Women in STEM: Trish Damkroger’s Story

The Texas Standard caught up with a handful of women in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math during SC15 in Austin. We wanted to know about their jobs and their advice for the next generation of female STEM leaders.

By Laura Rice and Gretchen SandersDecember 1, 2015 2:33 pm, , , ,

Trish Damkroger is Principal Deputy Associate Director at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Damkroger grew up with two brothers and all three siblings had a choice: go to any state college they wanted and be any kind of engineer they wanted.

She says the biggest challenge for women in STEM is finding their community at work, but she’s working to find a way to help women balance work and family life. She’s says it’s definitely possible now with hard work and focus.

Damkroger says women make excellent leaders. Her advice to future STEM leaders? Be who you are, speak out, don’t be scared, sit at the table and, if you’re going to be a leader, you’ll shine.

Listen to Damkroger’s story in the player above.