This week’s Wednesday’s Women in STEM Series features Sahas Sok, a student from Cambodia studying civil engineering at the University of Portland through a SHE-CAN scholarship.
When did you first become interested in STEM?
STEM has been unequally mentioned across Cambodia. I have never heard of the word “STEM” until I was in my senior high school. Back then, I only knew I like doing Math and love learning about science. Little did I know that STEM is the key in developing a country, is the key to empower girls and women, and is the key to bridging the gap between the poor and the rich. The more I read and research about STEM, the more I know my country really needs STEM human resources.
Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I am currently a sophomore civil engineering student at the University of Portland with a passion for sustainable urban development. Before getting the scholarship from SHE-CAN program to come to the U.S. for my undergraduate degree, I was in my first year of university in a famous engineering school in Cambodia. Back then, I was one of the three girls in a class of 40 people. Even though I never gave up believing that I can be an engineer, I constantly doubted myself because I have always been the only girls in a room. I was once told by my male friend in my engineering class that I could get a degree in engineering, but I would eventually just be a housewife. Walking in the STEM path has not been easy but it is the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. Regardless of how much the society tells me that STEM is not for girls, I chose to challenge these gender stereotypical norms and prove them wrong.
What is your current area of study and how do you use your interests in STEM on a day-to-day basis?
While being a full-time student at UP, I am also working as an undergraduate research assistant in the civil engineering department at my school. My research focuses on water supply risk to wildfire in Oregon. We aim at identifying priority areas for forest intervention so that the most vulnerable water supply areas are being protected from wildfire. So I get to read a lot of research paper related to wildfire and its effects on water supply areas. Majority of my work also involves with running geospatial analysis application or it can be simply understood as mapping.
In addition to that, I am also a teaching assistant in one of the engineering computing class for first-year students. In this class, I get to help students with trouble shooting MATLAB coding problems and answer any questions student have about MATLAB.
The beauty of STEM students is that I get to sharpen my mind everyday through problem solving, analysis, and critical thinking. These skills are very important in any aspect in ourselves.
What do you like most about your current job? What do you find most challenging?
My favorite part of being a STEM student is that I get to think a lot and solve the problems. The problems can be as small as solving the problem in textbook to as huge as identifying the water source areas for forest restoration. I love solving problem because that makes me always be a part of the solution. Not all the times that you find the answer, but what really matters here is how many times I try and how far you can go.
What advice would you give to young girls who are interested in pursuing STEM activities or careers?
My advice to young girls who are interested in pursuing STEM fields is that never doubt your abilities and go do it. Trust the process and you will the beauty of it. If you want to be part of the solution, be a STEM person.