Students from Sojourner Truth Independent Study in Oakland Unified School District joined IGNITE Worldwide for a virtual mini-panel featuring Siyuan Zhou, Staff Software Engineer at Google, and Val Olague, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft, Retired. More than 100 students logged in for the session, which aimed to make STEM feel approachable, relevant, and—most importantly—open to everyone.
The event kicked off with a breakdown of what STEM really means, including how the Arts increasingly intersect with science and technology. Students then jumped into a lively Q&A, using both voice and chat features to ask anything on their minds. Their curiosity led to smart, thoughtful questions ranging from internships and coding to big-picture topics like the environmental impact of AI, how Google uses search data, and what STEM careers actually look like beyond computer programming. Siyuan and Val offered honest, engaging explanations—whether discussing renewable energy efforts in tech or how programming connects to science through problem-solving and systems thinking. They also shared reassuring guidance: STEM careers are broad and varied, AI isn’t replacing humans anytime soon, and students can blend their unique interests with STEM fields. The IGNITE Educator noted that the session succeeded in demystifying STEM and giving every student, especially participants preferring to use the chat, an accessible way to engage. The strong rapport between teachers and students created an energizing atmosphere that made the virtual space feel connected and interactive.
“It inspired me to be more courageous. The women speaking at our event explained everything clearly and seemed very passionate about their work. They inspired me to find something that I love to do and give it my all.”
10th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me because I got to learn more about STEM. Another thing that inspired me was that they were all girls and it shows that women can be successful too.”
9th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s STEM event inspired me to think more creatively about how science, technology, engineering, and math can be applied in real-world careers. Hearing professionals share their journeys made me realize that there are so many opportunities to turn my interests into impactful work. It motivated me to keep learning and exploring new skills.”
10th Grade IGNITE Student
STUDENTS SURVEYED FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT REPORTED...
66%
KNOW MORE ABOUT STEM CAREERS & THE BENEFITS OF WORKING IN STEM
60%
FEEL MORE CONFIDENT
IN PURSUING STEM
71%
GAINED PERSPECTIVE & FEEL MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE
Additional Student Feedback:
“Today’s event inspired me, because it was teaching me about STEM. It was like a whole new experience for me.” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to be more curious and open about things on Google in order to help with data and the search engine study answers in order to continue to improve over time. My personal favorite thing that I learnt today was the fact that Google search Engine/Gemini can actually learn off of humans and notice their patterns and habits of looking things up on Google and just how often they use it.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to work hard!!” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“I love learning about STEM and the benefits that come with it, as well as the work environment.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“I really liked learning about Google because that’s something we use every day! I wanna thank the volunteers for taking time out of their day to come and teach us about their job. I enjoyed it very much! Even though I’m not sure if I will continue or have a career in STEM, it was nice learning about it!” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event helped me to see that there are many careers that need STEM. Also that anybody can take on STEM because it’s mainly everywhere.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“In general, the whole event of today [was my favorite part] because I have always been so interested in STEM and also this is one of few STEM events I’ve seen. I also got excited that a Google engineer talked today too.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to do better in life and to focus more on school. Since I wanna have a good career I have to do great in school. “ – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to do more research on STEM and see if there’s any muslim Women who work in STEM that are Yemeni.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“My favorite thing I learned today was how STEM can be used to solve real-world problems through creativity and teamwork. I especially enjoyed discovering how technology and engineering connect to things we use every day.” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
Thank you to our IGNITE Volunteers and Educators:
- Siyuan Zhou
- Val Olague
- Christina Walker
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at igniteworldwide.org.