Interview - Tanya Paes

Welcome back everyone, quite a long time no see! Sorry if we have been a bit slower than usual, we are all juggling online schooling as well as our STEM commitments! Today we have had the honour of interviewing Tanya, who can be found @PaesTanya on Twitter. Thank you for taking part, Tanya!

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Cellfie: What is your job?

Tanya: I recently completed my PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge. My PhD project

examined whether when young children engage in pretend play, it allows for the development of their self-regulation and language skills.

Cellfie: That is so fascinating and what an incredible achievement! We really admire you!

When did you first realize you wanted to do STEM?

Tanya: Maths and science were my favourite subjects at school. I was not sure of my career path, but I knew very early on that I wanted to do STEM.

Cellfie: We love STEM subjects! Also, it is incredibly important to go off of passion for a subject, rather than just picking a career and forcing yourself to like it!

Who were your role models growing up?

Tanya: My parents and I am indebted to them! They fostered my love for maths and science by giving me books that would make me think and capture my attention for hours on end. They still remain my role models and biggest supporters to this day.

Cellfie: They sounds amazing. It's so lovely to hear you have a good support network and your parents are encouraging you.

Did you ever want to do anything else?

Tanya: It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to do STEM but was not

sure what particular career I should pursue. I did my undergrad in health sciences and in my

third year, I took a Child Development Inquiry course. That was a game changer for me as I

loved learning about the development of children’s cognitive skills and the role of culture and the home learning environment on children’s learning outcomes. This led me to pursue my Masters in Child Development and Education and I quickly realized that I enjoyed doing

research. I had found my niche that involved exploring the development of children’s language and executive function skills. My career path thus far has not necessarily been linear, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey and wouldn’t change a thing!

Cellfie: The most important thing is that you are finding it interesting and enjoying what you are doing! Your path is so inspiring, these are some areas we had not thought of but now definitely want to look into!

Have you ever had any setbacks or been told you are a girl so

cannot do STEM?

Tanya: The first time I heard the phrase ‘a girl cannot do STEM’, I was in Year 9 and I truly didn’t

understand what it meant. My parents and mentors have always told me that with hard work

and determination, I could achieve whatever I wanted! I have also found organisations such as Code First Girls (@CodeFirstGirls) and communities such as Women in Cognitive Science

(@WiCS) and R-Ladies Global (@RLadiesGlobal) extremely helpful in championing the visibility of women in tech.

Cellfie: We definitely agree with you there! There are some fabulous organisations which are actively improving diversity in STEM and showing girls that they can succeed in STEM careers.

What’s one thing you’d like to change about the STEM

community?

Tanya: I am an avid supporter of open science which is the movement to make scientific research

accessible to all. There are still a lot of ways to go but I have enjoyed seeing researchers sharing their data and publications. This in turn increases the transparency of scientific research which is a win for all!

Cellfie: Totally! This is such a vital movement.

Is there a problem with sexism in the STEM community?

Tanya: We have a long way to go in achieving gender parity in the STEM community. That being said, there are people, men and women alike, that are advocating for equality in STEM. I have found that it is increasingly important to surround myself with people that are supportive of my interests in STEM and to continue to work towards my goals. Besides, it feels really good to break the baseless stereotype of women in tech!

Cellfie: It's amazing how the movement has grown and although we have a long way to go, we are definitely heading in the right direction.

What’s your message for young girls wanting to do STEM?

Tanya: Go for it! There are numerous supporters, both in-person and online communities, that are

cheering you on!!!

Cellfie: This is exactly what we think!

What is your favourite science joke?

Tanya: I can’t resist a pun! This is my favourite science joke:

Does anyone have any jokes about Sodium? Na.

Cellfie: That is utterly hilarious! One of the best we've heard so far! :)

What is your most embarrassing moment in your life?

Tanya: I am easily embarrassed so this is a common occurrence! It usually ends with me turning bright red and scurrying away.

Cellfie: One of our founders is ginger and can definitely relate to going red so easily!

What is your favourite food?

Tanya: Sushi, no contest!

Cellfie: Ooo yum!

What is your favourite shop?

Tanya: I don’t necessarily have a favourite shop, but I enjoy baking and am always on the lookout for

baking supplies and accessories.

Cellfie: Baking is such a relaxing hobby, with many perks such as yummy food!

Thank you so much to Tanya for taking part in an interview with us and we loved reading your comments! Make sure to check out our Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @cellfiemagazine as we have a lot of cool stuff coming up soon! If you search up @quaranteen on Instagram and go to their website (attached), you will see their summer classes. The Cellfie team ran a class and the video and activity booklet is attached on the "past events" section. Make sure to check it out with your daughters, grand-daughters, nieces, sisters, friends and students!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaesTanya