CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — In honor of this Pi Day and Women's History Month converging, we welcomed the CEO of the Gulf Reach Institute Suraida Nañez-James to First Edition to talk about the importance of women in STEM career fields.
The current data shows that only 27 percent of women have careers in STEM-related fields- Nañez-James says that it's even less for women of color.
"Women bring so much to the plate. We bring a diverse perspective, we're critical thinker[s], we're naturally skilled at communication, and just collaborative work."
Nañez-James says that many young girls start out being excited by their math and science courses in elementary school, but by the time they reach middle school, there's a drop off in that engagement.
The CEO and founder says that's not the best, as STEM fields offer a world of adventure and excitement for young girls and women interested in the field.
"I've had a lot of hats throughout my career, but it's mostly focused on marine ecology, I've done restoration ecology in lots of marine fisheries, so I had the opportunity to study right here in the Coastal Bend as well as travel all the way to South Africa to study great white sharks."
Through her role as the CEO at the Gulf Reach Institute, she says that the organization is able to educate, inspire and provide mentorship and resources to explore those exciting STEM careers. Nañez-James says she wants to encourage young girls to feel like they can bring all of themselves into their careers,
Her nonprofits and upcoming projects are slated to address even more of the need for mentorship in the field.