Celina – Raising Climate Change Awareness

Celina, TechGirls 2022, Argentina

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been interested in science and nature. From the first moment I heard about the TechGirls program, I dreamed of being part of it. Not only because of the opportunity of learning about different STEM fields, but also for the possibility of sharing this experience with girls from all over the world. 

When I completed the application form I chose the Molecular Modeling and Informatics course because I wanted to learn more about topics I liked. I was slightly disappointed when I received an email saying that I was going to be placed in another one but now I’m really grateful that I was in the Civil and Environmental Engineering course. It made me discover a whole new STEM field and inspiring mentors that shared their knowledge and passion with us. The TechGirls program helped me develop leadership skills and gave me confidence to actively encourage other girls to explore new fields and pursue their aspirations. The experience in Virginia Tech made me change my mind about the community project I wanted to do upon my return home. I needed to share what I had learned about the impact of human activities in the environment in a motivating way. 

As soon as I returned home I got involved in the Youth Forum for Climate Change (click here for more information) and I began organizing my community action project. “Proyecto Satĩ” was named like that because “satĩ” means “clear” in Guaraní and I wanted to raise awareness about the relevance of keeping our water sources clean and unpolluted. I got connected to people with experience in using educational games to spread information about science. They generously helped me to develop a climate change board game combining pictures of Argentinian landscapes with math problems and science questions. People of all ages were able to solve the challenges in teams and had fun while learning and sharing their previous and acquired knowledge. 

I still don’t know what I will study in the future but after being in contact with a lot of women who are working in STEM fields I am sure that I will choose a STEM-related career when I finish school. TechGirls was a life-changing experience for me and for many other girls as well. We keep in touch and I am happy for their accomplishments and proud of them for the way they are following their dreams while making things easier for others and helping their communities. I will always be grateful to the TechGirls program and to everyone that makes this initiative possible.