Science
The remarkable work of women scientists and researchers at IBM Research
March 31, 2021 | Written by: IBM Research Staff
Categorized: AI | Hybrid Cloud | Quantum Computing | Science
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During the month of March, IBM Research put the spotlight on a number of women scientists and engineers, and asked them about their professional and personal motivations, journeys and experiences as women — and particularly, as women in STEM. They represent the breadth of career experiences at IBM Research, across disciplines, geographies, ethnicities, tenures, and backgrounds, who share a passion for science and technology, as well as a commitment to help all women rise to meet their aspirations.
Here are some of their inspiring stories.
Kathryn Guarini, Ph.D – Chief Information Officer, IBM
We’re kicking off #WomensHistoryMonth with newly appointed @IBM #CIO @kwguarini. This month, we’re showcasing the remarkable work of women scientists and researchers at IBM Research. https://t.co/WZYSAlLaW5 pic.twitter.com/BTaYpvPWsJ
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 1, 2021
“When women feel they are not welcome in #STEM, it harms the individual and also hurts the field. It deters future contributors who don’t see themselves being accepted and negatively impacts the diversity of thought and experience needed to solve complex problems.” – @Liv_lanes
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 2, 2021
Yoonyoung Park, Sc.D – Research Staff Member (Cambridge)
Yoonyoung Park on her career journey: “As a pharmacist by training, I transitioned into a career in #STEM focusing on #healthcare data research after discovering how data and analytics can help solve issues at a population health level compared to one patient at a time.” #WHM
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 3, 2021
“My interests in math & science were nurtured at a young age. Engineering neatly bridged them and gave me the opportunity to be hands-on in the lab. In experimental #quantum research, we study fundamental #physics while also engineering the systems to work as well as possible.”
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 4, 2021
“During #WomensHistoryMonth, I reflect on women pioneers in the STEM field, such as Marie Curie and Ada Lovelace. They may not have been able to vote, but felt the same call to science that we do today. Let’s help future generations get even more access & support.” – @majavukovic
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 5, 2021
“Women’s History Month serves as an opportunity to rediscover women who have made important contributions throughout history. By bringing awareness to women’s achievements, we can help inspire the next generation.” – @paulinhaappel #IWD
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 8, 2021
Jianying Hu on being open to learning new things: “STEM is a particularly fast-evolving area with plenty of opportunities to delight the mind. In fact, I just signed up for a quantum computing study group and am very excited to learn about this revolutionary computing paradigm!”
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 9, 2021
Maria Gabrani, Ph.D. – Manager, Cognitive Healthcare and Lifesciences (Zurich)
“Women in #STEM should adopt the mindset that they can design their own life. Equations, algorithms and programming languages are the brushes and music notes of STEM field artists. Think about what you want to accomplish and then go for it!” – @mariagabrani
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 10, 2021
Kayla Lee, Ph.D. – Growth Product Manager, IBM Quantum (New York)
“It’s extremely important that everyone has someone that looks like them or shares similar lived experiences. This familiarity will make the workplace a better environment because a space is created where people can be comfortable as their authentic selves.” – @k_lovin_ #WHM
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 11, 2021
Cindy Goldberg, Ph.D. – Program Director, AI Hardware Center & Hybrid Cloud Research (New York)
Increasing the representation of #WomenInSTEM is an antidote to “group think”. Building teams where diverse ideas are cultivated is the blueprint to spark innovation and growth.
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 12, 2021
Anupama Ray, Ph.D. – Advisory Research Scientist (Bangalore)
“My father is an engineer and initially spotted my curiosity and creativity. He introduced me to scientific explorations very early on. I credit him for helping me live my dream of being a #scientist and appreciate him for keeping me encouraged along my journey.” #WHM
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 15, 2021
Adele Pacquette, Ph.D. – Research Staff Member (New York)
“If I could give myself advice at the beginning of my career, I would encourage resiliency. The invention of cutting-edge technologies requires experiments that result in many trials and errors. Learn from setbacks in order to generate and ultimately deliver on novel ideas.”
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 16, 2021
“It’s vital that we increase the representation of women in #STEM fields because heavy gender-imbalance can intimidate young students and lead to a lack of mentors later in their careers. In turn, this leads to a vicious cycle of an underrepresentation of women.” – @HanheePaik
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 17, 2021
If I could give myself advice at the beginning of my career, I would say: “Being different is going to be your advantage, so quit trying to blend in with the crowd.” – @jamartino #WomensHistoryMonth #WomeninSTEM
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 18, 2021
Michal Ozery-Flato, Ph.D. – Research Staff Member, AI for Healthcare (Tel-Aviv)
“As a child, I really enjoyed math and was good at it. Solving math problems is like solving riddles so I never grew tired of it. My mother has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and greatly influenced me, my two sisters and brother’s interest in #STEM subjects.” #WHM #WomeninSTEM
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 19, 2021
Sara E. Berger, Ph.D. – Research Staff Member (New York)
“Representation functions as a welcome sign & a catalyst for change. We need to show other women that they belong in the narrative of STEM from the start. STEM fields can’t be more inclusive without diverse voices involved in processes of creation, implementation and education.”
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 22, 2021
Payel Das, Ph.D. – Principal Research Staff Member and Manager, IBM Research AI (New York)
“If I could go back in time and give myself career advice, I would say to locate a role model as early as possible and create a path of your own. Be sure to pass that knowledge to the next generation.” – @payel791
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 23, 2021
“We must increase the number of #WomenInSTEM because different perspectives and experiences combined with scientific and social understanding will allow us to tackle the greatest challenges facing our world, such as expanding access to healthcare and mitigating climate change.”
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 24, 2021
“If I could offer my younger self advice, I would tell myself to be brave and reach higher, faster and more often. As the mother of preschool-age, twin daughters, I encourage them to be brave.” – @kimgreene
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 26, 2021
“When women have equal opportunities to thrive in #STEM careers, the gender gap shrinks & bias in products & services are reduced. STEM breeds critical thinkers enabling the next generation of innovators, accelerating technological growth significantly.” #WomensHistoryMonth
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 25, 2021
Bianca Zadrozny, Ph.D. – Senior Manager, Spatiotemporal Modeling (Brazil)
“As a woman in a STEM career, you may be the only woman in the classroom or customer meeting, but it’s important to know that you’re just as competent and capable as others. At the same time, it’s perfectly fine to ask questions and stay curious.” – @biancazad #WomensHistoryMonth
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 29, 2021
Stacy Hobson, Ph.D. – Director, Responsible and Inclusive Technologies Research (New York)
“I was introduced to computer science during a summer enrichment program in high school. I loved how I could develop reusable code to address problems using programming. I’m now using technical research efforts to address even more complex, real world problems.” – @StacyHobson5
— IBM Research (@IBMResearch) March 31, 2021
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