Beauty, Brains, AI And Fashion: Miss USA And Chemical Engineer Morgan Romano Empowering Girls In STEM

The fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and fashion is revolutionizing the industry. AI is poised to add up to $275 billion to the apparel, fashion, and luxury sectors' operating profits, according to a McKinsey report published in March. As artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize industries worldwide, the fusion of AI and fashion transforms the landscape, making it more sustainable and innovative.

In this exclusive interview with Miss USA and Chemical Engineer Morgan Romano, we discuss the future of fashion, the role of AI, and how her unique background has inspired her to advocate for girls in STEM. Morgan shares her thoughts on role models, offers advice for young girls, and provides recommendations for the fashion industry.

Morgan's Journey: Bridging the Gap Between Engineering and Fashion

Morgan Romano's passion for STEM began in high school when she was 17; her curiosity and love for reading inspired her to explore engineering. A naturally curious teenager, her love for reading and asking questions inspired her to explore the world of STEM. Despite being a self-proclaimed "girly girl" with a penchant for dancing, dressing up, and performing, Morgan recognized the potential of combining her technical skills with her creativity and love for design.

Her high school chemistry teacher first recognized her aptitude for problem-solving and encouraged her to pursue engineering as a career “My chemistry teacher in high school told me about it. But on the other side, I grew up being a competitive dancer my whole life and loving being a performer and being on stage; and I was a girly girl, and I loved to dress up and wear heels and wear heels crowns. It's so funny. We have so many photos of me as a little girl in plastic crowns, and now I'm Miss USA, so I guess I was destined for it.”

Morgan's Role Models:

Growing up, Morgan's first role model was her dance teacher, who displayed a beautiful balance of strength, empathy, and love. This inspired Morgan to seek the same balance in her own life. Later, as an intern at a company, she admired the influential women leaders who demonstrated the importance of bringing sensitivity and strong leadership to the table. Morgan points to the Kardashians as an example of women who have found the balance between business and personal life. They are human, strong, and successful, showing young women that they can have it all.

After completing her degree in mechanical engineering, Morgan found herself at the intersection of engineering and fashion in the challenging yet rewarding role as an application engineer. This niche allowed her to combine her technical skills with her love for creativity and design. Throughout her academic journey, she discovered her passion for applying engineering principles to solve real-world problems.

As she became more involved in the fashion world, Morgan realized the potential to use her unique platform as Miss USA to advocate and inspire girls to pursue STEM education. She began sharing her story and experiences in engineering, demonstrating that a career in STEM could be both fulfilling and glamorous. This dual passion for engineering and fashion has made Morgan a powerful advocate for the next generation of female engineers, breaking down gender stereotypes and championing the importance of diverse perspectives in the industry.

AI's Impact on Fashion and Sustainability

Morgan highlights the transformative potential of AI in revolutionizing the fashion industry, saying, "I think that this could be so innovative, and it could really expand on what we're able to do with fashion and be crucial in product development and efficiency and really allow for really creative, innovative designs and marketing techniques." She envisions AI as a tool that can drive innovation, creativity, and efficiency and focus more on sustainable practices.

AI is also being used to create customized products, with Morgan mentioning "sunglasses that you can have AI made specifically for your face shape." AI model agency La Land claims that using AI models is 90% faster than photoshoots and requires no samples, helping brands reduce waste and save time. Some designers even hope to entirely move the fashion industry online, cutting out all physical pieces.

Morgan believes this approach could significantly impact the fashion industry's carbon footprint and resource consumption, especially as AI continues to advance. However, she also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a human-emotional connection within the fashion industry, stating, "I feel like it's such an emotional thing, and it's in a piece of art." She expresses concerns that relying too heavily on AI might lead to isolation and losing the human touch in the creative process and customer service.

Discussing the upcoming AI Fashion Week in New York, which will feature emerging AI designers, Morgan shares her excitement, saying, "It's such an interesting concept, and I'm actually excited to see how it goes in the first one ever." While she recognizes the world is trending towards increased AI integration, she reiterates her belief in the importance of human connection and emotion in fashion: "We're going to be such isolated humans and we're built to have a human-emotional connection."

While AI has the potential to revolutionize fashion, Morgan believes that striking the right balance between AI innovation and human creativity will be essential for the fashion industry’s future.

Advice for Young Girls: Closing the Gender Gap in STEM

As a strong advocate for girls in STEM, Morgan uses her platform to inspire and encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. She shares her story, mentioning her "AHA moment" during her first year in college: "I realized the division between men and women in STEM was my first year in my first class when I got there, and it was 75% boys, and they all had been going to summer camps for coding and Stem and science. And I had just learned about it a year ago."

Morgan advocates for educational programs encouraging girls to pursue STEM, recognizing that early exposure is key to closing the gender gap.

She explains, "I think the way that we bring that number to 50% girls is to start at a younger age. And to start getting girls involved before the age of five. Another statistic shows that if a girl is not introduced to Stem by age 5, 97 percent of the time, they will not pursue a career in STEM.”

Morgan emphasizes the importance of women's participation in the rapidly evolving technology and AI fields, "It's so important as we grow, and we're such an innovative world. And how you mentioned AI, it's so important that women have a seat at that table because we bring such a different perspective, and we bring that emotional aspect.” Morgan believes it's essential to have diverse viewpoints in the field, particularly regarding the creation and use of AI. She hopes that the next generation of female leaders will play a significant role and be empowered in shaping the future of technology and AI, which will undoubtedly impact the fashion industry.

Morgan stresses the importance of setting boundaries for young girls like my 14-year-old daughter, who aspire to become famous on social media platforms. She encourages girls to recognize that social media is not real life and that comparing oneself to others can lead to anxiety and depression. If social media becomes a career, it's crucial to treat it like any other job, with boundaries and self-care.

The Way Forward

AI is undoubtedly transforming the fashion industry, with the potential to increase profits, promote sustainability, and redefine the design process. The fashion industry should consider the following recommendations to fully harness the potential of AI and ensure a prosperous, sustainable future:

1. Invest in AI technology and research: Companies should allocate resources to explore and develop AI-powered solutions that streamline their supply chains, optimize product design, and enhance customer experiences.
2. Prioritize sustainability: Embrace AI-driven technologies that promote environmentally-friendly practices, such as reducing waste, minimizing resource consumption, and using ethically-sourced materials. This will benefit the planet and appeal to many environmentally conscious consumers.
3. Encourage workforce diversity: Morgan points out that it's essential to have diverse perspectives in the industry, especially regarding the development and implementation of AI. Companies should actively promote diversity and inclusion, empowering and encouraging women and other underrepresented groups to pursue careers in technology and AI.
4. Foster collaboration between AI and human creativity: As the fashion industry increasingly adopts AI, it's crucial to maintain a balance between technology-driven innovation and human creativity. Companies should promote a culture of collaboration, where designers and AI experts work together to create unique, innovative products that resonate with customers on an emotional level.
5. Support and Sponsor STEM education for girls: Fashion enterprises can play a significant role in closing the gender gap in STEM by sponsoring educational programs, offering internships, and partnering with organizations that promote girls' involvement in science, technology, engineering, and math. This will help ensure a new generation of female leaders equipped to shape the fashion industry's future and contribute to the development of AI technologies.

By following these recommendations, large enterprises in the fashion industry can successfully navigate the AI revolution, creating a more sustainable, efficient, and innovative future that empowers the next generation of female leaders to shape the world.

With her unique background and platform as Miss USA, Morgan Romano is poised to significantly impact the fashion industry and the lives of young girls interested in STEM. By embracing AI, promoting authenticity, and encouraging girls to pursue their passions, she inspires a new generation of leaders ready to shape the future of fashion and technology.