Diving into Confidence: My O-STEAM Fellowship Experience
Questions swirled in my head: "Am I qualified enough? Will my application stand out? What if I don't get accepted?"
For the entire one-hour-and-thirty-minute drive to Woods Hole, endless thoughts swirled in my mind: Have I packed everything I needed? What if I forgot something? What if I don’t fit in with the group? What if I don’t make any connections and feel out of place?
No matter what I tried, I couldn’t stop worrying and overthinking my choice to apply for the Ocean STEAM Powered Women Fellowship. As much as I was elated to get accepted into the program, I couldn’t help feeling anxious.
Even as I arrived at the Sea Education Association (SEA) campus where we fellows would be housed, and lugged my suitcase into my bedroom and claimed my bed, my nerves still didn’t go away.
It wasn’t until Grace Simpkins, the O-STEAM program director, urged us to play an ice breaker game that I finally felt relaxed. Reluctantly at first, the other fellows and I played a game called “What Do You Meme?” and within just a few short minutes, we all began having a great time. I could sense the nerves in the other girls diffuse as we played round after round and all my worries drifted away. The week that followed was easily one of the best weeks of my life.
On the first day of the program, we took a ride on a boat called the Zephyr to learn about oceanographic sampling. Once we had departed from the dock, we all got the chance to help lower an underwater camera over the side of the boat to take a look at the ocean floor. The camera was attached to long, sturdy cables, and as we carefully unwound it, the device began its descent into the ocean. We watched eagerly on a screen as the camera captured the fascinating world hidden underwater. Getting to see the different plants and animals – crabs, lobsters, sea urchins,snails – was truly amazing. But my favorite of all these sea creatures was the horseshoe crab; I have seen them on television before, but never in real life! Furthermore, I also liked to hear about Ilana Jacobs’ experience at BU as a student studying Marine Science. Her journey of paving her path in STEAM and participating in research was inspiring, to say the least.
Throughout the entire program, we got a chance to work in the computer lab, sorting through dolphin acoustic whistle data from Florida. Since dolphins are one of my favorite marine animals, I truly enjoyed learning about them and getting to listen to their distinct whistles and chirps. Our work with the data was part of research done by WHOI scientist Laela Sayigh. I learned so much from Laela, including how noise pollution impacts the animals in our oceans. Her expertise helped me to gain a greater sense of awareness and insightful knowledge about marine life.
Later on in the week, we went whale watching in the open ocean. Fortunately, we were able to spot a few different whales during our trip, which the crew identified as females. Even though I have been whale watching a couple times before, it never ceases to fascinate me. Seeing wild animals in zoos and aquariums is such a fun experience, but it's infinitely more amazing to see them in person. Getting to see the female whales in such close proximity was such a beautiful experience that I will never forget.
Overall, my experience at the Woods Hole O-STEAM fellowship program was incredibly enjoyable and productive. I gained so much confidence in myself and became more certain than ever that I want to pursue a career in STEAM. Most importantly, I loved getting to meet female professionals who were either still in school or established in their careers. The range of different perspectives and voices was very inspiring because it reminded me that everyone, no matter how difficult their journey may be, has a place in STEAM.
Lastly, one of the most memorable experiences was the barbecue dinner where I had the opportunity to engage in conversation with talented college and graduate students, who shared their STEAM stories, and to sample many diverse perspectives and experiences. All of the women were incredibly inspiring and absolutely driven by their dedication to their respective studies.
Throughout the week, our cohort of fellows truly formed an unforgettable bond. In between the program activities, we played games, shared funny stories, and really got to know one another. Even though I only knew the other fellows for a few short days, it felt like I had known them forever. Everyone was incredibly kind and I felt right at home. Even a year after this fellowship ended, we still keep in touch and check in with each other.
