Growing up in Syracuse, New York, St. Petersburg College’s Engineering Technology Program Director Lara Sharp came from a science-minded family. Her mother and grandmother were nurses, her father a science teacher and grandfather a math teacher. So when her seventh-grade math teacher invited her to take an exam that would allow her to take a higher-level math class, she didn’t even flinch.
“She gave us all a study packet. I brought it home, and every night after dinner for the entire school year, I would walk across the street to my grandparents’ house, where my grandfather would tutor me,” Sharp said. “It was hard, and sometimes there were tears, but he wouldn’t let me quit.”
The hard work at her grandparents’ kitchen table paid off when Sharp made a perfect score on the test. Years later, it’s still paying off, because on Sept. 13, Sharp was named one of the 2019 STEM Women of the Year from Girls Inc. of Pinellas.
Girls Inc. of Pinellas offers opportunities for girls to explore science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields through hands-on experiences and leadership roles, giving them room to take risks and make mistakes, free from distractions. Each year, the organization honors local people who encourage young women to enter careers in STEM.
“It is very humbling to get this award,” Sharp said. “Though I never thought of myself as a trailblazer or a woman engineer. Only an engineer. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
A Scientific Journey
Sharp, who earned an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Buffalo, said her interest in the field stemmed from one of her sci-fi heroes: the chief engineer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Scotty.
“The first time I ever thought about being an engineer was after seeing a Star Trek movie,” she said. “Everyone wants to be Kirk, but I wanted to be Scotty. It wasn’t Kirk saving the day. It was Scotty.”
Sharp went to work as a chemical engineer after earning her degree, and immediately began work on a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Massachusetts. Though she loved her engineering job, she wanted to teach like her father and grandfather, so she began teaching high school chemistry. Sharp’s career trajectory ultimately brought her to her current position at SPC four years ago.
“Education is where I belong,” she said. “I love it. Being able to do both engineering and teaching is very rewarding.”
Sharp, who just finished a second master’s degree from the University of South Florida three years ago, said that as a woman, she understands the challenges that young women entering STEM fields face.
“I was one of three girls in a class of 40, with no female instructors,” she said. “At times it was difficult. One professor actually told me it was a privilege for women to be able to go to college.”
The opposition only motivated her more.
“I may have had to work harder in undergrad than the boys,” Sharp said. “I probably did have something to prove, and I had to develop a shell. But I never had to compromise who I was. I didn’t have to stop being a woman.”
A Role Model
SPC Workforce Institute Program Director Susan Garrett nominated Sharp for the award, noting her creativity, innovation and inspiration in furthering SPC’s efforts to encourage women and young girls to enter STEM fields.
“Lara is a great role model of a STEM professional,” Garrett said. “Not only has she overcome some stereotypes of women in engineering, she has also worked hard to mentor and encourage other women to be bold and take the steps to the career paths they have both interest in and intelligence for. She is a great role model.”
SPC Lab Specialist Sara Warmouth earned her Associate of Arts degree in Engineering Technology under Sharp’s tutelage. She says Sharp inspired her and gave her space to develop confidence in her own abilities.
“She was always supportive as a teacher,” Warmouth said. “But her ideas never outweighed mine. It was always a collaborative effort. She wanted me to carve my own path and succeed.”
Sharp says that though great strides have been made in making education more equitable, there is still important work to be done.
“One stat that bothers me is the fact that more women are getting degrees, but the numbers aren’t changing in the workforce,” she said.
Sharp says she is humbled by the honor of the award.
“I’m very proud, and I like being recognized for my achievements, but I look forward to a time when there are no more “firsts” when it comes to women in STEM, and there is total equity in the educational and professional world, and people are recognized not as men or women who are leaders in their field, but as people being the best at what they do.”
