The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, held on February 11th, has passed...
But our support to women doesn’t stop!
The #MESA4STEM campaign is an initiative created by the MESA Group - MESA, PROCOMP, OVERNET and MEVB - with the aim of overturning stereotypes and propose expert role models in the field.
Today, it is Silvia Montante, our Junior Analys, to take the floor!
Silvia Montante, Junior Analyst: "We must start from our mindset, without being intimidated by the rules of the outside world, preserve our personality and see it as an added value"
Born in 1997, Silvia Montante graduated in Management Engineering at LIUC University with a thesis on "Descriptive data analytics: application of data visualization tools in a production company context".
During her Master, she started an internship in the Delivery area of MESA and now she is ready to "spread her wings". In fact, Silvia has been selected for a 4-month internship in Ireland within the European project STAR.
- Why did you choose a career in STEM?
- When I was a little girl, I didn’t know what to do and my ideas about it weren’t clear. My decision to start STEM studies was taken for different reason: my parent’s help, the university open day but far and foremost my desire to be able to give my contribution to a company.
This still drives me today: I want to get experience enough to hold responsible position in the future.
- When I was a little girl, I didn’t know what to do and my ideas about it weren’t clear. My decision to start STEM studies was taken for different reason: my parent’s help, the university open day but far and foremost my desire to be able to give my contribution to a company.
- Let’s talk about your internship in MESA. Did you find any similarities between what you have studied in university and business world?
- At first, I had difficulty in connect university world and real word: the first one is so logical and straightforward, unlike the second one. Even now, I still have some discomfort in talking with experienced people because I feel like I haven’t enough experience or skills.
The best way to avoid this is by having a logical thinking, in order to balance the lack of experience. Especially in the last period of time, with this solution, I found a connection between the skills gained in college and the business world. I participated in descriptive data analytics work - more focused on the industrial aspect studied in college.
- At first, I had difficulty in connect university world and real word: the first one is so logical and straightforward, unlike the second one. Even now, I still have some discomfort in talking with experienced people because I feel like I haven’t enough experience or skills.
- For MESA projects, you have used PowerBI to implement descriptive data analytics and knowledge of budgeting process. In your experience, how can you encourage younger girls who want to start a STEM career?
- Lately, we talk a lot about gender gap in workplace. In the corporate field, I didn't feel as much of these stereotypes and differences as I did in college. For example, my male colleagues were more swaggering and confident, while female colleagues had a more cautious demeanor, even in simple occasion like for an exam.
My advice: start from your own mindset and logical thinking; don’t be intimidated by the rules of the outside world. We must preserve our personality: it’s an added value to get the results we want.
- Lately, we talk a lot about gender gap in workplace. In the corporate field, I didn't feel as much of these stereotypes and differences as I did in college. For example, my male colleagues were more swaggering and confident, while female colleagues had a more cautious demeanor, even in simple occasion like for an exam.
- Your working path is coming to an end in Italy and you’re ready to start a new adventure in Ireland: which MESA values will you bring with you?
- I worked mainly with Maurizio Dardi, Alberto Forni and Denise Seghizzi: with them I learned what team working means, with all its advantages and benefits. The non-stop exchange of ideas and explanations made me grow professionally. Both in times of need and in less critical times, the presence of the team has always been strong.
In addition, I knew I wasn't just a number in a company: MESA was able to give the right value to my work, with the opportunity to follow projects from beginning to end.
- I worked mainly with Maurizio Dardi, Alberto Forni and Denise Seghizzi: with them I learned what team working means, with all its advantages and benefits. The non-stop exchange of ideas and explanations made me grow professionally. Both in times of need and in less critical times, the presence of the team has always been strong.
- Do you have any advice for MESA and other companies on how to be more attractive to girls with STEM degrees?
- In my experience, I would suggest to create teams with a good mix of skills and personalities: as I said before, the presence of several attitudes and behaviors should be considered as a plus. In this way, people will not be marginalized, but they will see themselves valued for their difference, in a heterogeneous group.
- MESA4STEM, Romina Fiorenza professor of JAVA: no more gender stereotypes, women are definitely capable of excelling in science
- MESA4STEM, the value of being women and an Oracle trainer: Paola Sonetto
- MESA4STEM: an interview with Cristina Fallarini, OverNet trainer in software engineering
- MESA4STEM, women and girls in STEM: the value of ours Junior Analysts