HerStory - Meet Celeste Mueller a Chemistry Major Now A Google Cloud Project Manager

Let’s meet Celeste Mueller.

Hi, my name is Celeste Mueller and I have a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and am currently getting a Masters in Engineering Management. I served for six years in the U.S. Navy where I was trained in Nuclear Engineering and worked as a manager/operator in charge of a Nuclear Powered Steam Plant. I am now transitioning into the tech field and recently accepted a new position as a Google Cloud Project Manager.

Q: Who or what inspired you to pursue a STEM-related degree?

I grew up really loving school, particularly math and science courses. I went to a really small school in a rural town in Minnesota and I wasn’t really exposed to many adults in the STEM fields, nor did my school have a ton of options when it came to STEM courses. I think in hindsight this was a good thing for me, because I didn’t really realize that the STEM fields were historically male dominated and therefore thought nothing of my interest in them! I have always really enjoyed the challenge that this field offers, and for me these subjects have always “clicked” and just held my interest more than other subjects. 

Q: What are key pieces of advice would you give other women seeking to enter this specific field?

My biggest piece of advice would be to just go for it! I think it is very important to focus on subjects that really draw you in and that you can enjoy learning about (not to say that learning is always fun or easy!), whether this be a STEM field or not. There may be times where you doubt yourself, or someone else doubts you, but just keep focused on doing your best and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish! 

Q: How have you navigated a traditionally male-dominated field?

I have been in male-dominated fields in both my engineering education and in the military, and it certainly does pose some challenges at times. There are many times where I have felt “imposter syndrome,” times where my accomplishments have been downplayed because I am a female, and times where I faced ridicule and just plain rude behavior from my male counterparts. I think what helped me most is that I tried to focus on doing my best at work or in school, and to let any of that negativity fuel me to do better and work harder. It is also very important to recognize that everyone feels some sort of imposter syndrome, and that most people who are negative towards you are likely just insecure or unhappy in their own life and want to bring you down too. The key is to not let them! 

Q: Rachel Simmons, author of “The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls With Courage and Confidence,” explains that when girls focus on winning approval, they shy away from risks. “If you’re a quintessential good girl, you experience failing as letting someone down. Instead of saying, ‘I missed that goal in the soccer game,’ it’s that everyone will hate me.” She urges parents to emphasize performance rather than relationships and to help girls avoid ruminating, which amplifies the impact of the setback. Girls also may be more likely to attribute failure to lack of ability, while research shows that boys tend to blame external factors, such as not studying. Simmons notes that parents can counteract this mind-set by focusing more on progress than results. Do you agree or disagree with the above research that we need to help girls focus on progress and less on relationships?  Why or Why not?  

I agree that helping young girls to focus on progress might help change their mindsets on risk and failure, which I think is an important thing to helping women continue to strive for bigger and better things.