Q+A: Isabela Sanchez on her journey into STEM, being a mentor and a mentee, and the community the Youth STEM Summit will create…

If you had infinite time, money and resources to solve just one global challenge, what would it be, and why?

Without a doubt, I would create a well-rounded system of education. School shouldn’t be categorized as boring in a world where youth can create wonders. In our new education system we would provide unique areas of study: STEM education, Sustainable Development Goals courses, storytelling, mental health, soft skills for leadership and more! Whether public or private, education should be the same for everyone. Only in this way can we create the next generation of changemakers!

How did you get involved in STEM?

It's a long long long story (that I would love to share with you!)! I am from a low-income district in Lima, Peru. When I was a child, the closest thing I had to technology were books. So, when my aunt bought us a computer, I quenched my thirst for curiosity with the internet! At age 13, I started teaching myself growth-mindset because I wanted to support my family. We were going through economical problems and they couldn’t afford my school supplies, so I prepared myself to apply to different scholarships to support my studies. With growth-mindset I was able to use the internet as an ally. I started learning maths in Khan Academy, English at Duolingo, science with NatGeo documentaries on YouTube and more! Due to my resilience, I was selected by the U.S. State department to be a scholar in WiSci STEAM Camp 2016, where I spent 2 weeks with 99 girls from the US, Chile, México and Peru learning about STEAM careers with the support of Google, Intel and Technovation. That's when my adventure started and it won’t finish!

If you could share one tip for someone who's new to making a difference through STEM, what would it be?

Be always ready to be a mentor and a mentee! The STEM world is always expanding and we need to adapt our brains and hearts to that change. We need a diversity of voices in STEM. We need your unique perspective and experience, so we need your voice! And, don’t be afraid to ask - raise your hand and discover the large impact that even a small doubt can have in your study journey!

How do you think STEM is impacting your community?

STEM isn’t only about education. Peru is known as a megadiverse country, and despite the government's poor support for the safety of national biodiversity, young scientific adults from public universities are always protecting the nature reserves and the coastal marine biodiversity. Just like them, the National Council of Science, Technology and Innovation is always providing STEM workshops in public high schools, inspiring the next generation of Peruvian leaders in STEM.

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, my country started to understand the importance of STEM careers. The new government started to plan the construction of a Ministry of Science and Technology, to support science research and education. I can’t wait for it!

What do you hope that the Youth STEM Summit will achieve in terms of empowering youth globally to tackle the world's biggest challenges, and why do you think this is important?

I know the Summit will be one of the pillars for our Youth in STEM movement. We will create a friendly and impactful community where an innovative mindset will rule! I am striving to support global youth in their empowerment process and passion journey. I will hear your stories and make sure the Youth STEM Summit will be an important chapter in your life.

What are you most excited for about the Youth STEM Summit?

If you can count on me in this summit, you can count on me forever! I am excited about the community we are going to create. It will be a space full of diversity. I hope to bring new voices in the topics presented at the summit so that our attendees can feel welcome and relate in the STEM fields.