MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is delighted to announce a new collaboration with the American International School of Jeddah (AISJ), focused on working directly with STEM students to bolster their learning and provide firsthand insight into the motorsport industry.
To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, an online Q&A session was held with the team’s Engineering Department, featuring Laura Mueller (Simulation Performance Engineer), Monica Jalem (Simulation Software Engineer), and Anna Saad (Junior Aerodynamics Engineer). They met virtually this week with a group of female students aged 14-17 studying math, physics, robotics, computer science, environmental science, and material science.
Born in Germany, India, and Saudi Arabia respectively, Laura, Monica, and Anna each shared their journey into motorsport, from what subjects they studied, to work experience opportunities, and what their current roles within MoneyGram Haas F1 Team entail. The session acknowledged adversities faced as women in engineering and advice on how to ensure personal well-being is prioritized within a fast-paced working environment.
The partnership will take a holistic approach in identifying barriers to progression from education into the workplace, as well as target specific areas of the school syllabus where the team can add awareness, mentorship, and industry-based case studies to students looking at a career in STEM subjects.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team first partnered with the AISJ during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Engineers Gary Gannon and Trevor Green-Smith visited the school and met with students from various courses to educate on the importance and multitude of roles STEM subjects cover, as well as the importance of sustainability within motorsport.
“There simply aren’t enough women in engineering, for numerous reasons, but we believe the team can support best by working directly with the next generation of engineers during their education,” stated Guenther Steiner, Team Principal of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. “The feedback I received from the team after their visit to the campus in March was their surprise at how knowledgeable the students were, and especially the curiosity from female students about how they too could have a career in motorsport – that was the catalyst in making this partnership happen. The work we’ll do with the American International School of Jeddah aims to have a lasting impact on students and really open their eyes about what’s possible for them.”
“I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh specifically, so I know the environment well,” shared Anna Saad, Junior Aerodynamics Engineer at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. “On a day like International Women in Engineering Day – where we celebrate those in the industry and encourage more to look into the field – seeing is believing a lot of the time. It was great to meet with the students and tell them firsthand my story of how I got into my role and impart some advice on their studies and future, something that wasn’t possible when I was studying. I think it’s great that the team’s getting involved as we have a platform and need to use it for good.”
“We are humbled to continue and build our relationship with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,” stated Rick Vanden Boom, High School Principal at the American International School of Jeddah. “We’re encouraging more young women to take STEM classes and today’s webinar was a great example for our young women at AISJ.”
To watch the session in full, please visit: https://youtu.be/SI-CsKRsj2A
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