In high school, Mia Oenoto wanted to become a lawyer. However, her parents wanted her to become an engineer or a doctor. She eventually got her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Liverpool. She also got her Master of Science in Environmental Technology from the Imperial College London. Mia is currently a Senior Associate at KPMG based in Jakarta, Indonesia, but her dream is to take more part in international environmental law.
While doing her studies, she was also very active in debate clubs. Originally born and raised in Jakarta, Mia found her master’s programme to be very diverse, with activities and assignments that really challenged her. “My programme itself has people from over 60 countries, and even diversity in age,” explained Mia. She had many group projects, so she learned how to work with different types of people right away.
In addition, studying in the United Kingdom involved researching and finding solutions for real issues, which equipped Mia with the skills needed for what she does now.
However, she did struggle with culture shock and impostor syndrome. She saw many amazing people in her programme and questioned her own skills. During her studies, she learned how to get over her fears and understand that she has great knowledge to share. “I know that I brought something here, I know my values. I also know that my experiences can inspire someone else,” said Mia. During her studies, she was even selected to give a speech in front of other international students about her journey. “I felt like I’m not alone in this, and everyone has their own journey, their own insecurities and thoughts. It was interesting to see that we are all still just a humanbeing.”
With Mia’s current work, she realised that she wants to go back to her roots and what she wanted to do since high school. “During my bachelor’s degree, I learned a lot about environmental law and with my master’s, I learned a lot about environmental policy,” she explained. “It's just that I'm passionate about defending something that's important. That kind of thing just appeals to me .” Not only getting into environmental law, but she also wanted to produce natural documentary about environmental issues to reach more audience in the future.
Her passion for the environment actually started since primary school. When she was in middle and high school, she was also responsible in reminding other students not to litter. “I kind of liked it, and people respected me and listened to me in school,” said Mia. She also makes sure that her consumption is always ethical and environmentally friendly. She explained: “For me, it is logical to protect my health, livelihood, and home. Environment is everywhere and everyone can be an environmentalist, everyone brings different perspectives. We need a lot of different perspectives.”
While working on her mission, here is Mia’s message to all women in STEM:
“Find your authentic self and own it. After you do these two things, you start questioning yourself less and be more confident.
