In support of the 2022 International Women’s Day global collective against discrimination and gender bias, The Star, as chair of the World Editors Forum (Asia Chapter), and in collaboration with its regional media partners, will embark on a year-long initiative to highlight stories that celebrate and promote equality. Go to thestar.com.my for more #breakthebias stories.PETALING JAYA: A young Murut woman from the interiors of Sabah is out to change gender stereotypes and promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and inclusivity in her school and the wider community.
Global Student Prize 2022 finalist Alesyah Asa (pic), 20, now a construction technology student at Keningau Vocational College, Sabah, said coming from Nabawan and studying in a school far from the city has presented many challenges to embracing STEM.
“Keningau is far from the city and Sabah has been slightly behind other states in terms of socio-economic progress. We have limited access to resources and financial support but we managed to find ways to work our way around these constraints,” she said.
“I personally never see this as a barrier but rather an opportunity to be more creative and persistent,” said Alesyah.
STEM, she said, is essential to help students become more analytical and capable of putting scientific concepts into perspective and practice.
Alesyah is a student in a course usually dominated by men, which in itself presents its own set of gender stereotypes.
“When people think of construction experts, they always picture men and rarely women.
“So, I have been striving to change this perception so that more women can venture into the construction industry,” she added, and in pursuing her dreams she is helping other women along the way.
She has led a number of school initiatives in STEM-related activities, particularly focusing on vocational students and special needs learners.
She has represented her department in various vocational competitions and has mentored other female students.
Through her determination to break down barriers Alesyah has opened up a swathe of opportunities for students in areas that they previously have limited access to.
Because of her work, more female students represent the school in innovation contests and some of her school’s special needs learners have been nationally recognised as pioneers in using sign language to present their projects in national and international competitions.
In 2020, she led a team to winning an information literacy hackathon organised by Unesco.
She had also led a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) project known as the “Eureka Hub” which trained peers and teachers on robotics, drones, 3D printing and entrepreneurship to help them prepare for a rapidly evolving, tech-led world.
The initiative raised her peers’ interest and skill in using emerging technologies, inspiring them to be more creative and imaginative in leveraging these technologies in their respective vocational fields.
The project’s success was recognised by the US-based Awesome Foundation, becoming the first recipient of a US$1,000 STEAM grant.
The team later received a STEAM grant from the Awesome Foundation (Boston) for its technology-based workshop series.
For her efforts, she was named the sole Malaysian top 50 finalist of the prestigious Global Student Prize 2022 on Thursday.
If she wins the US$100,000 (RM445,450) award, Alesyah will use the prize money to invest in “Eureka Hub”, to improve school infrastructure and to tackle Covid-19 misinformation.
The student award is given annually to exceptional students who made a huge impact on their peers and the society.
The top 10 finalists of the Global Student Prize are expected to be announced in late August this year.
