Alis Bouma, 21, from Waikato, has been recognised in YWCA's Y25 list this year.
Alis Bouma, 21, from Waikato, has been recognised in YWCA's Y25 list this year.
“I don’t want to be living in a world where I’m driving all the time.”
These are the words from Alis Bouma, a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) star when Waikato Herald asked her what ignites her passion for reducing car dependency through urban design.
It was this passion that also got the 21-year-old from Ōhaupō recognised in YWCA’s Y25 list this year as one of 25 women under 25 making a positive difference in New Zealand.
Not only is Bouma a big fan of urban design, but she is eager to tackle the climate crisis by finding alternatives to capitalism, and is deeply curious about the world.
As a young kid, Bouma always wanted to push herself to learn new things. That’s when she discovered YouTube and her love for urban design.
“I found it incredibly fascinating for most of my life, I found some urban design channels and not just bikes, and they show the different styles of urban design in the world,” she said.
Alis Bouma mountain biking with her family and fellow Y25 2023 winner and sister, Pieta Bouma (left).
“You look around New Zealand and to me, it’s a style we need to change for both reducing cars and our carbon emissions. It’s an intersectional field and affects all aspects of everyone’s life in a city.
“I don’t want to be living in a world where I’m driving to work for the rest of my life. I would love to walk past my neighbours or stop at a cafe on the side of the street, rather than sit in traffic for hours every day.”
Bouma said she’s always wanted to be involved in STEM and played with Lego bits whenever she could.
Her parents bought a child-safe electrical kit with circuits and motors, when she was younger.
“I lived rurally in Ōhaupō and our neighbour’s driveway would often flood in winter and we would make little polystyrene boats with electronic circuits and a motor to it.
“I’d wrap it in Glad Wrap to waterproof it and then I’d just have my little motorboat in a lake, which was the neighbour’s driveway.”
She said her father was also a big inspiration for her interests.
“Dad is a civil engineer for an environment and engineering consulting company and mostly works on dams, water engineering projects, and flood protection.
“His outlook on life has definitely impacted me. He would take us on bush walks and it would always be passing a dam or something, so I think it stuck with me.”
Bouma identifies as “queer” which has also made her a strong advocate for other LGBTQIA+ people.
Although she hasn’t had a lot of discrimination due to her identity, Bouma champions women in STEM.
“You feel in group projects when you’re speaking as a woman, you often are talked over or someone will take credit for your idea. I haven’t noticed it happen to me a lot, it’s quite subtle.”
