The Women in STEM Luncheon is a one-hour lunch designed to empower FIRST Robotics Competition high school students to network and build community as they explore exciting opportunities in STEM careers. This year we are excited to present a distinguished panel of women representing a diverse set of STEM fields. Drawing from their wealth of experiences in education and their respective careers, our panelists will share invaluable insights. This event is FREE to all students who register and lunch will be provided.
Our luncheon will be held in a smaller room than in past years, so all interested attendees must register ahead of time. In the event that more students sign up then we have space to host, students will be invited to attend in the order they signed up. You can register at the link below.
When: Friday, March 27th
Time: 12pm to 1pm
Location: Forest View Educational Center Room C102 (signs will indicate the way to the luncheon from the pits)
Alex Adams is a Mechanical Drivetrain Engineer at Invenergy, North America’s largest privately held developer, owner, and operator of power infrastructure. As part of Invenergy’s Renewable Operations team, Alex is responsible for improving wind turbine performance and identifying potential failure points. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Throughout high school, she was a member of FIRST Team 3504, Girls of Steel Robotics.
Hi, I'm Dani! I began biological research as an undergraduate at West Chester University, studying dolphin and whale swimming with the goal of bioinspired design - hoping to develop more efficient underwater autonomous vehicles. Through this work, I became interested in evolution and how mammals that live in the ocean adapt to such a difficult environment. I went to Clemson University to pursue a PhD in organismal biology and graduated in June 2025. My dissertation focused on modeling the evolution of the whale skull bones and their material properties through deep time. I am now a postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum of Natural History, continuing to study extremes in bone biology through CT scans - this time investigating what happens when mammal bones get really tiny! Do tiny mammal bones act differently than those of more typically sized mammals? We'll find out!
Be persistent! You will encounter those that don't see the value of your ideas...don't let that discourage you. Keep at it.
I graduated from Arizona State University in 2024 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Design Studies. I previously interned at John Zink as an Applications Engineer and at ME Engineering as an HVAC Design Engineer. I began my full-time career at Molex in July 2024 as an Associate Sales Engineer, an early career development program. I then joined the John Deere sales account in May 2025 as inside sales support and transitioned to outside sales in January.
Build your network and find a mentor!
Hi, I’m Laura Leishman! In high school, I loved math and science, which led me to study Math, Chemistry, and Physics at Simpson College in Iowa. During college, I took my first coding class and discovered both a love of programming and research, so I went on to pursue a PhD in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Notre Dame. While in grad school, I realized I wanted to explore careers beyond academia and discovered data science—a field that combines programming, problem-solving, and scientific thinking. Now, about eight years later, I’m at my second company since grad school and still love using the skills I built in STEM to solve real-world problems.
Stay curious, stay kind, and don’t be afraid to change direction if you discover something new you love.
I graduated from Monmouth College with my undergrad in biology and environmental science. The small class size led to many hand-on experiences that encouraged me to pursue a career with the Kendall County Forest Preserve District. As I grew at the District, I moved into different roles. This led me to completing my Master’s in Public Administration through Aurora University. My current role with the District is as Executive Director. In my role, I am able to support departments of the District and work in various roles, but my favorite job duty has always been prescription burning.
Lead with kindness, and you will be welcomed wherever you’re trying to go. We’re all human and trying to figure life out, so lead with the kindness you would want others to give you.
I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Since then, I’ve held several R&D engineering roles focused on developing and characterizing both polymers and metals.
I’m currently a Materials and Process Engineer at Molex, where I apply materials expertise to optimize new designs, guide material selection, and support material specifications and standards to ensure products meet performance and reliability requirements. Additionally, I’m involved in bringing new products into production by investigating failures and supporting process improvements.
Outside of my day-to-day technical work, I’m active in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). I co-lead the Molex SWE committee, helping women in STEM connect, access resources, and feel empowered to grow their careers.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable! When we put ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we build confidence, strength and realize our potential.