In celebration of International Women’s Day, ELEGOO, a trailblazer in the 3D printing industry, has initiated a project dedicated to inspiring and empowering women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This long-term endeavor is designed to highlight their stories and encourage a greater number of women to participate in these fields.
Annika Mordelt, a PhD researcher in neuroscience and immunology, is one of the women featured in the project. Specializing in stem cell disease modeling, Annika innovated a strategy for co-maturing immune cells and neurons from stem cells last year, enabling developmental interaction studies.
Throughout her research, Annika Mordelt has found 3D printing technology to be an invaluable tool. “In the field of stem cell research, scientists are engineering and 3D-printing with biomaterials to create platforms for the cells to grow in,” she said. “By adjusting parameters, we can create different platforms to study cell growth, proliferation rates, and general function in different environments. That can be customizable with the 3D printing.”
“Especially for students, during lectures or presentations, it’s nice to let people see the actual models we are doing. Not merely as 2D representations on a screen, but in their full 3D splendor, brought to life by 3D printers,” Annika explained.
Annika also discussed her journey’s challenges. She once equated scientific prowess with being less “girly”. However, her growth in the scientific world led to a realization: her off-work interests don’t define her research quality. Ultimately, it’s the research quality that matters, she doesn’t need to be less “girly” to excel as a scientist.
Moreover, Annika encourages other women in scientific research to be bold and try new things. “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can do or what you cannot do,” she said. For women who underestimate themselves and stick to mastered areas, Annika said, “you can learn and grow into things. Trust yourself more and dive into the things that you always wanted to know more about it.”
Rebecca Ngau, branding director of ELEGOO, said, “as a 3D printing leader, we’ll continue to highlight the achievements of women in the field. Our goal is to promote gender equality and diversity, inspiring more women to delve into STEM and the exciting realm of 3D printing.”
For more information, please visit http://www.elegoo.com/.
