Your occupation, job title, artistic discipline (or very brief description of what you do):

Graphic and web designer by day, STEM advocate during all the free time that I don’t actually have.

What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in) beginning with the place of your birth?

I was born in Vietnam, spent my younger years in Cambridge, U.K., my formative teens in South London, and then lived and worked in Central London. I moved out of the big smoke to South Lincolnshire to start a family, and then immigrated to Tauranga in 2017. I will always be a London girl at heart.

What’s an average day in your life at present?

School drop off, then into the office at Basestation to work on any combination of the following: design/STEMFest/Tinkd Makerspace/funding/marketing/meeting new interesting people. Not one day is the same, and I thrive on that. I love working on projects as it allows me to get involved in many different things. I would be bored with a regular nine to five job.

Looking back at your teen-age self: what one sentence describes that person?

Old before her time, overly confident in some things, but constantly curious about new things and willing to learn.

If you had to eat the same meal every day, what would it be?

Big fat juicy cherries from the South Island and cake (any kind, as I do not discriminate).

What are you planning for 2023 that nobody knows about yet?

This year I’ve been working with international clients on the east coast of the United States for my ‘day job’ and (not a secret anymore) helping to put on a NASA roadshow with astronaut Dr. Kate Rubins. The pandemic has allowed people to embrace remote working and the normality of having video calls and working across time zones has meant that my design work hasn’t really stopped, which has been amazing.

Who are your favourite or most admired figures from history?

Ada Lovelace has changed my life. She was considered the first ever computer programmer before computers even existed. It was after attending the official Ada Lovelace Day event in London that I became aware of her and the women in STEM movement. Inspired by the call to action (which was to go back to your communities and do something to help our girls and young women realise their potential through STEM), I came up with the idea of a STEMFest in Peterborough, U.K., and haven’t looked back since. Google Ada Lovelace today and you won’t regret going down that rabbit hole.

What word of advice would you offer an aspiring creative person?

Creativity is inherent in all of us – it’s not just about being able to draw or paint a picture. Whenever you’re trying to solve a problem you’re using logic AND creativity, and we should all embrace our inner creative, because the best results come from being brave and thinking differently.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself/your organisation?

I’m so very proud of my work with STEM Wana Trust. We are a small but ambitious registered charity. Our goal is to make STEMFest the “Fieldays of STEM” and to ensure that the opportunities to fall in love with and discover the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are available to all. We’re always looking for new connections and support, so if you think you can help, please get in touch. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

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