Why did you decide to apply to get involved in Youth STEM Matters?
We had just went into lockdown when I heard about Youth STEM Matters and that applications were open for volunteers. I was intrigued, and thought “what better way to use my free time than to do something meaningful and collaborate with individuals as passionate as I am about STEM?” The thought of being able to collaborate with individuals from all over the world to make science more accessible to young people excited me, and was my main motivation for applying for a role within the team.
Can you tell us a bit about what you do as a Science Communication Editor?
As a Science Communication Editor, most of my work involves editing articles submitted to the journal. I help authors to make their articles the best they can be, and help achieve their full writing potential. During weeks where I'm not editing, I write my own articles, which are also edited and published.
“It’s such a fun, diverse and interesting community here at Youth STEM Matters, with endless opportunities to connect and get the most of the learning and networking experience.”
What has been your highlight so far?
Participating in Digital Leader's Week has been by far my most enjoyable experience. I enjoy the idea of being able to connect with individuals from all over the world to discuss how STEM can be used to solve global problems, and this event enabled me to do just that.
How has being part of the Volunteer Team benefitted you?
Working as a Science Communication Editor makes me more aware of common writing errors/mistakes that help me write better because I learn about the sort of things to avoid when writing. By helping other authors perfect their articles, I indirectly learn how to write better as well, which, I think, over the last year has improved my own writing quality. Editing articles written by people of different ages/backgrounds has also helped me learn about different things going on in the world as well; as much as editing is about looking at a piece of work and making it better, it's a reading experience as well where I'm able to learn about various topics, and with varying insights as well. At the end of the editing process, I've learnt something new, which I think is so important; it keeps things interesting.
What advice would you give to other young people who are thinking about applying to join?
Go for it! I have never looked back since joining the team, and I wish I could have been part of something like this from a younger age. It's such a fun, diverse and interesting community here at Youth STEM Matters, with endless opportunities to connect and get the most of the learning and networking experience.
“There’s nothing more exciting than being part of something bigger than yourself.”
Last year you also participated in the Youth STEM Summit as a speaker - can you tell us a bit about that experience?
One word - amazing! There's nothing more exciting than being part of something bigger than yourself. I think pre-COVID (at least for me) we were all so used to interacting with those closest to us, but the pandemic - and hence the move to interact more online - has made me realize that the world is so much bigger than this! Virtual platforms enable me to connect with so many people, from anywhere at any time and events such as the Summit are really incredible, because you get to see what young people are doing to build a more sustainable world. I thoroughly enjoyed the event, and always look forward to being part of similar events, to share ideas, learn more about different things, and most importantly network.
In March 2021, Youth STEM 2030 and Youth STEM Matters are both celebrating their first birthdays! What do you hope to see us achieve over the coming year?
Increased participation, for the most part. I'd love to see the team expand to include even more young people from different parts of the world. I'd also really love for more opportunities to connect with different organizations and the establishment of partnerships with these organizations so that members of the team can be directly connected with people in their relevant fields.