- Campus:
- IU Bloomington
How did you end up at IU?
I came to IU as a graduate student at Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering from India. After completing my master’s in computer science, I was hired by UITS as a Programmer Analyst.
Could you explain some of the responsibilities of your role at IU?
I provide high-level research and trend analysis on faculty data for Business Intelligence needs of the University Administration. I write programs and reports in SQL, Perl, and Tableau to facilitate providing data in a comprehensive and understandable format. I also collaborate with Data Managers across various teams to enhance security and access standards at the University.
Can you share any advice for women and individuals of marginalized genders who are navigating careers in technology?
I think not letting self-doubt get in the way of learning and progressing is crucial. It can be intimidating to walk into a meeting where you are the only woman or individual of marginalized gender, and the only way I learnt to not feel this way is through constant learning and preparation. Over the years, I have also realized that concisely communicating is important, as the receiving audience may not always be of a technical background.
Is there a particular individual who has served as a role model or source of inspiration for you, either personally or professionally, as you have progressed in your IT career?
My mother has been my biggest strength and inspiration. She entered the IT/CS field as a junior developer in the early 1990s when there were truly not a lot of women in this field, owing to long working hours, lack of resources that made coding accessible to women and IT/CS courses not being widely offered at universities (back in India). She is now the CTO of a startup company called VB Group and her hard work, constant interest in learning to keep up with the ever-changing pace of technology is something I try to emulate in my own career.
Outside of your professional endeavours, what are some hobbies or interests that you enjoy exploring in your free time?
I received training in Indian classical music and dance when I was younger, which I like to practice when time permits. I also used to enjoy the Ritmos Latinos Salsa classes pre-pandemic.