Theo Nguyen is a high school student from Georgia with a passion for math, engineering, and robotics. Theo's journey into STEM began with hands-on activities like Tinker crates, which ignited his love for math and its real-world applications. He has since become an integral member of his school's robotics team, where he enjoys collaborating with his peers to learn new skills. Theo is also a part of his school’s mechanical engineering team, which actively engages in community outreach through STEM activities, like teaching students.
During the Summit STEM Fellowship, Theo found inspiration in mentors, motivating him to embrace challenges and pursue his own initiatives, including launching "The Young Leaders of Tomorrow" podcast. Recently, Theo has been channeling his creativity into creating cosplays after being inspired to combine his creativity with STEM through design, engineering, and programming. He is also venturing into filmmaking, creating a unique series featuring clay characters that tackle relatable challenges for teens. Read on to learn more about Theo, his journey in STEM, and his exciting future aspirations!
Meet Theo!
How did you initially become interested in STEM?
My interest in STEM started with my mom, who works in the field and wanted to show me how interesting it is. She would buy me Tinker crates that provided a new STEM activity each month. That was just the start. Somewhere in fifth grade, I realized I was really good at math. I understood concepts faster and could already think of how to apply them to my life. Math is amazing for how it functions in society and how it makes up our world. Every time I find an example of math in my everyday life, I just love it more! I've been able to tutor my peers because of this knowledge, and I'm glad to be of help.
What academic subjects or fields of STEM are you most interested in?
Science, technology, engineering, and math are all very important, but if I had to choose, I'm most interested in engineering and math. Math has always been a passion of mine, and engineering is something I'm starting to incorporate into my cosplays. I joined the engineering team for my robotics club because I want to understand how robots work, including the coding and electrical components that make them move. Being part of the robotics team has been amazing; it’s inspiring to see everyone work together to create these robots, and it has only fueled my curiosity. I'm also on the mechanical engineering team, and the community is really great. We interact with our city through outreach by attending parades, teaching kids, and giving Girl Scouts STEM badges.
Fellowship Experience
What was your favorite part about the Summit STEM Fellowship?
I really enjoyed all of it, but I especially loved the Fireside Chats. They awakened something in me. When you think about entering a STEM field, you often focus on needing to be smart and knowledgeable in science, technology, engineering, and math. However, you also need initiative and drive to succeed in a challenging field.
Those Fireside Chats helped me become a better person and motivated me to try harder for myself. The stories resonated with me, and the speakers became role models. I realized that I can’t achieve anything if I don’t want or believe I can. Before, I would sometimes shut down opportunities, thinking I wasn’t good enough for them. But with this new mindset, I’ve started to embrace challenges, like robotics.
Was there a specific fireside chat or speaker that stood out to you?
My favorite speaker was Isabella Delbakhsh. Since she was the first speaker, I didn’t know what to expect. Hearing how this accomplished woman started at the same age as me and got to where she is now taught me so much more than any math or STEM class could have. The way she told her story drew me in, and it even led me to start my own initiative, a podcast like what Isabella does, with one of my peers from the fellowship, Julia. We were really lucky to interview her for our first episode, and we’re fortunate to have her as our mentor.
What specific skills or takeaways did you learn from the fellowship?
The most important takeaway for me has been networking. I didn’t realize how crucial it is to know people because networking at the fellowship has significantly advanced my goals. I couldn’t have started The Young Leaders of Tomorrow podcast without it. I also learned that it’s better to just get started with things. The difference between a project and an idea is actually doing it. This realization has made me a lot more productive. It’s also made me a lot happier. I’ve learned to say yes to opportunities, even if they aren’t the biggest. It’s really opened up my world.
What advice would you give to future Summit STEM Fellows?
My advice is to attend and participate in everything and apply it to your life. The fellowship taught me that each lesson is truly important and beneficial. Also, reach out to the mentors! They’re here to help and can do more than you think. Be proactive in utilizing the resources you have.
Future Aspirations
What are some goals you have over the next five to ten years?
In the next five to ten years, I want to have graduated from high school and participated in robotics throughout my high school years. I also want to get into a good college and see my efforts pay off. I hope to make friends with similar interests and work on my film series and other projects, aiming to be more professional with my filmmaking. Lastly, I want to grow mentally. Before the fellowship, I thought I was the best I could be, but I want to keep finding new ways to improve. Career-wise, I’m interested in mechanical engineering and/or filmmaking.
How has the fellowship influenced your career aspirations?
The fellowship has made me much more passionate about engineering. My family is glad I decided to pursue STEM, but my mom would prefer that I focus on coding since she's a coder. However, seeing someone like Yatin Chandar, who is a mechanical engineer, really helped me feel more confident about my career aspirations. The mentorship I received showed me how to get started in the field, which encouraged me to apply and join my robotics team.
Are there any projects you’re currently working on?
I’ve been working on a film series. I enjoy tackling big problems relevant to teens, but I also wanted to create something enjoyable. I created two simple characters, a frog and a hedgehog, sculpted from clay. I plan to film them in various locations to convey a story without words, focusing on how they navigate different challenges. I hope to release a couple of episodes in October and will share them on the Young Leaders of Tomorrow Instagram!
