Stanford has given me the freedom to explore different disciplines and fields of engineering, most recently mechatronics and controls, and it has also given me a place to better understand myself.
Specifically, I’ve been thoughtful about reconciling my professional and personal identities as a gay engineer, and how that’s perceived in the corporate world. I went up and talked to one of the guest speakers after a recent #ENGR193 class and she connected me with the president of the LGBTQ group at a company I’m interested in. I planned a casual lunch with him, and we shared one of the most honest conversations I’ve had about the LGBTQ identity in engineering. It’s exciting to know that there are others who have thought about this and are actively advocating for this in the workforce.
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