Women in STEAM (science, tech, engineering, arts, math and medicine) are rocking it in the world today, doing excellent but often under-promoted work. We want more people to know about these women and their work, including girls who might dream of careers in STEAM fields! We’ve partnered with 500 Women Scientists to feature women and gender diverse folks from their Gage search platform in a unique Lifeology card series, which we’ve now updated for July here!

Continue reading to learn more about this month’s featured woman!

An illustration of Dr. Ciara Sivels by Anna Doherty. It is a portrait surrounded by a microscope, books, scientific papers, a dog.

Dr Ciara Sivels is featured in our Gage Scientists Who Inspire deck. Working in nuclear engineering at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL), Ciara works on various projects using radiation detection and modeling. Her past research focused on nuclear explosion monitoring and treaty verification, resulting in 4 first authored publications and numerous research awards. Ciara obtained her PhD in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan in 2018, becoming the first black woman to do so at Michigan. She also holds a Master’s degree and Bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan and MIT. She is also a member of the Gage search platform

Ciara helped found the Women in NERS (Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences) group at the University of Michigan, a space for women in the department to share stories and discuss ideas.  She was named a “Millenial to Watch” by the US Office of Nuclear Energy in 2019 and was featured in the Not The Science Type documentary in 2021.  

This journey did not come easy. I was the only woman of color in nearly every class, and I am proud to be the first Black woman to obtain a PhD from the number one program in the country. I was a ‘first’, but I hope you join me in the field of engineering. Together we can solve problems and inspire the next generation. – Dr Ciara Sivels

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