Le Mai Weakley

What did you want to be as a child and how has that journey led you to where you are today?
As a child, I really didn’t know what I was going to do, but I did know that it was going to be technical and that I wanted to go into higher education. My father grew up poor, and for him, education was something that opened a lot of doors. So, he strived to bring it back into his family. His nieces were pulled out of school, and that really hurt him because of the knowledge that these advanced degrees could open so many doors.

Getting to my current position was not a straightforward journey. My background is in mathematics, and I earned my doctorate at IU in Probability. A lot of that occurred by happenstance, because a director in graduate studies believed in me enough that he offered me the chance to take the qualifying exams even though I wasn't a Ph.D. student. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to accept the faculty position, but I knew I didn’t want to go into industry because both my parents were either in service or academia.

However, I didn’t know what service looked like or what a government job looked like, and it was very intimidating to me. I thought higher education was where I wanted to be, but I didn’t know what the best path forward was, and I didn’t feel comfortable with the politics involved with faculty at that time. I looked into it more and decided that I wanted to a job in mathematics – any kind of job – even hourly. I had confidence in my skills and knew I met at least 90% of the requirements, so I had a good chance.

What advice do you have for women who may experience or witness discrimination in the workplace?
For me personally, I’ve always been an introvert so as a baseline, it is harder for me to speak out. But in these kinds of instances, it comes back to my parents, who have always told me, “If you see something, say something. Be proactive instead of reactive.” So, I’ve always felt that I can speak up, and I should speak up. Especially in egregious instances, or if I can support somebody in my own way that isn’t pushing me too much. There have been moments where I felt very uncomfortable being one of the few women in the room. However, I think going into the future, people’s attitudes are changing over time, and it feels good to be at a point of time in tech where people are starting to listen.

On the other hand, if it’s a really bad situation, just walk away. There is going to be an opportunity out there with somebody better who understands, believes in you, and will push you forward. Even though, 100% you should push yourself and speak up for yourself, if you’re still not being accepted based on race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. then it is a toxic environment, and you should walk away. There are so many capable people who will value you and continue to value people that you bring in. At the end of the day, it goes both ways, on one hand you want to like “stick it to the man,” but on the other hand, maybe you want to give your time and energy in a more positive way.

I think I lucked out in research technology. There were women in the organization, and I had a South Asian boss - I still do – and that has helped me a lot with representation.

Do you have any advice on work-life balance and being a primary caregiver?
I think your leadership should always be understanding. Your personal and work life are never going to be completely independent of each other. Stress that you face at work or at home can overlap and affect each other.

There are people out there who value your time and are willing to give you the resources and time you need. An example of this is my father passed away from cancer in the last two years, and it was very difficult to make time, with the pandemic ongoing as well, but I felt so much support from my work and so much empathy.

Also, I think you shouldn’t be afraid to have a frank conversation with your partner if you think you need help. If you believe enough in your community, then people are out there willing to help, and there’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Even though a child isn’t going to be harmed by you taking time to reply to an email, you are taking time away from your mental well-being and focusing on what is important to you, and no work environment is worth that.

Are there any stress-relieving hobbies you’re interested in or organizations you’re a part of?
I’m a part of the IT leadership community, of course! If you feel like you can dedicate time to these volunteer opportunities, or community building events, you should do it. You’ll get to meet people like you and welcome people who are like you but might not have felt comfortable entering certain spaces. Other hobbies are just the regular garden variety such as cooking, eating, gardening, and having fun with my family.

Is there any advice you would give to your past self or current students at IU who are pursuing technology?
There’s something amazing about being able to do problem-solving, and it is applicable in a lot of other fields. I would also say volunteering opportunities are great, and you should take those seriously. Also take networking opportunities seriously, in terms of socialization and meeting people who can help you get your ideas off the ground.

Is there a role model you look up to in your personal or professional life?
I would say, first, my parents are at the top of my list. They have given me the foundation and anchor for self-confidence and understanding that brains and charm only get you so far. But, hard work, honesty, and being true to yourself are really the crux of being successful in both relationships and your daily life. In my work, I would say all the leadership in Research Technologies has been amazing and believed in me, from my manager right now, Abhinav Thota, to my director, Scott Michael. The amount of belief that they have put in me and my work and being empathetic and noticing the intangibles have been important to me in building up my confidence to tackle a lot of the things that come by.