Continuing the series Women experience in STEM with the interview of Suchandra. Her interest in technology started very young and let her to study computer science. Even if she is still a student, she has very wise and proactive advice for people who want to start a career in tech. I am happy to be sharing her experience with you.
Could you start by a small presentation so we can get to know you better?
Hi, my name is Suchandra, I am an M.Sc. computer science student from India.
What motivated you to work in a STEM field?
Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated with physics, computer software, and technology. My creative side and logical thinking capabilities both found expression in coding, so naturally, it motivated me to become a software developer.
As you are still a student, How is it to find an internship?
I’ve completed 2 internships. Finding internships as a fresher was hard at first but soon I learned how to tailor a resume, build a portfolio, and showcase skills that would make me a good fit for the role.
Have you experienced imposter syndrome? If yes, could you tell us a little about it?
As a girl in STEM, I’ve always faced imposter syndrome. Over time, I learned how to just ignore the constant nagging voice saying I’m not enough. Connecting with other girls in STEM helped me a lot! It made me feel like I belong to the tech world, even though it’s still heavily male-dominated.
How do you feel about being a minority in STEM as a female? Have you had any uncomfortable situations to share? Or a funny situation?
The lack of representation of minority girls and women in STEM or the tech world makes tech highly biased, discourages women from joining the field and there is a lack of talent recognition. Since programmers create apps to be used by millions, it only makes sense to have diverse devs on the team to make sure the product is inclusive and unbiased.
What do you like about your studies?
I’m interested in data science and all its applications fascinate me like chatbots driverless cars GANs and so much more. There’s something new to learn every day!
Are you happy with your career choice?
Yes definitely.
How do you expect to grow in the future?
With proper efforts, I hope to learn the skills and competence needed to be a successful software developer.
What would you say to a girl/woman who wants to start a career in STEM?
I would like to say all the things I wished someone had told me at the start :
- Get a supportive peer group from whom you can share learn and grow together
- Keep up with the latest trends from blogs news etc…
- Build projects and real-life applications of whatever it is you’re learning.
- Be happy when you run into errors or things break. Failures are needed to learn deep. Document your learning experience write blogs or teach others what you’re learning as teaching is like learning twice.
All the best to everyone starting out on their STEM journey!
If you want to follow Suchandra here is her Instagram :
If you also want to share your experience as a female student or professional in tech, don’t hesitate to fill in the form linked below. It is a great chance to be featured in our next interviews posts and inspire other girls and women to join us.