Class of 2015 Ravens Use STEM Backgrounds in Innovative Ways

Brandes: Robotics is really cool — you get to use software and code to make things happen in the physical world around you! I’ve loved being able to map my thought processes into code. For example, working at Tesla, I wrote the decision-making code for the lane changes made by the Full Self Driving software. I was able to think about when I personally like to make a lane change ahead of a semi truck or how early before an upcoming turn or exit, and then convert that into software that I can then experience and ride in autonomously!

I think the most defining experience along my career was my work with MIT Driverless, which was a school team that competed in a driverless race car competition in Europe. The team was composed of some of the brightest people I’ve ever worked with, and we were able to move incredibly fast. We were the first year this team existed at MIT, so we built everything from scratch. I worked and developed much of the motion planning and controls stack for the self-driving car, and this went on to work extremely well in competition: the car completed 10 laps around an unknown, unmapped racetrack. This type of engineering work and the environment around it are what I’ve strived to replicate in my career, first at Tesla and now at our own company as well. And it really reaffirmed that I wanted to be in robotics specifically and directly use my software knowledge to make hardware do things it previously could not have done.

Schiemann: While I was studying chemical engineering at NC State I wasn’t sure which industry I could see myself working in until one friend recommended that I take the intro course in food science as an elective during my sophomore year. After that semester, I was confident that I wanted to work as an engineer in the food industry. This interest led me to move to Switzerland, a country I had never visited, to pursue a master’s degree in food science, a subject I didn’t even know existed while in high school, and I’ve loved it ever since. I really enjoy the fact that as a food engineer you can actually use your five senses to test your work and that it nonetheless applies all of the same problem-solving skills that all engineers utilize.

Morin: My journey into sustainability consulting was a natural evolution of my scientific background and interest in technology. I studied biology at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where I focused on conservation and ecology, developing a strong foundation in environmental science. I wrote my dissertation about the potential impacts of climate change on the nest-building behavior of the Eurasian Blue Tit. After I graduated, I worked as a field biologist with the Nature Conservancy on Block Island.

My data science background gave me a perfect springboard to work in ESG [Environmental, Social and Governance]. When the opportunity arose to work on News Corp’s CDP disclosure process, I saw it as a chance to apply my analytical skills and environmental knowledge at a larger scale. My experience with data analysis and AI allowed me to bring a fresh perspective to traditional sustainability reporting.

Brandes: I grew up loving STEM because both of my parents are technical — my mom is a pediatrician, and my dad is a physicist. They really instilled a love for science in me that was then fostered and built up at Ravenscroft. I grew up watching Boston Dynamics robot videos on YouTube and always dreamed of working there but did not have a lot of exposure to computer science until college.

My career goals have changed throughout the years but have primarily stayed within STEM. I’ve wanted to be an astronaut, a math teacher and a surgical doctor. I went into college intending to be pre-med and study biological engineering, and I had actually never written any code. However, after a year of research working on a synthetic biology solution to detect endometriosis, I realized I was too impatient to wait for biological experiment results. Computer science, on the other hand, has nearly instantaneous responses (at least when you write efficient code), and I loved the ability to use software to manipulate large amounts of data to help you understand the world better. Robotics has been the perfect application of computer science because you get the physical world experiments of biology with faster responses of software.

Schiemann: As a kid I had no idea that jobs in the food industry were a thing, to be honest. I suppose I never asked myself how all of the foods at the grocery store were made until I was older. Up until high school I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but during my freshman biology class I started having a gut feeling that medicine was not for me, and I think it was the right decision. If I had to draw a connection between medicine and engineering, it would be that both involve complex problem solving with an affinity for the sciences. I’m glad I chose a profession with less blood in it, though (haha).

Morin: As a kindergartener, the closest thing I could have imagined to Generative AI would have been Harry Potter using Tom Riddle’s diary in “The Chamber of Secrets.” Looking back, my childhood fascination with science and nature laid the groundwork for my current work. While I might not be directly studying ecosystems anymore, I’m still working to protect them — just through the lens of corporate sustainability and technology. It’s amazing how childhood interests in understanding natural systems can evolve into a career focused on measuring and improving environmental impact.

Brandes: Ravenscroft has been invaluable in setting my career up for success, and it’s really nice to reflect on what all directly has impacted where I am today. I will highlight three things:

1. The teachers at Ravenscroft care so deeply about every student and are so willing to help you grow. I have always loved math, and the math teachers at Ravenscroft were able to show me so many different aspects of the field while also building a strong and capable framework that made my continued math education very easy to build off of. I still keep in touch with a couple of teachers and am always excited to hear how the years are progressing or the courses are changing.
2. The clubs are incredible! I participated in and eventually led the Science Club, and I have so many fond memories developing crazy solutions for Rube Goldberg machines that competed in the Science Olympiad! The club fostered so much creativity amongst its team members and had a wonderful community around it. I really enjoyed being able to apply things I learned in different classes in a competitive way.
3. The college counseling and guidance at Ravenscroft was super helpful, and I ultimately got into my dream/reach school of MIT. I am really glad Ravenscroft puts such an emphasis on this [process] and has resources that help you write the application essays and prepare for the SAT. Additionally, the plethora of AP classes was very helpful, and the credits were sufficient to even allow me to skip a couple of required intro classes at MIT!

Schiemann: When I look back at what I benefited the most from my time at Ravenscroft, I would say it has to be the experience and how much practice we got in writing and critical thinking. Having written so many essays in high school was very valuable not just in college but also in the workforce. It didn’t feel like it at the time, but being able to articulate well your thoughts and to write a well-structured essay or report is an incredibly useful skill in every industry and one that, in my experience, not everybody has. I think it’s wonderful that Ravenscroft places great emphasis on this.

Morin: Ravenscroft equipped me with three core strengths that shape my career today. The rigorous science programs, especially AP Environmental Science with Mrs. Lieberman and AP Biology with Mrs. Walsh, built the analytical foundation I use daily in AI and data work. Their emphasis on data interpretation and scientific methodology directly influences how I structure AI solutions and analyze environmental metrics. Leadership opportunities through Key Club and athletics developed my community-focused mindset, while involvement in fine arts nurtured the creativity I now apply to problem solving. This combination of analytical thinking, leadership skills and creative approach continues to guide my work at the intersection of technology and sustainability.