STEM STARS: MARY MCLAUGHLIN

Editor’s note: This is the third installment in a Midland Daily News weekly series called “STEM Stars,” which features local secondary students who are Chief Science Officers (CSOs). These students, in grades 6-12, serve as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) ambassadors and liaisons for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) opportunities in their communities.

This week will feature Mary McLaughlin, a senior at H.H. Dow High School.

When and why did you become a Chief Science Officer?

In eighth grade, I was asked by the principal to participate in the new STEM program and I thought it would be a great way to spread STEM awareness.

What does it mean to you to be a CSO?

Being a CSO to me means that I am able to spread STEM awareness to my community and peers in a new way.

What do you enjoy

about being a CSO so far?

I enjoy being able to come together as a network of leaders and brainstorm ways to spread our passions throughout out community.

What is your action plan?

I have done many action plans, but one of my favorites was last year. I gave fourth-graders in MPS STEM-at-home kits to complete a STEM challenge. It was interesting trying to navigate drop-offs through the schools. But coordinating with the schools and following the guidelines, I was able to complete my action plan.

What first got you interested in STEM?

From a young age, I showed an interest in STEM-type toys. I was also always trying to build towers/buildings out of anything I could get my hands on. As I got older, I found myself enjoying a lot of the STEM-related activities at school.

Why is STEM education so important?

STEM is important because it is what our future is. we need to come up with new innovations to keep the world going and adapting to our changing world. If children get interested in it at a young age then they will most likely want to go into STEM fields.

What are some aspects of STEM that you feel many people aren’t aware of or don’t understand?

I feel like people don’t understand the engineering aspect of STEM because there are over 50 different types of engineering and have different focuses. A lot of my action plans have focused on engineering and different types of engineering

What do you like doing in your free time?

In my free time, I work to make money for college, I help on the CSO leadership council (helping plan and lead CSO events), and I enjoy learning about new innovations that have happened through STEM.

What are your career aspirations?

I would like to become a patent lawyer. This combines two of my favorite things: law and engineering.

What person or people inspire you and in what way?

I knew that I wanted to do something that combines two of my favorite things and something that I would enjoy. I was talking to one of my taekwondo coaches one day and he was talking about how he retired and what he did before he retired. He happened to be a patent lawyer.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you to everyone that has helped bring this program to the Great Lakes Bay Region and has supported this organization throughout the  five years I’ve been in this program.