Kesha Williams wears many hats. She is the the inventor of SAM, a predictive policing machine learning algorithm inspired by Minority Report that predicts the likelihood of crime, and Live Plan Eat, an Amazon Alexa skill that takes the stress out of meal planning. Kesha has spoken about SAM on stages across the world and her Live Plan Eat skill has won awards in competitions hosted by Amazon and Devpost. If that's not enough, Kesha is the chapter director for Technovation Georgia, a mentor with the New York Academy of Sciences, winner of a coveted spot in TED's Spotlight Presentation Academy, an United Nations volunteer, a Google Women Techmaker, and an Anita Borg Institute Syster.

Shaesta Waiz flew around the world solo in a Beechcraft Bonanza A36 aircraft in 2017, becoming the youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe in a single-engine aircraft. The purpose of the global flight was to inspire the next generation of STEM and aviation professionals, particularly girls. Shaesta flew over 24,000 nautical miles on her 145-day journey, visiting 22 countries and inspiring over 3,000 children and young adults along the way. Shaesta is the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan and the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft.

Being a STEM Gem doesn’t come easy. Grit, perseverance and a can-do attitude are a few of the characteristics needed to make an impact. Today, we introduce a STEM Gem who used her knowledge in Internet marketing and technology to take a leap and pursue the career she always wanted. Sukhinder Singh Cassidy is the founder of JOYUS, a shopping + video + social site where customers purchase products (clothing, cosmetics, accessories, etc.) via a “buy” button embedded in a video and share it on social media platforms. Read more about how this STEM Gem broke the mold for other female entrepreneurs.

With each passing day, we learn about new STEM Gems making history in the world of STEM. Today, we introduce a STEM Gem who is a pioneer for STEM learning and a leader in the technology world. Robin Bienfait is Executive Vice President & Chief Enterprise Innovation Officer at Samsung Electronics. Read more about how her extensive background in technology makes her one of the most recognized women in the field today.

We’re excited to shine a spotlight on STEM Gems who are breaking down barriers and playing their part in eliminating the gender gap that exists in STEM today. Forty-four extraordinary women are highlighted in the STEM Gems book, but that doesn’t come close to the number of STEM Gem role models out in the world. Today’s spotlight shines on Felecia Hatcher, Founder of Black Tech Week and Co-founder of Code Fever. Read more about how she has dedicated her life to turning kids and young adults from undeserved communities into tech entrepreneurs by exposing them to opportunities in technology.

This month we are highlighting both beauty and brains in Hollywood actress, Hedy Lamarr. Read more about how she helped to design a patent that would change the world of secure military communications and mobile phone technology.