Today we’d like to introduce you to Vivian Liu.
Hi Vivian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Future Female Scholars began as an idea between Claire Wang, my co-founder, and me. We came up through and took STEM courses, and we just couldn’t help but pay attention to how few girls there were — especially girls from underrepresented or low-income families. Both of us experienced it ourselves and knew how isolating that was, so we wanted to make a difference. So we set out to build something not just teaching STEM, but that brought a community of girls together who felt visible, supported, and empowered.
We set out and built a tutoring platform from scratch — coding it all by ourselves — to match enthusiastic teen tutors with students who needed help in subjects like math, science, and coding.
Since its founding, the program has grown to be a successful community of teen tutors and students spanning states and countries. It’s not merely about academic assistance — it’s a support network that encourages girls to believe in themselves and aspire to futures in science, technology, engineering, and math. Our aspiration is to make STEM approachable, welcoming, and intimate, session by session.
Even though I live in Texas, I’ve always had a total enthusiasm for LA. I’ve visited, worked with students from the area, and been energized by the vibe and creativity of this city. LA has contributed to who I am today, and I’m excited to share Future Female Scholars with this incredible community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Right from the beginning, Future Female Scholars has evolved into something much greater than we ever dreamed — not just a tutoring organization, but a community where girls feel encouraged to immerse themselves in STEM with confidence and curiosity. Our aspiration has always been to make learning about STEM accessible, empowering, and tailored to each student’s journey.
Even though I’m based in Texas, LA has always held a special place in my story. I’ve connected with students here, drawn inspiration from the creativity that runs through the city, and felt a sense of belonging in its vibrant energy. That’s why I’m so excited to expand our work to this community.
Our development of Future Female Scholars wasn’t without its frustrations. Claire Wang and I knew early on we were going to build everything from scratch — creating the website from scratch using only what we’d learned in AP Computer Science A and other coding courses. Claire was the one who really pushed me to be a better programmer, and the two of us worked late nights debugging and figuring out how to create a secure, accessible community for students and tutors to engage with.
But technical challenges weren’t the only ones. Getting the word out was hard, especially when so much content was competing for attention. That’s when we turned to Instagram (@future.female.scholars), producing short videos after school to post STEM tips, promote the site, and solicit student input. Between running our school clubs, managing our schoolwork, and building this from the ground up, Claire and I have put so much of ourselves into this endeavor — and every challenge has only made us more determined.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Claire Wang and I are classmates in high school, and both of us have a passion for STEM professions. Claire is extremely interested in medicine— she volunteers at hospitals, shadows dentists, and continually explores how science can improve people’s lives. She’s also an incredibly talented violinist who has performed at Carnegie Hall and traveled across Europe for international music competitions. Her fascination with the human body, combined with her creativity and discipline through music, continues to shape her aspirations and drive her to make healthcare better
For me, I’ve always been drawn to the problem-solving in STEM. I love math and teach students from elementary math all the way up to AP Calculus BC. I’ve placed first in statewide coding competitions (with Claire, of course!), conducted university-level mechanical engineering research, and run multiple STEM clubs. I also have a passion for essay writing — I recently won the national Grand Prize in the AWM/Math for America Essay Contest, defeating high school and university students from across the nation. My winning essay wove together math, identity, and personal growth, and will be published on the AWM website.
Claire and I both know that we were lucky to have the tools, mentors, and support systems in place that allowed us to cultivate a passion for STEM. But we knew that all girls do not have the same privileges — and that just wasn’t equitable. So we created Future Female Scholars. We built the site ourselves and began the effort to bridge the gap and provide free STEM tutoring to girls who might otherwise be denied it. We’re thrilled that something we wrote ourselves is now assisting students across states and even globally.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The quality that’s been most important to our success is definitely our collaboration. Claire and I have been friends since we were in elementary school, and both of us have been nerdy about STEM since that time. We even skipped a grade of math together because we loved pushing ourselves. Over the years, we naturally fell into a working groove with each other — we knew one another’s strengths and learned how to cover for one another.
Claire is highly conscientious and has a great skill for coding. She coded the majority of our website and is always willing to do things right. I have leadership and communication abilities, which help to promote our initiative, organize different departments of our team, and create content appealing to our audience. But we also alternate — sometimes Claire does outreach and I come in to repair a page. We’ve never let fixed roles hold us back because we trust each other and we’re always learning!
Most importantly, our success is because we’re better together. We balance each other out, push each other to be better, and always have a blast doing it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://futurefemalescholars.com
- Instagram: @future.female.scholars
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivianhliu/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-wang-9bb54235a/
