Larisa Bowen-Dodoo is an engineering graduate from the University of Ghana. She is currently a Teaching Assistant at its Biomedical Engineering Department. She is also a mentor for Tech Needs Girls Ghana; a Ghanaian-based organization for young girls who want to grow in the world of technology.
Larisa is a Student Network Coordinator for the Ghana Biomedical Convention; an active NGO in Ghana in close partnership with the Ghana Biomedical Research Network (GBRN) in North America. The NGO is committed to advancing bio-medicine and promoting health in Ghana, the West Africa sub-region, and the continent at large.
Her work:
In 2010, she worked as an engineering intern with Mediwise international company limited.
Between 2012 and 2015, she worked as a Lab intern, a Teaching & research assistant and a Chiropractic examiner with Columbia University, University of Ghana and Chiropractic & wellness centre respectively.
From 2015-2016, she was a product development analyst with Servled Africa.
Servled Africa is a company whose vision is to become the primary hub for growing sustainable African businesses that are socially responsible, operate with integrity and above reproach.
Across the many Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, a lack of female representation has been noted around the world. Being one of four women in a male-dominated engineering class at the University of Ghana, Larisa Bowen-Dodoo was inspired to create a platform for African women to have a voice. This inspiration lead to the establishment of Levers in Heels (http://leversinheels.com/), which means “Women, Means of Accomplishment,” on 15th January of 2014.
Originally starting out as a blog for Ghanaian women in STEM during Bowen-Dodoo’s time at her national service, it has now been expanded into a website along with a periodic newsletter and later launching the first annual conference. The blog that ran for two years was a space for young women in Ghana and across of Africa to learn of the different women who are present in the various STEM fields. Having inspiration and role models to look up to was and is seen as a way to contribute to the girls and women striving to succeed in STEM. Levers in Heels has interviewed women with all STEM backgrounds. From the ever-confident and Ghanaian renowned Software Engineer Farida Bedwei to Ghana’s first Amphibian Biologist Sandra Owusu-Gyamfi. Women were able to learn of their journeys, what it took to reach their goals and what lies ahead for them in the future. The diversity in the fields and the backgrounds of the women display Bowen-Dodoo’s understanding in the importance of representation in the many fields as just one story may keep the light of inspiration in a budding STEM student going.
Why TechHer loves Her:
Larisa looks forward to a career which links biotechnology to design and to positively impact human lives in huge ways. She would also like to create more platforms to encourage young women to utilize Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to aid in African development and solve social issues. This is the vision behind TechHer; we can't help but love her.
