Her journey into STEM wasnt a straight line.
But theres more to Saleh than her academic pursuits.
She also supports women in her community, volunteering with refugees.
Courtesy of subject
As a young Muslim and Arab American woman in STEM, Saleh knows the importance of diversity and representation.
Reem Saleh is not just shaping her own futureshes paving the way for others to follow.
Glamour: Whats one thing you wish more people knew about STEM?
Reem Saleh:That diversity of thought is very important in the field.
However, creativity is just as important as having the technical and analytical sides.
When you were a child, what was your dream job?
Honestly, when I was a child, there were a lot of different things I wanted to do.
I wanted to go into gymnastics.
But once I began to understand what a career really means, I initially wanted to pursue architecture.
Then I considered therapy, medicine, and lawmore traditional paths.
But yeah, I really liked architecture as a kid.
Is there a favorite book or film youre enjoying right now?
My favorite book isBetween the World and Me.
Filmwise, my favorite movie isThe Usual Suspects.
What woman inspires you?
Honestly, all of the women in my family inspire me a lot.
Of course, my mom and my grandmother both inspire me, each in different ways.
My mom came to America from Syria and raised five kids, and she has her own incredible story.
My grandmother inspires me because she grew up very poor in Syria as the oldest of 10 siblings.
I would say my grandmother inspires me in that way.
It involved understanding how my work could influence public schools and how safe students feel there.
My project focused on analyzing students perceptions of their safety and emotional well-being at school based on survey results.
STEM is moving toward becoming more technical, with technology revolutionizing the field.
I believe it will be integrated into almost every other STEM field.
Its important to view this from different perspectives.
For example, although automation has negative connotations, it can free people to focus on higher-priority tasks.
While it may take some jobs away, it can also create many more.
I definitely see technology being integrated into more fields, especially medicine.
I think having a healthy relationship with social media is very important.
Im not very active on social media, which helps a lot.
I set goals for myself and focus on what matters most to me.
Right now I want to finish school and graduate, so Im very career oriented.
Thats my main focus, so I give a shot to minimize distractions.
Social media and technology can quickly become distractions if you dont remind yourself to focus on other things.
Its about managing your time and shifting your focus to whats more beneficial.
Of course, using social media and technology can be fun in your free time.
Im not saying I dont watch Netflix or go online when Im not supposed to.
But its about priorities.
For me, I prioritize my career and studies right now.
Lede image courtesy of subject
