By
Brett Starr
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In this article, we interviewed 4 of our female colleagues about their journey in the tech industry, from their interests in the field to the challenges they faced, and how they found nyris.
The technology industry has been historically populated by men. For a lot of young women, this male dominated environment might be discouraging enough to dissuade them from careers in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (or STEM). However, a visit to the nyris office will show you that the world, and the tech industry are changing—our team is composed of women who grew up with a passion for STEM, and today are role models for young women who dream of entering this field. Gender equality is something we take very seriously at nyris and our current gender distribution is nearly 50/50. We asked a few of our brilliant female colleagues about their experiences in the industry and why they love working at nyris. Here’s what they had to say!
Veronika:
Veronika Zhuravleva grew up in the Zelenograd district in Moscow, which was central to the Soviet microelectronics industry. Many of her relatives, including her mother, worked in engineering, and other professions in the family ranged from natural scientists to doctors, journalists to designers. When considering her career path, Veronika knew she wanted to do something different, she wanted to carve her own path.
Ever since she was young, she’s had an interest in studying structural patterns and algorithmic tasks. Originally, this led her to explore the history of languages and comparative linguistics. She studied Philological Sciences at the Moscow State University and went on to learn three ancient and six modern languages. Eventually, Veronika discovered the language of programming.
“Why not add another type of language to the list?” In her own words, as she experimented with programming languages, she came to the conclusion that “the unambiguity and clarity of the communication between a person and a machine is exactly the point that I find so fascinating.” It was this breakthrough that led her to work in tech.
“nyris gives me a precious opportunity to get a deep insight into the software production process and to become a part of it, enriching my theoretical knowledge in tech through real-world challenges and experience.”
Veronika’s advice: “It is never too late to follow your dream, but don't postpone it for tomorrow—make it happen now!”
Juleana:
Juleana Villegas first became interested in STEM when she was little. She remembers her brother encouraging her to participate in mathematics competitions, and when she did, she found the problem-solving process extremely fun. Juleana went on to study mathematics, data science, and machine learning in school and university. She enjoys working at nyris because, in a field as innovative as machine learning, she can face new problems every day. Finding solutions, being creative, and applying her skills in the field is what keeps her motivated. She also notes that having female friends to work with makes the experience much better.
Juleana’s favorite quote: Eso suele pasar cuando sucede! (It’ll happen when it happens!)
Vaishali Dhakate:
Growing up, Vaishali Dhakate often watched with fascination as her father repaired household appliances. Since he worked in the oil and gas industry, he taught her all about his work integrating sensors with recorders, transmitters, display systems and control systems. She quickly became interested in the world of technology and, after receiving a Bachelor of Engineering, she started work as a software engineer. Vaishali is motivated to solve problems by the notion that she can make a difference for the end user. She came to nyris for the opportunity to engage with visual search technologies, a field that has always fascinated her. She lives and breathes coding— she describes her ideal lifestyle in four simple words: “EAT SLEEP CODE REPEAT!”
Vaishali’s advice: Do not hesitate to try out your ideas, even if they sound stupid to other people.
“EAT SLEEP CODE REPEAT!”
Mimi:
Mimi Blomberg recalls playing around with machinery from a young age, disassembling everything from radios to tractors. She treated subjects like math and physics like riddles to be solved and appreciated that there was only one right answer. Though she now enjoys theoretical problems in physics, she decided to study mechanical engineering, steering away from theory to pursue what she figured was a more “applied” version of physics. In the tech industry, Mimi appreciates that there is always more to learn. According to her, she learns the most from talking to people, and nyris has allowed her to work with people from all kinds of tech backgrounds. She has also enjoyed getting to know all the inspirational women in our company.
“At my university there were some events for women in tech, and back then, I always thought that I didn't really "need" them since I didn't want any special treatment. How stubborn of me! Upon taking up a computer science course with a female professor (all my other professors in the BSc were male...), I realized how incredibly inspiring and motivating it is to meet and learn from other women in tech!”
Mimi Bloomberg finished her working student experience at nyris in July, 22 — but her time at nyris reflected on her Master thesis about the usage of visual search in the industrial realm.
All these amazing women decided to focus their lives on what really interested them, despite the gender biases that have existed since the rise of science and technology. We hope their advice inspires you to follow your dreams, however daunting they may be!
