Meet Amy F. (she/her), a New Face of Tech winner who is studying environmental/earth science at University of California, Santa Cruz.

What is your dream?

My dream is to bridge the gap between academic research and the local communities it relates to. I am the first person in my family to pursue academia, training as a biogeochemist, and I come from a family of non-English speakers.

As I progressed further into research, I began to notice a growing disconnect between the work I was doing and my family’s ability to understand it. This gap made me realize how inaccessible scientific research can be, linguistically, culturally and socially.

I aspire to make science more inclusive and understandable, ensuring that research does not remain confined to academic spaces but is communicated in ways that empower and serve the communities it impacts.

Please share how you feel about the win and what impact it will have on your career.

“We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are put on the earth for.” — Dolores Huerta

What advice do you have for other women reaching for their dreams?

Don’t limit yourself. Being who you are is exactly why you are needed in this space. Don’t be afraid to take up space, even if you don’t share much in common with those around you. By being different, you create new perspectives, and that is how we inspire meaningful change.