Denise Carlson Inspires Girls to Pursue STEM Education and Careers

Denise Carlson is DENSO’s vice president of North American Production Innovation Center Planning and Material Engineering. When Denise joined our team as a material engineer in 1995, she was one of only a few women in her field. While the number of women in technical professions has since grown, she understands that there’s still much to be done to attract young women to STEM education and careers.

“It’s imperative to recognize the opportunities we have to inspire young girls and women to thrive in fields so important to our future,” said Denise. “STEM skills are essential for the future of America’s workforce and a gateway to growth opportunities. For the good of our companies, industries and society, we must find better ways to get more children involved earlier.”

To help get these children introduced to STEM topics, particularly girls, Denise mentors a student team for FIRST Robotics, an organization that gives student’s hands-on technical experience in a competitive and fun way.

“We’ve seen our female student ratio grow from 2/11 to 11/36,” said Denise. “While many girls join to work on the business facet of the team, we encourage them to explore the mechanical, electrical and programming aspects as well. They never cease to amaze me with their energy and enthusiasm to learn.”