In this episode of the Women in STEM Podcast, Kelly Shungu sits down with Sonya Lloyd, professional motorcycle racer, biological engineer, and Technical Marketing LDP at Siemens Digital Industries, for a conversation that will completely rewire how you think about what a STEM career can look like.

Sonya doesn't fit neatly into any one box. She graduated with a degree in Biological Engineering from the University of Georgia in 2024, competed in the 2025 FIM Women's World Circuit Racing Championship, and is now preparing for the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship on the Factory Suzuki team, all while working full-time in tech. Her story isn't just inspiring. It's proof that passion, data, and sheer determination don't belong in separate lanes.

In this episode, we get into:

✨ How a Biological Engineering degree shows up on the racetrack from data and telemetry to race strategy

✨ What it's really like navigating two male-dominated worlds: STEM and professional motorsport

✨ Sonya's journey from university to Siemens Digital Industries and why the path was anything but linear

✨ What the FIM Women's World Circuit Racing Championship means for the future of women in motorsport

✨ How Sonya manages a full-time tech career alongside international racing

✨ The unexpected ways tech and racing feed directly into each other

✨ What she'd say to any young woman sitting at the crossroads between passion and practicality

Whether you're a STEM student wondering if your interests are too scattered, a woman navigating a male-dominated industry, or simply someone who needs reminding that there are no rules on what your career can look like, Sonya's story will push you to go faster.

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Podcast hosted & edited by Kelly Shungu

Podcast edited by Erza Bajskolli