MaxMine chats with Millie Russell, a graduate engineer, on International Day of Women in Science (STEM)
Where did your interest in maths/science come from?
I’ve always enjoyed trying to understand how things work and found that maths and science principles are so useful for explaining why things are the way they are. I also had some exceptional teachers at school, both early on and towards the pointy end of high school who always encouraged me to pursue my passions and aptitude for STEM.
What is your proudest achievement in your field so far?
It’s been a whirlwind 4 weeks of officially being “in this field” of data analytics (I started my Graduate Position in January 20230, so I can’t say much has been achieved (yet!). More generally, I’m proud to say I’ve always tackled problems (uni, previous work, etc.) with full determination and intent to do things to the best of my ability. I’m excited to see what I can do now that I am with MaxMine.
Do you think females should consider working in Stem/Science? (If yes, why?)
Yes of course! There are so many opportunities in engineering and tech at the moment. It’s great to have a balanced perspective in a team when solving problems, so having more female representation (and diversity in general) will only improve outcomes.
What is one piece of advice you would share with female students looking for a career in STEM?
Never be afraid to ask lots of questions. I think it’s easy for us to assume (females especially) that we should know something. We worry when we don’t. The reality is that a lot of times, everyone else is just as confused as you and they are grateful when you ask the question for them.
Did you have a role model growing up? (If yes, who?)
I think my dad was sort of a subconscious influence. He’s a farmer and farmers are excellent problem solvers. I really admired how he could think through diverse problems and come up with a bunch of ideas to fix the issue in a very short amount of time. I remember thinking “that’s a cool skill to have!”
Why did you join MaxMine?
I got a small taste of data analysis and optimisation during my final year of uni and thought that would be something interesting to pursue. I was super fortunate that it lined up with an opportunity at MaxMine!
What excited you about the opportunity to work at MaxMine?
For me it was about trying something new. I came from mechanical engineering and was keen to upskill in other areas whilst simultaneously working on the massive problem of how to make mining less wasteful and the journey towards net zero.
We are proud to have you onboard Millie!
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