In 1996, the assignment for computer science students at Harvard University’s computer lab wasn’t to watch graphic pornography or play violent video games, but that’s what many of

’s male peers were doing.

As one of the only women studying the course in college, Lanzot said she struggled to complete her work in an environment that felt ‘unwelcoming’.

Despite the discouragement, she persisted, determined to carve out a place for herself in computer science.

Now, as a computer science teacher at Palo Alto High School, Lanzot — along with other female STEM educators — is working to create the supportive spaces she once lacked, inspiring the next generation to do the same.

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, several female STEM teachers at Palo Alto High School shared their personal journeys with Veritas—from overcoming obstacles to thriving in their fields—in hopes of inspiring the next generation of female scientists, mathematicians, coders and more.

Algebra 1 and Analysis teacher Sarah Gilmore said that it took a while for her to really understand what made math so fulfilling.

“I had a love of numbers, not necessarily of math,” Gilmore said. “Math was a love-hate relationship with me. I excelled in it in high school, but I never really understood why it was so cool. As a freshman in college, I retook calculus again and it was so beautiful the way things worked out that I decided to major in it myself. I wanted to help students that were like me who knew that they were good at something but didn’t understand why it was cool.”

On the other hand, physics and AP Physics teacher, Sefika Eris, said that physics has always been something that has interested her.

She’s excited that her past students have decided to pursue science too.

“Physics is the most exciting of all sciences to me,” Eris said. “I see it as a mental stimulant. I’ve had female students reach out to me and say that they chose physics as their major, and now they are starting their masters and doctorates. I feel very proud about it.”

According to Computer Science teacher Lanzot, she loved computers from an early age but experienced discouragement as one of the only females among her peers as an undergraduate in college.

“My first year of college, the internet was still relatively new and I had to go to the computer lab to do computer science assignments,” Lanzot said. “I often found myself not being able to go to the computer lab until it was pretty late at night having other jobs during the day. Many times I was the only female in the computer lab and many of the other students in the room were either using the computers in the lab to play hyper-violent video games or to openly watch graphic pornography. That discouraged me from studying it further in college. The environment felt hostile, terrible and unsafe.”

Lanzot’s experience did not fully dissuade her from pursuing the field of study that interested her as she found better environments to learn and work.

Lanzot said, speaking from experience, that she would advise female students interested in computer science to find the best environment for them, even if it requires extra exploration.

“It’s really important to seek out those communities because it is so important that we start to see the demographics of the world reflected in the demographics of the creators of these technologies,” Lanzot said.
“Women do need to be at the table creating, having a voice. Don’t let it discourage you, find spaces that feel welcoming and feel supportive.”

Gilmore said that her methodology for encouraging her students changes depending on the student and the situation.

She gets to know each student individually and decides how best to help them from there.

“It really just depends on what works best for their [students’] brain waves,” Gilmore said. “I sit them down and see where they’re getting stuck and encourage them to back it up a little bit. I give them a different type of problem that kind of hits the same level of being stuck but doesn’t look as difficult, and just kind of work with them step by step until they get to the end of wherever they’re stuck,”

According to Gilmore, she applies her encouragement strategies even now to current students.

“[For a student] it wasn’t necessarily that the math was the thing that didn’t click, it was the confidence,” Gilmore said. “I’ve been working with her [the student] to remind her that a grade is not everything. It’s really ju

st how you feel as you get to the end of this problem and what math makes sense to you.”

Gilmore said that if she has one piece of advice for aspiring female mathematicians, it’s to avoid comparison.

“Always stop comparing yourself to others,” Gilmore said. “You are just as capable, if not more capable than your counterparts, and you should have fun with it. Just enjoy it.”