Each month, the Reinvented team votes on a Member of the Month based on factors including dedication to the team, team spirit, and contributions to Reinvented. We are beyond proud to call Ria one of our volunteers and are thrilled to recognize her as our June Member of the Month!
Ria Vora | Co-Chief Marketing Officer
College: Cornell University | Computer Science
How did you get involved in STEM?
As a child, I always loved lego blocks and puzzles. Instead of playing with dolls or watching television, I’d want to go outside and try to make structures out of sticks and leaves. When I was in elementary school, my dad bought me a Snap Circuits kit. Almost Instantly, I was fascinated. Building connections with the blocks to light up a mini lamp or turn on a small fan was so captivating to me. In Middle school, I started exploring coding through Khan Academy. I remember building a simple website about puppies with HTML. As time went on my passion for technology and STEM evolved and I decided to apply and attend an engineering-focused magnet school for my high school education. During my freshman year, we had to take an exploratory engineering class. As part of the Electrical and Computer engineering portion, we were challenged with a bunch of projects such as coding mini-games and building circuits to light up 7-segment displays spelling out a word. From then on, I knew that I was interested in STEM, and especially the computer science aspect of it. I'd go home and build apps after I completed my homework.
Why did you join Reinvented Magazine?
I joined Reinvented because the mission of empowering womxn resonates with me. The summer before my senior year of high school, I interned at a local company. I remember being one of the only females on the engineering floor. Most of the females worked in the fashion side of the company instead. I remember coming to work every day and wondering if I belonged and if STEM was right for me. I knew that building and creating was my passion but I wanted to have some female role models in the workplace to look up to as well. A few weeks later, I was scrolling through Facebook and I saw a post about Reinvented. I instantly knew that I wanted to apply. Reinvented helped me find a community of inspiring and motivating women. Their mission of showing other girls out there that STEM can be for them too and highlighting stories of female role models is something that I want to continue to be a part of!
Who is your favorite female STEM role model?
My favorite STEM role model is my former physics teacher. She made learning so much fun with the labs that we did in class and always brought a smile to my face with her humor. She taught me skills that I have used in other subjects other than physics such as how to approach a problem methodically and how to manage time effectively.
Do you have any hobbies outside of Reinvented?
Anything adventurous (rollercoasters, ziplining, river rafting), running, and binge-watching shows on Netflix
What is your favorite quote?
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow." - Mary Anne Radmacher