We spoke to Dr. Anna Powers about women in STEM and Powers Education

NYU alumna and professor Dr. Anna Powers is not only a pioneer in her field but also an entrepreneur who aims to offer support and guidance for every young woman in STEM, so that she is confident that she can be great at science, believes in herself and will be rewarded for her achievement.

When were you first exposed to science?

I come from a family of scientists. My grandmother was a professor of chemistry, my uncles…everybody in my extended family are all educated in physics or mathematics, although they don’t do it as a profession. So I’ve always been around science – it is something I felt very comfortable with, and it is something that I understood, I wasn’t afraid of it.

Were you interested in science since day one? And is it primarily because of your family or did something else sparked your interest in the subject matter?

I came to NYU with a goal of pursuing medical school. Because my mother is a doctor, she wanted me to go to that route. I was always really good at science, good at the technical part, and I could just do it very easily. But I wasn’t really passionate about medicine. And I didn’t really know what opportunities there were in science and I thought, “what would you do with a chemistry degree?” I mean I knew that people would say “you are smart” but I didn’t really know what job that would lead to.

Have you encountered any difficulties learning the STEM courses here?

I definitely had challenges because I felt like people were better than me, I felt like I couldn’t know everything and I was intimidated. It is also very intimidating sometimes when you are the only person in a room full of people that are drastically different from you. Really, I remember in one of my physics classes, there were 27 guys, and just me… I did not have a lot of female role models, no one who was similar to me. (Laugh) I mean a lot of my friends are guys, I don’t mind at all, it is just when you are in that environment, you are the only person in that environment, and you start to question yourself “do I belong here?”

How did you overcome, or cope, with this?

I was lucky enough to have a lot of mentors in my life. The professors I worked with to complete my PhD, they have been my greatest supporters; they really believed in me. But I also had a lot of mentors who were my peers. So I learned the best from people around me, because when you learn from people who have gone through the same path, it makes it so much easier and relatable. They don’t only understand the academics but also what you are struggling with. And having those relationships really helps you overcome that. I didn’t care that I was different, in a way liked it because it is rewarding to go off the beaten path, but of course that was always in the back of my mind WHAT AM I DOING?!

Tell us a bit about your time as a professor at NYU.

I love being at NYU because I think both NYU and I have grown and changed together over the years. It really is a beautiful thing: NYU is global now and very diverse. And what I enjoy doing the most is teaching students who are non-science majors, and showing them the beauty of science. Because for a lot of students, science has a bad image, and by understanding that, and by relating to students, I am able to break that image and show students what “the beauty of science” really means.

What inspired you and resulted in the creation of Powers Education?

There are two things that I love, one is science, of course, and the second is helping people succeed. When I was teaching as a graduate student, I had a lot of students who felt very comfortable with me, and a lot of students would come ask me for help, so I started mentoring and tutoring students—most of them were females. And I understood how my journey was very similar to theirs. By starting Powers Education, now that I’ve gone through my journey in the sciences, I want to bring my talent and my skills to help a group of people that very underrepresented for completely wrong reasons, and a group that has so many opportunities and potentials to be a part of the fastest growing field: science and technology.

Encouragement is very important. Academics is in some way like playing a sport, you don’t just know the techniques, the skills, but you also have to be mentally strong to overcome whatever challenges you may need to face.

What is the main goal that Powers Education is trying to achieve in your own words? 

The main goal for Powers Education is to allow people to see the world as limitless, to not let boundaries be discouraging, but actually learn from challenges, and use that experience in all areas of your life, so that you can become who you want to be, whether it is a top-tier scientist/tech or whatever you desire.

Where do you see Powers Education, and yourself, in five years?

Right now the organization has just launched in New York, but I see it as a global organization. Because I think the idea behind Powers Education transcends geography, and really even transcends time and history. We encounter women underrepresented in science and technology, as well as other fields, across all areas of the globe; so I want to be a role model, to inspire young women world-wide to pursue their dreams in science and in life.

Success really comes down to making an impact. Success for me is not a number: number of students, number of countries Powers Education reached…but when people come to me with a problem, and through working together, we not only solve the problem, but also give them confidence, and let them see the beauty of science, and the beauty of their potentials.

What is your favorite thing working with Powers Education?

I love people. I love encouraging people. And I love showing them science is life-changing, is beautiful. I want to change the stereotypical image of science, and show them the opportunities behind it. When I say science, I don’t just mean chemistry, biology and physics. I really mean EVERYTHING, because everything is science—tech is science, biotechnology is science, mathematics… Today the world is driven by technology and innovation which is spearheaded by advances in science.

I know Powers Education has just taken off, but what is the biggest risk it faces so far? And how do you plan to cope with it? 

Well when you do something, start something, for the first time, there is always a risk, because it is an unknown trajectory that you are walking on. No one has walked on it, you’ve never walked on it. Mathematically that is a very interesting problem, actually. But the best way to cope with that, I think, is to believe what you are doing has an impact, has a meaning and also to let the right support to come in, help elevate Powers Education to a different level.

Some of the men I have spoken to think we are overly dramatic about how women are underrepresented in sciences. How do you envision Powers Education in terms of its relationship with men?

I think it’s extremely important for men to be involved in Powers Education. As a matter of fact, I would welcome all men to be a part of this. It is very important because not only do women constitute half of our society and we should include them to be a part of science and technology, but women are also counterparts to men in all walks of life. They are mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives. So having an organization that directly impacts women, it indirectly impacts men, and the relationships with men — it makes our society as whole better. I would love it if guys were with us to cheerlead us on.

How is Powers Education attractive in comparison to the competition? What’s your point of differentiation?

There are many things that are attractive. Number one is that this company was started by a scientist—I have a PhD in science; I understand physics, I understand math, I understand computer science, and I have a teaching experience, breadth and depth, so I understand what students struggle with. My technique, which is the Powers Method, is really built on making science accessible to students—that’s one key differentiator. Second differentiator is that we make an impact for people; it is created by a woman, for other women. As a female you instantly relate to Powers Education and join a network of young women with whom you can form a strong relationship with. Teaching isn’t just eternalizing concepts, but it is also just feeling comfortable, curious and understanding the bigger question, like why is it important to learn? 

You mentioned the Powers Method, could you explain that a bit more?

So the Powers Method shows the relationship between abstract formulas and it breaks them down in a way that removes memorization but allows the students to see those formulas as Lego building blocks, and in this way science becomes creative — and beautiful.  So it is based on understanding and building your knowledge. And then seeing how that knowledge can be applied to the real world.

Moving on to something a little lighter, where are you from? What do you love? Why are you here?

(Laughs) I am from a lot of places, my family moved around a lot. But my high school years were spent in New York. Because I have moved so many times before coming to New York, I never wanted to leave here. And I came to NYU and fell in love with NYU. What do I love… I love anyone who is equally as curious as I am: I am interested in all sorts of things, new things. I am actually very interested in Chinese language and Chinese culture, besides science!

What’s your favorite Chinese food?

Sichuan. I love spicy food haha.

Perfect. Last question, are you hiring?

Yes, we are hiring very talented young women, who are passionate about science, you know, computer science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, who are stars in their disciplines and who are also passionate about mentoring others. And yes, you can send your resume to [email protected]