How Computing Ambassadors can act as role models to your students: Elpida’s story

Have you ever wondered how a single piece of advice or a role model can shape someone's entire career? Our author, Elpida, who currently holds the position of Postdoctoral Researcher in Epidemiology at the University of Leicester, highlights the transformative power of mentorship and role models in STEM, and discusses the impact of her work as a Computing Ambassador in inspiring and educating students and teachers.

Words by Dr Elpida Vounzoulaki

The importance of mentorship and role models in STEM

"Be who you needed when you were younger’’ is something that resonates deeply with me. I am really grateful for everything I have achieved in my career to this day; however, I could never see myself doing this job back when I was in school, and I was definitely not aware of the variety of opportunities available.

I believe in mentorship and role models and their role in shaping the future generation working in STEM-related fields. By sharing our stories of both success and failure, and discussing the importance of hard work and perseverance, we can inspire the next generation, particularly those underrepresented in STEM, and promote inclusivity.

I have had the privilege to give talks and run activities in several schools across the UK, with the help of technology! What fuels my passion to volunteer with Computing Ambassadors is how many students become interested in the prospect of doing medical research and pursuing a career in health data science, when they discover how numbers and data can help us understand a disease and that is what Epidemiologists, Statisticians and Data Scientists do as part of their job.

Inspiring students through technology and engagement

I absolutely love to discuss about my career journey when I lead activities with Computing Ambassadors. I learned programming a bit later in life, during my MSc, having previously obtained a clinical degree and worked in the hospital, which completely transformed my career journey and led to where I am today, working as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the field of Epidemiology, which is a job that involves a lot of coding. This is always received with enthusiasm by the students as they realise you can develop skills as you move through different stages of your career and discover new passions!

Benefits of Computing Ambassadors for teachers and students

The active involvement of Computing Ambassadors in classrooms has loads of benefits for teachers.

By collaborating with Computing Ambassadors teachers can develop engaging curriculum activities which equip the students with skills that can be applied in the real world. Also, by working closely with Computing Ambassadors, teachers can learn about new tools and techniques that they can use as part of their teaching.

Computing Ambassadors can promote dynamic learning by engaging with students in the classroom. People volunteering for Computing Ambassadors have expert knowledge and skills in their area and can demonstrate how different skills can be applied in a real-world context, by discussing what they do as part of their jobs and in which areas you can work with similar degrees. Computing Ambassadors can also act as mentors and role models for the students, discussing their career paths and how they overcame problems and difficulties.

To find out more about the Computing Ambassador programme, and how you can host an ambassador in your school, visit our page.