Overview

The Panel Facilitator will kick off your IGNITE Panel with background information on gender diversity in STEM and why IGNITE exists.

Next, the Lead Panelist will ask the following questions and answer each one briefly, then ask each Panelist to chime in one at time:

  1. Let’s start by all introducing ourselves with our name, job title, and company (optional: include your pronouns).
  2. Why did you choose to come speak with students today?
  3. Now, let’s each share what we do at work day to day. What do you like most about your job?
  4. The students here today are {{age range for your event}}, so let’s all share a bit about what we were like at that age. What were everyone’s favorite subjects or hobbies? Most importantly, what struggles did you have at their age, in school? And how did you overcome them?
  5. Optional, as time allows for high school age or older: What educational/academic or other choices did you make to lead to your career? How did you become interested in your work or STEM in general? Why would you suggest that students take STEM classes at school now?

Note: Students and educators are expecting to hear about STEM careers. This includes engineers, coders, designers, and mathematicians, AND people in operations, human resources, and much more AT tech companies. Nevertheless, please do emphasize the STEM components/relations of your job (e.g., how your job supports STEM operations) as you speak about your own role.

As you are sharing your story, it’s important to be honest and vulnerable so students can connect with you on an emotional level and be inspired by your journey—because you are inspiring!

No need to memorize these questions—you will practice them shortly, and you can always reference our Panelist Guide. IGNITE will provide Lead Panelists with a script that includes these questions.

Engage the students in your story by asking relevant questions while you are speaking that students can raise their hands or shout out responses to. The goal is not to test students’ knowledge about STEM, but to create connections between them and you.

Examples:

“Working in STEM allows me to take vacations, shout out where you’d go on vacation!”

“I played soccer all through school. Does anyone here play sports?” Follow up: “What sports do you play?”

“I was born in {{state/country}}. Has anyone been there? Did anyone else move far from home in your childhood?”