Since her elementary school days, Anike Akinfolarin has harbored a deep-seated passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Throughout her time at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, Maryland, she eagerly immersed herself in various school clubs and internship opportunities, nurturing her love for science and research.
After a mobile STEM lab visit to her high school, she learned about Learning Undefeated’s Emerging Leaders in Biotechnology course and was accepted into the 2023 class. “My favorite part about the program was being able to conduct experiments independently and reflect upon my results with a scientific perspective,” Akinfolarin said. “One skill that I learned that I will carry on throughout my career is the polymerase chain reaction. This is a process of amplifying segments of DNA, it can also be used to detect mutations within a certain organism.”
During the program, Akinfolarin met fellow peers and mentors who have played a significant role in her career trajectory. One formidable moment for her was when Senior Program Manager Benedetta Naglieri, Ph.D. played a video about CRISPR, a genome editing technique that was invented by two female scientists. “It really inspired me to create STEM Sisters and served as a guide for me,” Akinfolarin said. “If these women can create something so spectacular, especially in genetic engineering, so can we.”
A few short months later, Akinfolarian and fellow Emerging Leaders peer Mariatu Bundu co-founded STEM Sisters, a group that inspires young girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. “The experience we had throughout the Emerging Leaders program inspired us to create an environment where girls can pursue STEM and build upon their STEM interests, partially in high school,” she said. This endeavor continues to open new doors for the duo, including an invitation from the Maryland STEM Festival to participate in The Navy League’s Sea Air Space STEM Expo. Akinfolarin also attended Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab’s Girl Power event where she demonstrated our staple Micropipette Challenge.
In between applying for college and preparing for high school graduation, Anike served as Maryland’s representative for the STEM Next Opportunity Fund’s Million Girls Moonshot. This initiative is powered by a “flight crew” that consists of 51 representatives from each state and the District of Columbia. Together, they hope to inspire and support students like Akinfolarin who are pursuing their passion for STEM field.
Akinfolarin will be attending Drexel University in the fall, where she will be majoring in biomedical engineering. As she closes this formative chapter in her education, she offers advice for young girls, “try going in new environments and places you’re unfamiliar with. Eventually, when you go through that process you will develop new skills and new interests. Join programs within your community because there might be people who can help you and mentor you through challenges that you may face.”
Akinfolarin stands as an exemplary graduate of Learning Undefeated’s Emerging Leaders in STEM program, proudly taking her place among a network of over 300 exceptional young women. Dive deeper into the program’s impact by visiting: https://www.learningundefeated.org/emerging-leaders-in-biotechnology/
