Women's History Month special: STEM advice from a FOX Weather meteorologist
NEW YORK - In honor of Women’s History Month, LiveNOW from FOX is honoring females who work in STEM – the field of science, technology, engineering and math.
Jane Minar, a meteorologist at FOX Weather, is one of these women.
"Only 30% of the workforce in STEM are women, and so to be able to continue to break through that and bring more diversity is great," Minar told LiveNOW on Sunday.
Minar, who was raised in New Jersey, said she grew up watching females on newscasts who inspired and continue to inspire her.
Fox Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar discusses what being a woman in STEM means to her.
"I grew up watching the best in the business: Janice Huff, Kathy Orr, Janice Dean," Minar shared, adding, "I’m just really lucky to be surrounded by such an incredible network of women that work hard every day and are successful and are, of course, caring and loving and willing to share their stories."
Minar received her degree in meteorology from Rutgers University. She joined FOX Weather in 2021 and currently serves as a meteorologist and co-anchor for the service’s overnight and early morning shows.
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She said the secret to getting into the field of broadcast meteorology is to maintain perspective, work hard, and most importantly, be yourself.
"You know you deserve every opportunity just as much as the rest of the women like you and your male counterparts," she added.
Prior to joining FOX Weather, Minar worked at FOX-affiliated station WFXG in Augusta, Georgia, where she was the lead meteorologist for the station. While in Georgia, she covered tornado outbreaks in the region during Easter of 2020 and the Masters Tournament.
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"I think that this is such a wonderful month to celebrate," Minar continued. "There are so many incredible women around the world, across the U.S., who are working every single day to break through their barriers, to have a stronger voice in the workplace and in their industry that they're trying to build a career in."
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has called STEM careers "tomorrow's jobs," emphasizing the importance of these unique industries.
In 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration invested $4.5 million into STEM workforce training efforts across the country. Many schools also offer incentives to students studying STEM through scholarships and partnerships with cities and states.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.