Setting Expectations for IPC APEX EXPO's Women in Electronics Reception

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Emily Calandrelli, IPC APEX EXPO’s opening keynote speaker and featured speaker of our Women in Electronics Reception, is an MIT-engineer turned Emmy-nominated science TV host. She’s the host and co-executive producer of “Emily’s Wonder Lab” on Netflix, she's featured as a correspondent on Netflix’s “Bill Nye Saves the World” and an executive producer and host of FOX's “Xploration Outer Space.” 

Emily's educational background is in engineering and policy. At West Virginia University she received bachelor’s in mechanical and aerospace engineering. While at WVU she was awarded the Goldwater scholarship for research and Truman scholarship for policy work.  She received her master’s from MIT in aeronautics and astronautics as well as technology and policy.

Emily was invited to deliver the keynote for IPC’s Women in Electronics Reception at IPC APEX EXPO as her mission and goals align with IPC’s dedication to support of Women in STEM. Although just like IPC, there are many other groups supporting women once they enter such field, how are we encouraging younger females to join a field commonly dominated by men?  

In an interview with Jasper Venture Beyond, Emily addresses the issue head on and shares her personal thoughts on why encouraging more women to go into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is so important.

This issue is important to Emily because she is a woman in STEM and could be considered a minority. There are many factors that make this so, and she’s interested in identifying those factors and changing the barrier into STEM for the next generation.

Emily explains we need to normalize the idea of women in STEM through books, TV, movies, and in the media. We need to have just as many STEM toys advertised to girls as we do for boys (or more that are simply gender neutral). We need for people to acknowledge the bias they have in hiring and promoting. There’s a lot of work to be done, but it’s currently underway and she’s hopeful that meaningful change is coming.

Emily is addressing this issue through her own efforts by authoring the picture book, “Reach for the Stars”; the science experiment book, “Stay Curious and Keep Exploring”; and the science chapter book series, the “Ada Lace Adventures.” The third book in the series was launched to the International Space Station through the Story Time from Space program.

Her website has an entire page of resources available for young girls who are interested in STEM which include: YouTube channels, television shows, books, Twitter, and Instagram influencers and even toys.  

The Women in Electronics Reception at IPC APEX EXPO is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24. We certainly hope you join us to hear Emily’s insights on how we can play a more active role in introducing the young females in our lives to the unique opportunities that are available to them for a career in STEM.

This article appeared in the December 2022 issue of SMT007 Magazine. For more information about IPC APEX EXPO 2023, check out the rest of the December issue of SMT007 Magazine.