Why are there so few women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)? Does it matter? If so, what can be done about it? This talk is about personal observations from the speaker’s career, advice she would give to her younger self, and suggestions for creating group cultures that encourage critical thinking, lifelong learning, and leverage diversity of thought and skills. Many people avoid STEM careers because they have too narrow a view of what a STEM career is like, or what types of skills are needed for success.