Haley Kalil is having a Smart Girl Summer, and we should all join her! As a New York City-based model and scientist, Haley Kalil is breaking barriers and building new standards that empower women in STEM. Haley does not shy away from having it all and does not let society limit her abilities. Currently, she is the CEO of The Nerd Herd, which is a brand at the intersection of beauty and science. Haley acknowledges the double standard between women and men in the STEM field. It is normalized and widely accepted for a man to flaunt their body on the internet without their work being discredited, but we can not say the same for women. However, The Nerd Herd’s mission is to create that safe space for women, educate them on STEM, and make women feel sexy in the process. This is 2022, and women no longer have to choose between being conservative and not being taken seriously in their careers, and Haley is at the forefront of that movement. If you love Haley as much as we do, and want to hear about her advocacy with Black Girls Code, and her journey from STEM to Modeling, please continue reading below!

Where are you based?
I am based primarily in NYC, but travel to LA and abroad for many jobs!

When were you first drawn to modeling? How did you know it was a passion of yours?
I was always intrigued by the world of fashion. It was mysterious and beautiful. It was something so foreign to me, yet I wanted to be a part of it all. I remember buying magazines at my local grocery store just to see all the beautiful editorials and advertisements within the pages. I was enamored by fashion and I think, because it seemed so unreachable, that I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to see the real world of fashion behind the veil of beauty.

You graduated from college with a 4.0 in Biomedical Sciences and Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. What did you want to do with your life before modeling happened?
I was working in the hospital, studying in an Immunology Lab, and preparing for my MCAT. As the daughter of two engineers, science was always my career goal. It was something I never questioned. I was planning on going to medical school and, eventually, becoming a reconstructive surgeon. That was my ultimate goal.

What was it like going from science to modeling? Do you miss doing science?
It was quite a shock for me. I had to learn an entirely new career from the one I had been studying my entire life. It was a fun challenge for me to understand and thrive in this new career. Thank God for YouTube videos that walked me through things that I didn't understand and my mother couldn’t teach me… like going to a casting. Despite my love for modeling, science will always be a passion of mine and it will always be something I am drawn to. I will always have one foot in the sciences, and one day I plan on working in the sciences again.

As an official Sports Illustrated model, do you have any words of encouragement for people new to the industry?
Don’t be afraid of hearing the word “no.” There are a million “no’s” in this industry — but all it takes is one “yes” to change your life and your career. Do not change who you are and what you believe in, no matter what someone offers you. Never allow self-deprecating thoughts to control your mind. It’s very easy to let negative thoughts control your decisions in this industry. Know your worth, and don’t ever let anyone take that from you.

What was it like being a judge for Miss USA 2021? Do you feel Miss USA celebrates all parts of women enough?
Judging Miss USA was an incredible experience. I was able to see women chasing their dreams and passions with such vigor. I was blown away by the intellect, grace, beauty, and drive these women had. I am a feminist. As a feminist, I support women’s dreams. Stepping onto the Miss USA stage is a huge goal for many women across this country. Not only do they win scholarship money and the opportunity to work as an ambassador for incredible nonprofit organizations, they also get to achieve their personal goal of representing their state at Miss USA. I will always support a woman’s opportunity to chase her dream. Miss USA is owned and operated by a woman, and since I competed, I’ve seen incredible positive change in the pageant and the platform these women are given.

There is a sigma that models are not smart, but we at Jejune find this quite the opposite! Models are some of the brightest most worldly people we know. How can we show the world that women can be beautiful and smart at the same time?
There’s no better proof than living what you preach. I continually strive to prove people wrong. I want to provide women with the platform to show the world that beauty and intelligence can exist at the same time. It is not an “or” but rather an “and.” You are not beautiful OR intelligent. You are beautiful AND intelligent. We as women need to continue to fight this stereotype by living our lives in a way that showcases that you can do both! That's why we need to continually support platforms that fight to eliminate and change these dangerous stereotypes that have kept women down for so long.

The Nerd Herd facilitates science and beauty, an amazing intersection of your passions. Can you tell us about The Nerd Herd and its mission?

I started The Nerd Herd last year when I noticed the disparity in the way men and women are treated within the STEM fields. I have friends who are doctors and engineers that tell me they are terrified to post a swimsuit photo because they think their coworkers will have less respect for them. Women have a different set of rules they are required to follow in this type of industry. I saw this huge need within the STEM fields for women to be respected as the multidimensional beings they are. I want The Nerd Herd to be a safe place for women to embrace both their body and their mind. A female physician should be allowed to post a swimsuit photo on vacation… the same way her male counterpart can. I want The Nerd Herd to be a place to encourage young women in STEM while also giving them a safe space to express themselves without fear or suppression. Later this year, The Nerd Herd will be launching a loungewear line where 100% of the proceeds from the first launch will go to organizations that help get young women involved in STEM. The name originated in middle school when I would go off to my “nerdy” after school programs, and my older sister would say, “Oh, Haley is off to Nerd Herd.” What used to be a mocking joke has now turned into my passion and a respected title. Heck yes I am a nerd, and I am proud!!

Was it hard to become comfortable in your physical sexuality after coming from a field that focuses more on the mind?
Absolutely! I was in a field where I was respected for my mind and my studies and I entered a career where I was respected primarily for my body. I felt very out of place. Because of this stark contrast, I was able to see the difficulties women faced in both careers and the stereotypes they had to battle.

What do you wish people would learn regarding societies' need to delegitimize women for showing skin?

This need is based on a societal construct that has no factual basis. It is something we can fight to change. There is no rhyme or reason to this. A man can show skin and still be respected, while a woman’s body has been hyper-sexualized by our culture and is thereby regarded as inappropriate in a work setting. I hope women and men will fight for equality of treatment. If a male engineer is able to post a swimsuit photo on vacation without jeopardizing the way in which people see him, a woman should also be allowed to do the same. We need to stop teaching young girls that their body is an enemy to their professional success. Telling young women to “cover up because you're distracting the boys with your shoulders” is somewhat comical when a boy sits a couple rows in front of you and he’s wearing a tank top. Everything changes for the better in a society when a woman’s body is no longer viewed as a sexual object.

Soon you will be releasing Nerd Herd loungewear in which you will donate 100% of the proceeds to organizations that advocate for female STEM-related programs. When you were growing up, did you ever have courses or organizations like that to look up to or to be involved with?

I was extremely fortunate to have parents who both came from a STEM field. I was never told by my parents that science was not an option as a woman. I had many teachers and students that tried to make me feel like science was a man’s world… but I am grateful to my mother for never allowing me to believe those lies. She played the role of advocate for women in STEM because she was a woman in STEM. Sadly, every young woman doesn’t have that parental support system and organizations just step in to keep their passion for the STEM fields alive.

Black Girls Code is one of the organizations that you are excited to be donating to, why is this organization important to you?
Black Girls Code is driven by the desire for equality within the tech field. They provide opportunities for young women of color to study within the tech world. They provide resources that many schools are unable to provide — especially within low income areas. They help level the playing field and make a career in STEM a reachable goal for any young woman!

Any other organizations our readers should know about who are supporting women in STEM?
National Girls Collaborative Project, National Math and Science Initiative, Women in Engineering Proactive Network, Million Women Mentors, and many many more!

What is your advice for young girls who want to go into STEM?
Chase your dreams. Don’t listen to those who tell you that you can’t achieve something. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Work hard to prove the haters wrong. Show the world just how powerful you are by achieving every dream you have — even the ones people think are impossible. You can do great things. They tell you that STEM is a “man’s world”... let’s show them just how wrong they are!

It has been a crazy past two years, and now we are looking at the possibility of losing Roe vs Wade. Do you feel like women’s rights are going backwards?
I do not. I believe that we are continually moving in the right direction. I understand that many women may feel this way because it seems like there are more and more issues to tackle, but I believe this is all part of social change. We are now able to look at the world and see the areas where there is a disparity between men and women. These areas are glaringly obvious now because we are headed in the right direction. Twenty years ago, it may not have seemed like there were as many areas to tackle because we weren’t as “awake” to these issues. Society is now calling out things that used to be a norm in our culture. This is proof of forward movement. The first step to change is identifying the thing that needs to be changed.

You are a New Yorker, how did you weather the pandemic? Are you back to normal?
The pandemic was extremely difficult for everyone. We all experienced pandemic depression. It was hard to watch our world slow down to a halt. It’s beautiful to see NYC and the world coming alive again. There’s an energy to the city that’s finally back, and I have never been happier.

What is your motto in life?
If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

Please follow Haley via the platforms below:
Instagram: @thenerdherd @haleyybaylee

Team Credits:
Photographer: Vince Trupsin
Stylist: Alex Clough
Make-up: Tamieka Gardner
Hair: Adrianne Michelle Knight at Six K

COVER - Haley Kalil - Smart Girl Summer