Clay County native inspiring other girls to join STEM programs

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Later this month, Kaitlyn Ludlam will host ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.’ She hopes it will inspire other girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

The virtual conference will be held on February 27 from 1-5 p.m. on Zoom.

Ludlam, a freshman in college, said her passion for robotics and aerospace started when she was younger. That’s why she wants to try and bring other girls like her into the program.

“I went to the Kennedy Space Center and I kind of went to this day camp but I was looking around and I looked at the different astronauts and the launch stimulations and I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to be an astronaut no question,’” said Ludlam.

She is even taking her dream outside the classroom. She created and runs the AstroBot STEM non-profit that provides a variety of different resources, including scholarships and role models in the field.

Ludlam said she wants to build a community for girls going into those careers.

“A lot of times growing up, I did math teams and robotics teams and almost all the time I was one of a few or the only girl in the room and it was kind of intimidating and I wanted to have that sort of support because I almost quit a couple of times but found mentors and role models and it helped me push through it.”

Again, the virtual meet-up will be held on February 27 from 1-5 p.m. on Zoom.

Thanks to a special sponsorship, it will be free for the first 30 girls in Clay County and the first 20 girls in Putnam County. Otherwise, registration will cost $30, but includes a t-shirt and an activity kit.

The meeting will include three speakers working in one of the STEM fields to share their experiences and give advice to young girls hoping to follow in their footsteps.