For the past four months, I have been working in Albania as a Production Engineer learning about operations, well-servicing and production optimization. Given this highly technical role, I recognized the need for some ‘balancing’ experiences, while in Albania, and wondered how I could be of service to the local community. After some careful thought and reflection, I decided to create a unique opportunity that simultaneously allowed me to give back to the community while doing something that I love. This opportunity was a project consisting of two phases: impact and longevity – and was geared to the local youth. This project also served as a pilot for a much greater initiative that is still yet to come.

I can truly say that this past week was definitely one of the most memorable weeks of my life! I felt honored and privileged to have had the opportunity to run workshops at three local Albanian high schools on the topic of what it is like to pursue a STEM related career and how young women, in particular, should aspire for greater heights and career possibilities. 

In phase one, the impact portion of the project, I organized an engineering design activity where the students worked in teams to plan, develop, and implement a prototype within specific time and monetary constraints.