Top 'Women In STEM' Share Insight With Girls In Whittier & Nearby

SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA — X-Bots Robotics Inc., an award-winning, community-based high school robotics team operating under FIRST® Robotics Competition, last week hosted a virtual “Women in STEM” career panel discussion featuring distinguished female scientists from PPG Industries Inc.

The career panel, held July 21 via Zoom, introduced sixth through 12th-grade girls in underprivileged communities surrounding Whittier, including Whittier Unified School District, East Whittier School District and the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier, to women role models in the field of science, technology, engineering and math, referred to as "STEM."

“Being able to bring quality female STEM role models to girls in our community during this time of isolation is extremely rewarding,” said Elisa Avila, X-Bots Robotics executive director. “It takes a village to raise a child, and we at X-Bots feel so blessed to have PPG female scientists join each and every one of our attendees to help inspire them and give them the confidence to reach their highest potential. Hearing their journey, struggles and success is very inspirational.”

The panelists included Barbara (Coruna) Flocchini, Se Ryeon Lee, Luciana Morone, Pansy Patel and Maria Wang, who are scientists from PPG, a global supplier of paints, coatings and specialty materials.

During the virtual discussion, panelists shared insight into their career paths and fields of
expertise in STEM with the student participants. Following the speaking portion of the panel, students had the opportunity to ask the scientists questions about the challenges they faced as a female in the scientific community and how they overcame those obstacles, as well as what inspired and interested them in STEM.

Panelists included:

Barbara (Coruna) Flocchini, in a role managing multiple accounts for aerospace transparencies, and also responsible for driving such commercial, technical and manufacturing activities as the launch of new programs for aircraft windshields.

Se Ryeon Lee, a research group leader for PPG Packaging Coatings and currently working on a new generation of BPA-free metal packaging coatings for food and beverage cans.

Luciana Morone, a PPG development chemist who troubleshoots daily customer issues and works closely with customers to develop new coating products.

Pansy Patel, a PPG computational chemist in the dye team of photochromics under Specialty Coatings and Materials Business unit.

Maria Wang, a technical manager for Architectural Coatings at PPG.

X-Bots Robotics Inc. teaches electronics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and teamwork through competition, and X-Bots will support the Whittier Unified School District's Science Cup this coming school year. Read more here on the organization.

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