A computer science student from the University of Staffordshire has been recognised with a national award for her work supporting diversity in science and technology.
Aurelia Brzezowska was named Young STEAM Personality of the Year at this year’s Inspirational Youth Awards.
The awards highlight the achievements of young people aged 16 to 25 who are making a difference in their communities, with Aurelia’s category recognising individuals who have made notable contributions in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).
Aurelia began mentoring pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds while still at school, encouraging more girls to pursue STEAM subjects. She received an Amazon Future Engineer bursary to support her BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree and has continued this work throughout her studies.
The 21-year-old said: “Honestly, I think I’m still in a bit of denial. This year, the awards went national, so to be recognised on such a large scale for my volunteering and academic work to support students is incredibly meaningful.
“The ceremony was amazing, and seeing so many inspirational young people around us was empowering. When my name was called out, my heart dropped and I was prouder than ever to represent the university.”
At the University of Staffordshire, she co-founded the Women in STEM Society, led the Computing Society and organised career events linking students with employers. As a department representative, she has worked on improving learning experiences, diversity and employability, including changes to key modules and driving a 30 per cent increase in student engagement.
She is a youth advisory member for the UK Cyber Security Council and has spoken at events such as Women in TEC and Bright Network’s Illuminate as a STEM computing ambassador. She also runs cybersecurity Q&A sessions in state schools through Byte Queens.
Aurelia said: “As the child of a single parent and immigrant who grew up in the UK, I’ve seen firsthand the lack of opportunities that children and students have coming from state schools.
“Championing STEAM needs to start early and continue as we age to ensure that no one feels left out. We need to keep bridging the gender gap to ensure that voices are heard and no one is left behind. Let’s continue making STEAM more accessible to everyone; after all there’s an entire talent pool out there that is yet to invent, contribute and further tech.
“This award truly means the world to me. But this is just the beginning. I’m more motivated than ever to keep championing girls in tech and supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.”
