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what it’s like to work for industry.” For women pursuing STEM degrees, such experience can be a me made me who I am.” game-changer, providing the expeMentorship gave Kitzmiller the rience and connections necessary to support she needed to nail her pre- flourish in their chosen career path. sentations — and excel at the Technion. Today, amid her master’s studies and designing software for rockets, she serves as a mentor for undergraduate students. “I tell students to find what they’re passionate about and give it everything you’ve got,” Kitzmiller Hila Rubinstein is working on her says. doctorate in chemistry at the Technion, The opportunity for formal and where she is developing air-quality testing technologies, among other informal mentorship and networkprojects. (Courtesy of Rubinstein) ing is one of the reasons Kitzmiller was drawn to the Technion. Kitzmiller received her first masRubenstein is also paying it forter’s degree from Washington Uni- ward as a teaching assistant in her versity in St. Louis. When thinking lab. about where to study for her second “I majored in chemistry because degree, she chose the Technion I loved my high school chemistry because of its deep ties with the teacher, but I wasn’t very good,” aerospace industry. she admits. “I had to work very “Industry advisers help with hard to get good grades. By the projects, and students work while time I graduated high school, I studying for their degrees,” she loved chemistry because I had to go recounts. “There’s a stronger con- so in depth to understand things. nection between students and indus“So I know how stressful it can try, which is really important and be. I’m really trying to help Techexciting. In undergraduate pro- nion students as much as I can grams, students don’t always know because you never know what’s
STICKY FLOOR Continued from Page 16
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going on in their lives.” DESPAIR Continued from Page 17 As Professor Ayelet Fishman, Dean of Students at the Technion It is this persistence that has and head of the Laboratory of made the Jewish contribution to the Molecular and Applied Biocatalysis world so significant, in fields from in the Faculty of Biotechnology and science and law to philosophy and Food Engineering, notes, the prob- social justice. Now, particularly lem is not so much a glass ceiling when times are tough, our role in for women in STEM, but what she helping improve society must not calls a “sticky floor.” be neglected. Whatever the circum“We can’t listen too much to stances, we can proudly uphold that sixth-year teachers like the one Hila tradition. Dr. Alan Kadish is the president had that tells her she’s not good enough,” she says before sharing of the Touro College and University some of her own doubts as she rose System. Dr. Michael Shmidman is through her career at the Technion. the dean of Touro’s Graduate Ignoring those doubts is key to School of Jewish Studies. The views and opinions expressed avoiding the “sticky floor” and purin this article are those of the author suing a successful career. and do not necessarily reflect the “I believe anytime you are given views of JTA or its parent company, an opportunity you have to take it,” 70 Faces Media. Fishman says. “Women can do anyThis story was sponsored by the thing — but we must be deter- Touro College and University Sysmined.” tem, which supports Jewish contiThis is a paid post. JTA’s edito- nuity and community while serving rial team had no role in its produc- a diverse population of over 19,000 tion. students across 30 schools. This Visit ats.org to learn more about article was produced by JTA’s the American Technion Society and native content team. how the Technion is powering IsraMore from Touro College and el and changing the world. University System
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