North (@ohdeeritsnorth)
Former job as a wildlife educator
Computer science major
Being LGBT in STEM
“Hi there! My name is North. I’m a Filipino-American college student from Northern California and my pronouns are he/they. I’m a former wildlife educator and sled dog specialist. Currently, I’m going to school for Computer Science. In my free time, I enjoy longboarding, editing videos, and playing video games. I’m a bisexual furry and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. Welcome to my interview!”
What is your job?
For the past two years, I’ve been a wildlife educator at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Northern California. Colloquially referred to as “Explorer Guides,” my team and I taught park guests about our animals and our wildlife conservation practices.
When did you first realize you wanted to do STEM?
It wasn’t until recently that I realized I wanted to do STEM! I took my first computer science class just two years ago in high school. I always wanted to be a programmer, but I never had the motivation to try to code. I figured that, by taking a class, I would finally be pushed to start coding. Long story short, I enjoyed the class and decided that computer science is something that I’d like to do for the rest of my life.
As for wildlife education, that was simply a part-time job during high school. Programming is cool, but I absolutely love wildlife as well. I’ve had a strong connection with animals for as long as I can remember, and the job just kinda came naturally. Working alongside wild animals was so humbling and so relaxing. Sure, I may not be pursuing wildlife education as a long-term career choice, but the experience will certainly stick with me forever.
Who were your role models growing up?
The MythBusters! I’d watch their show everyday after school. They showed young North that STEM can be educational and entertaining at the same time. The MythBuster who inspired me the most was the late Grant Imahara. His robotics expertise blew my mind, as he was seemingly able to construct a robot out of anything. I definitely attribute a lot of my love of technology and engineering to them.
Did you ever want to do anything else?
Yep. I originally wanted to be a pilot. I eventually realized that an itinerant lifestyle just wasn’t for me, so I decided to stick with CS.
Have you ever had any major setbacks?
The beginning of high school was definitely a setback for me personally. At first, it was hard to make friends and even harder to socialize. The culture shock of moving from middle school to high school was a bit much for me. I eventually got over this slump and began mingling with people a bit more. By the end of my high school career, I was the leader of a handful of on-campus organizations and an active participant in my school’s community.
What’s one thing you’d like to change about the STEM community?
If I could change one thing about the STEM community, I would make it so that tech companies are more open and vocal about current events. If you’ve been living under a rock lately, the United States has been battling a massive pandemic and working to reform the corrupt nationwide police force, all during a major presidential election year. Large companies (and tech companies in particular) really don’t like addressing such issues. At most, the head of the company will put out a brief statement saying how they “stand in solidarity with [insert movement here]” and that they donated an infinitesimal fraction of their multi-million-dollar salary to the cause. In other words, they want to keep it short and sweet so that both the general public and their shareholders are happy.
That doesn’t cut it. If a company really supports a certain movement, I would want them to be public about it. Openly support the movement across all platforms. Actively work to solve the issue by way of community outreach. Prioritize ethics over economics.
Is there a problem with sexism in the STEM community?
Yes. While there definitely has been progress over the years to promote women working in STEM, sexism is still prevalent in the STEM community. In particular, women are severely underrepresented in the male-dominated fields of engineering and computer science. The STEM community needs to work towards not just gender equality but gender equity, and this all starts with education. Organizations such Girls Who Code, Black Girls Code (BGC), and Native Girls Code (NGC) are helping push for gender equity by helping young women learn how to code, preparing them for a future in the engineering/CS workforce.
What’s your message for young teens wanting to do STEM?
Go for it! Find your motivation. You don’t necessarily have to go out to a science museum or a zoo. Go about your day as normal but take note of what everyday things captivate you. Believe it or not, STEM can be found in everything!
What is your favorite science joke?
How do astronomers organize a party?
They planet.
What is your most embarrassing moment in your life?
I would have to say my most embarrassing moment went down in fifth grade. I was part of my school’s basketball team and we had a game that night. My parents had bought a pair of tearaway pants for me to wear before my games, so I was excited to show them off to my friends. Tearaway pants, for those who aren’t familiar, work exactly as their name implies. The pants are held together by a line of snap buttons on either side. When the time comes to “tear-away” the pants to reveal the shorts underneath, you can just yank them off with one fluid motion. Long story short, I decided to demonstrate to my friends how the pants work. I pulled the pants off a little too hard, causing my basketball shorts to go along with them. Standing there in my underwear frantically scrambling to put on my shorts was definitely embarrassing, but I’m glad my friends got a kick out of it.
What is your favorite food?
Tuna sashimi.
What can be done to make STEM more diverse?
Fund organizations that help promote STEM education/careers for underrepresented demographics and integrate a STEM curriculum that also teaches about the LGBTQ+ community.
Has being in the LGBT+ community impacted your career in STEM?
Yep. A lot of my friends that are also in the LGBTQ+ community have careers in STEM, with the overwhelming majority being some kind of engineer or programmer. They were part of the reason why I wanted to go into STEM.
North: “I hope you enjoyed my interview and found it somewhat insightful! If you’re interested in hearing me tell more stories, check out my YouTube channel, “Oh Deer, It’s North!” BLACK LIVES MATTER! TRANS RIGHTS!”
A huge thank you to North for joining us today! Be sure to subscribe to receive more STEM-related and science communication content coming to your inbox.
Hazal Kara
Sci4Teens